ELK-1-248: elk hunt in Unit 12, Oct 10-14
ELK-1-248 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 12, October 10 to 14, with 35 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 79). In the 2026 draw, 667 applicants chose it first and 33 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 35 licenses sold, 33 hunters reporting, a 58% success rate, 19 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 79. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 12Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 10 to 14 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 12 |
| Licenses | 35 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 667 (33 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 58% success, 19 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 38.8% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-248?
667 applicants chose ELK-1-248 first in the 2026 draw and 33 drew it on that choice, 4.9% of them. 35 of the 35 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 618 first-choice applicants and 28 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 | 382 | 222 | 163 | 29 | 30 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 133 | 55 | 60 | 1 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 152 | 53 | 62 | 3 | 3 |
| All applicants | 667 | 330 | 285 | 33 | 35 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 384 | 204 | 183 | 25 | 30 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 117 | 68 | 64 | 1 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 117 | 107 | 60 | 2 | 3 |
| All applicants | 618 | 379 | 307 | 28 | 35 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-248?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-248, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 58% (2025-26), from 33 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 35 in 2023-24 to 35 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 11-15 | 35 | 33 | 58% | 19 | 0 | 3.23 | 3.84 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 5-9 | 35 | 34 | 50% | 16 | 0 | 3.66 | 4.25 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 7-11 | 35 | 32 | 55% | 18 | 0 | 3.45 | 4.03 |
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-1-248 compare with the other Unit 12 elk hunts?
ELK-1-248 is one of 10 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 12 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 10 drawn ones (667). Its 2025-26 success rate, 58%, was the 2nd highest of the 10 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 12 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 38.8% public land (642,998 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-248 have?
NMDOW lists 35 licenses for ELK-1-248 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 79). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 35 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-248?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-248 a 58% success rate, from 33 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 50% to 58%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-248 in 2026?
1,282 applicants listed ELK-1-248 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 667 chose it first and 33 of those drew it, 4.9% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 618 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-248?
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).