ELK-1-275: elk hunt in Unit 16A, Oct 17-21
ELK-1-275 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 16A, October 17 to 21, with 75 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 80). In the 2026 draw, 4,658 applicants chose it first and 69 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 75 licenses sold, 70 hunters reporting, a 54% success rate, 38 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 80. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestState trust landUnit 16ANeighboring 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 16A |
| Licenses | 75 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | quality, high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 4,658 (69 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 54% success, 38 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 97% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-275?
4,658 applicants chose ELK-1-275 first in the 2026 draw and 69 drew it on that choice, 1.5% of them. 75 of the 75 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 4,617 first-choice applicants and 70 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 | 1,730 | 965 | 647 | 57 | 63 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 1,880 | 501 | 310 | 5 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1,048 | 474 | 201 | 7 | 7 |
| All applicants | 4,658 | 1,940 | 1,158 | 69 | 75 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 1,735 | 998 | 745 | 59 | 63 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 1,759 | 515 | 289 | 5 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1,123 | 536 | 175 | 6 | 7 |
| All applicants | 4,617 | 2,049 | 1,209 | 70 | 75 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-275?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-275, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 54% (2025-26), from 70 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 76 in 2023-24 to 75 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 | 75 | 70 | 54% | 38 | 0 | 3.57 | 4.02 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 12-16 | 75 | 69 | 62% | 43 | 0 | 3.55 | 4.14 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 14-18 | 76 | 68 | 57% | 41 | 0 | 3.85 | 3.82 |
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-1-275 compare with the other Unit 16A elk hunts?
ELK-1-275 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 16A in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (4,658). Its 2025-26 success rate, 54%, was the 3rd highest of the 9 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 16A elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 97% public land (399,885 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-275 have?
NMDOW lists 75 licenses for ELK-1-275 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 80). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 75 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-275?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-275 a 54% success rate, from 70 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 54% to 62%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-275 in 2026?
7,756 applicants listed ELK-1-275 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 4,658 chose it first and 69 of those drew it, 1.5% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 4,617 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-275?
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).