ELK-1-251: elk hunt in Unit 12, Nov 14-18
ELK-1-251 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 12, November 14 to 18, with 80 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 79). In the 2026 draw, 115 applicants chose it first and 26 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 80 licenses sold, 77 hunters reporting, a 32% success rate, 23 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 | November 14 to 18 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 12 |
| Licenses | 80 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 115 (26 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 32% success, 23 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 38.8% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-251?
115 applicants chose ELK-1-251 first in the 2026 draw and 26 drew it on that choice, 22.6% of them. 80 of the 80 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 111 first-choice applicants and 38 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 | 65 | 118 | 169 | 22 | 68 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 39 | 34 | 45 | 2 | 4 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 11 | 22 | 73 | 2 | 8 |
| All applicants | 115 | 174 | 287 | 26 | 80 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 85 | 119 | 172 | 34 | 68 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 19 | 29 | 51 | 2 | 4 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 7 | 15 | 36 | 2 | 8 |
| All applicants | 111 | 163 | 259 | 38 | 80 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-251?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-251, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 32% (2025-26), from 77 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 80 in 2023-24 to 80 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 | Nov 15-19 | 80 | 77 | 32% | 23 | 0 | 3.76 | 3.38 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Nov 9-13 | 80 | 75 | 32% | 22 | 0 | 3.83 | 3.63 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Nov 11-15 | 80 | 74 | 16% | 12 | 0 | 4.19 | 3.33 |
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-1-251 compare with the other Unit 12 elk hunts?
ELK-1-251 is one of 10 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 12 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 6th most first-choice applicants of the 10 drawn ones (115). Its 2025-26 success rate, 32%, was the 7th 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-1-251 have?
NMDOW lists 80 licenses for ELK-1-251 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 79). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 80 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-251?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-251 a 32% success rate, from 77 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 16% to 32%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-251 in 2026?
576 applicants listed ELK-1-251 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 115 chose it first and 26 of those drew it, 22.6% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 111 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-251?
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).