ELK-1-317: elk hunt in Unit 21A, Oct 17-21
ELK-1-317 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 21A, October 17 to 21, with 35 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84). In the 2026 draw, 102 applicants chose it first and 16 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 35 licenses sold, 29 hunters reporting, a 25% success rate, 7 bulls and 1 cow taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landUnit 21ANeighboring 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 21A |
| Licenses | 35 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 102 (16 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 25% success, 7 bulls, 1 cow |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 97.9% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-317?
102 applicants chose ELK-1-317 first in the 2026 draw and 16 drew it on that choice, 15.7% of them. 35 of the 35 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 106 first-choice applicants and 5 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 | 45 | 125 | 78 | 14 | 30 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 29 | 40 | 20 | 0 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 28 | 64 | 27 | 2 | 3 |
| All applicants | 102 | 229 | 125 | 16 | 35 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 42 | 135 | 78 | 4 | 30 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 20 | 39 | 19 | 0 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 44 | 60 | 16 | 1 | 3 |
| All applicants | 106 | 234 | 113 | 5 | 35 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-317?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-317, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 25% (2025-26), from 29 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 | 29 | 25% | 7 | 1 | 3.75 | 3.25 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 12-16 | 35 | 30 | 30% | 9 | 0 | 3.78 | 4.19 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 14-18 | 35 | 30 | 23% | 7 | 0 | 3.96 | 3.23 |
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-1-317 compare with the other Unit 21A elk hunts?
ELK-1-317 is one of 7 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 21A in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (102). Its 2025-26 success rate, 25%, was the 3rd highest of the 7 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 21A elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 97.9% public land (292,681 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-317 have?
NMDOW lists 35 licenses for ELK-1-317 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 35 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-317?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-317 a 25% success rate, from 29 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 23% to 30%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-317 in 2026?
456 applicants listed ELK-1-317 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 102 chose it first and 16 of those drew it, 15.7% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 106 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-317?
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).