ELK-1-294: elk hunt in Unit 16D, Oct 17-21
ELK-1-294 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 16D, October 17 to 21, with 55 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). In the 2026 draw, 2,020 applicants chose it first and 53 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 55 licenses sold, 52 hunters reporting, a 61% success rate, 32 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 16DNeighboring 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 16D |
| Licenses | 55 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | quality, high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 2,020 (53 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 61% success, 32 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 88.3% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-294?
2,020 applicants chose ELK-1-294 first in the 2026 draw and 53 drew it on that choice, 2.6% of them. 55 of the 55 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 2,119 first-choice applicants and 48 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 | 1,118 | 793 | 674 | 45 | 47 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 425 | 1,158 | 332 | 3 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 477 | 527 | 212 | 5 | 5 |
| All applicants | 2,020 | 2,478 | 1,218 | 53 | 55 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 1,075 | 865 | 699 | 40 | 47 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 415 | 1,160 | 312 | 3 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 629 | 509 | 156 | 5 | 5 |
| All applicants | 2,119 | 2,534 | 1,167 | 48 | 55 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-294?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-294, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 61% (2025-26), from 52 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 55 in 2023-24 to 55 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 | 55 | 52 | 61% | 32 | 0 | 2.98 | 3.86 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 12-16 | 55 | 47 | 54% | 29 | 0 | 3.39 | 3.87 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 14-18 | 55 | 48 | 50% | 28 | 0 | 3.58 | 3.9 |
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-1-294 compare with the other Unit 16D elk hunts?
ELK-1-294 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 16D in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (2,020). Its 2025-26 success rate, 61%, was the 5th highest of the 9 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 16D elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 88.3% public land (266,069 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-294 have?
NMDOW lists 55 licenses for ELK-1-294 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 55 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-294?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-294 a 61% success rate, from 52 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 50% to 61%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-294 in 2026?
5,716 applicants listed ELK-1-294 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 2,020 chose it first and 53 of those drew it, 2.6% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 2,119 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-294?
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).