ELK-1-237: elk hunt in Unit 6C, Oct 17-21
ELK-1-237 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 6C, October 17 to 21, with 105 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78). In the 2026 draw, 665 applicants chose it first and 51 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 105 licenses sold, 96 hunters reporting, a 41% success rate, 38 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landNational Park ServiceMilitary landTribal landOther federal (closed)Unit 6CNeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 17 to 21 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 6C |
| Licenses | 105 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 665 (51 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 41% success, 38 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 53.4% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-237?
665 applicants chose ELK-1-237 first in the 2026 draw and 51 drew it on that choice, 7.7% of them. 105 of the 105 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 601 first-choice applicants and 61 drawn on first choice. These are NMDOW's results for those draws, not a forecast.
| Pool, 2026 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 505 | 600 | 579 | 42 | 89 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 66 | 79 | 112 | 2 | 6 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 94 | 145 | 109 | 7 | 10 |
| All applicants | 665 | 824 | 800 | 51 | 105 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 484 | 576 | 497 | 57 | 89 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 67 | 114 | 114 | 2 | 6 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 50 | 116 | 95 | 2 | 10 |
| All applicants | 601 | 806 | 706 | 61 | 105 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-237?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-237, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 41% (2025-26), from 96 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 105 in 2023-24 to 105 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | MB | Oct 18-22 | 105 | 96 | 41% | 38 | 0 | 3.76 | 3.77 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 12-16 | 105 | 83 | 33% | 30 | 0 | 3.78 | 3.47 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 14-18 | 105 | 90 | 35% | 36 | 0 | 3.54 | 3.92 |
Source: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report, NMDGF 2024-25 elk harvest report and NMDGF 2023-24 elk harvest report and earlier NMDOW elk harvest reports.
How does ELK-1-237 compare with the other Unit 6C elk hunts?
ELK-1-237 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 6C in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (665). Its 2025-26 success rate, 41%, was the 3rd highest of the 9 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 6C elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 53.4% public land (415,553 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-237 have?
NMDOW lists 105 licenses for ELK-1-237 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 105 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-237?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-237 a 41% success rate, from 96 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 33% to 41%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-237 in 2026?
2,289 applicants listed ELK-1-237 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 665 chose it first and 51 of those drew it, 7.7% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 601 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-237?
Yes. Nonresidents draw from the 6% of licenses set aside for them, or the 10% for applicants with a registered outfitter (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 18).