ELK-1-254: elk hunt in Unit 12, Dec 5-9
ELK-1-254 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an antlerless elk with any legal weapon in Unit 12, December 5 to 9, with 64 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 79). In the 2026 draw, 92 applicants chose it first and 37 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 64 licenses sold, 60 hunters reporting, a 58% success rate, 1 bull and 31 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: Antlerless elk |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | December 5 to 9 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 12 |
| Licenses | 64 (drawn) |
| Who may apply | residents only |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 92 (37 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 58% success, 1 bull, 31 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 38.8% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-254?
92 applicants chose ELK-1-254 first in the 2026 draw and 37 drew it on that choice, 40.2% of them. 64 of the 64 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 55 first-choice applicants and 33 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 | 92 | 90 | 195 | 37 | 63 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| All applicants | 92 | 90 | 196 | 37 | 64 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 55 | 65 | 236 | 33 | 63 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| All applicants | 55 | 65 | 237 | 33 | 64 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-254?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-254, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 58% (2025-26), from 60 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 64 in 2023-24 to 64 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | A | Dec 6-10 | 64 | 60 | 58% | 1 | 31 | 2.87 | 3.87 |
| 2024-25 | A | Nov 30-Dec 4 | 64 | 57 | 46% | 0 | 27 | 3.06 | 3.94 |
| 2023-24 | A | Dec 2-6 | 64 | 53 | 49% | 0 | 29 | 3.14 | 3.8 |
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-1-254 compare with the other Unit 12 elk hunts?
ELK-1-254 is one of 10 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 12 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 8th most first-choice applicants of the 10 drawn ones (92). 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-1-254 have?
NMDOW lists 64 licenses for ELK-1-254 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 79). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 64 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-254?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-254 a 58% success rate, from 60 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 46% to 58%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-254 in 2026?
378 applicants listed ELK-1-254 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 92 chose it first and 37 of those drew it, 40.2% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 55 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-254?
No. ELK-1-254 is for New Mexico residents only (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 79).