ELK-1-300: elk hunt in Unit 16E, Oct 10-14
ELK-1-300 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with any legal weapon in Unit 16E, October 10 to 14, with 25 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). In the 2026 draw, 171 applicants chose it first and 14 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 25 licenses sold, 25 hunters reporting, a 52% success rate, 9 bulls and 3 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 16ENeighboring 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 16E |
| Licenses | 25 (drawn) |
| Who may apply | youth only |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 171 (14 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 52% success, 9 bulls, 3 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 62.7% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-300?
171 applicants chose ELK-1-300 first in the 2026 draw and 14 drew it on that choice, 8.2% of them. 25 of the 25 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 209 first-choice applicants and 13 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 | 122 | 208 | 172 | 12 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 35 | 89 | 81 | 1 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 14 | 41 | 60 | 1 | 2 |
| All applicants | 171 | 338 | 313 | 14 | 25 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 146 | 210 | 161 | 12 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 40 | 104 | 106 | 0 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 23 | 49 | 78 | 1 | 2 |
| All applicants | 209 | 363 | 345 | 13 | 25 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-300?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-300, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 52% (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 | 52% | 9 | 3 | 3.3 | 3.61 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Oct 5-9 | 25 | 24 | 55% | 13 | 0 | 3.77 | 3.82 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Oct 7-11 | 25 | 23 | 57% | 13 | 1 | 3 | 3.61 |
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-1-300 compare with the other Unit 16E elk hunts?
ELK-1-300 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 16E in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (171). Its 2025-26 success rate, 52%, was the highest of the 9 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 16E elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 62.7% public land (385,211 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-300 have?
NMDOW lists 25 licenses for ELK-1-300 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-1-300?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-300 a 52% success rate, from 25 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 52% to 57%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-300 in 2026?
822 applicants listed ELK-1-300 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 171 chose it first and 14 of those drew it, 8.2% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 209 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-300?
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).