ELK-1-287: elk hunt in Unit 16C, Oct 17-21
ELK-1-287 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 16C, October 17 to 21, with 35 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). In the 2026 draw, 311 applicants chose it first and 20 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 35 licenses sold, 30 hunters reporting, an 11% success rate, 4 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: Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 17 to 21 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 16C |
| Licenses | 35 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | quality |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 311 (20 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 11% success, 4 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 83.3% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-287?
311 applicants chose ELK-1-287 first in the 2026 draw and 20 drew it on that choice, 6.4% of them. 35 of the 35 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 373 first-choice applicants and 21 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 | 242 | 260 | 286 | 19 | 30 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 59 | 74 | 85 | 0 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 10 | 44 | 49 | 1 | 3 |
| All applicants | 311 | 378 | 420 | 20 | 35 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 273 | 324 | 309 | 21 | 30 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 65 | 79 | 107 | 0 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 35 | 47 | 71 | 0 | 3 |
| All applicants | 373 | 450 | 487 | 21 | 35 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-287?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-287, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 11% (2025-26), from 30 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 18-22 | 35 | 30 | 11% | 4 | 0 | 3.89 | 2.89 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 12-16 | 35 | 25 | 20% | 6 | 0 | 3.95 | 2.95 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 14-18 | 35 | 30 | 27% | 8 | 0 | 3.54 | 3.73 |
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-1-287 compare with the other Unit 16C elk hunts?
ELK-1-287 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 16C in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (311). Its 2025-26 success rate, 11%, was the 7th 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-1-287 have?
NMDOW lists 35 licenses for ELK-1-287 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 35 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-287?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-287 a 11% success rate, from 30 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 11% to 27%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-287 in 2026?
1,109 applicants listed ELK-1-287 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 311 chose it first and 20 of those drew it, 6.4% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 373 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-287?
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).