ELK-1-286: elk hunt in Unit 16C, Oct 10-14
ELK-1-286 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with any legal weapon in Unit 16C, October 10 to 14, with 25 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). In the 2026 draw, 347 applicants chose it first and 17 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 25 licenses sold, 25 hunters reporting, a 59% success rate, 13 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landUnit 16CNeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 10 to 14 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 16C |
| Licenses | 25 (drawn) |
| Who may apply | youth only |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 347 (17 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 59% success, 13 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 83.3% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-286?
347 applicants chose ELK-1-286 first in the 2026 draw and 17 drew it on that choice, 4.9% of them. 25 of the 25 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 378 first-choice applicants and 23 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 | 256 | 252 | 152 | 16 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 57 | 111 | 104 | 0 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 34 | 79 | 42 | 1 | 2 |
| All applicants | 347 | 442 | 298 | 17 | 25 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 285 | 264 | 190 | 21 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 52 | 99 | 122 | 2 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 41 | 92 | 56 | 0 | 2 |
| All applicants | 378 | 455 | 368 | 23 | 25 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-286?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-286, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 59% (2025-26), from 25 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 25 in 2023-24 to 25 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | ES | Oct 11-15 | 25 | 25 | 59% | 13 | 0 | 3.5 | 3.36 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Oct 5-9 | 25 | 24 | 73% | 11 | 5 | 3.77 | 3.77 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Oct 7-11 | 25 | 22 | 38% | 9 | 0 | 3.29 | 3.57 |
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-1-286 compare with the other Unit 16C elk hunts?
ELK-1-286 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 16C in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (347). Its 2025-26 success rate, 59%, was the highest of the 9 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 16C elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 83.3% public land (255,480 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-286 have?
NMDOW lists 25 licenses for ELK-1-286 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 25 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-286?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-286 a 59% success rate, from 25 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 38% to 73%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-286 in 2026?
1,087 applicants listed ELK-1-286 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 347 chose it first and 17 of those drew it, 4.9% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 378 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-286?
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).