ELK-1-318: elk hunt in Unit 21A, Oct 24-28
ELK-1-318 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 21A, October 24 to 28, with 55 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84). In the 2026 draw, 89 applicants chose it first and 20 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 55 licenses sold, 50 hunters reporting, a 24% success rate, 11 bulls and 0 cows 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 24 to 28 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 21A |
| Licenses | 55 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 89 (20 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 24% success, 11 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 97.9% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-318?
89 applicants chose ELK-1-318 first in the 2026 draw and 20 drew it on that choice, 22.5% of them. 55 of the 55 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 89 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 | 60 | 92 | 144 | 18 | 47 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 10 | 53 | 46 | 0 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 19 | 21 | 37 | 2 | 5 |
| All applicants | 89 | 166 | 227 | 20 | 55 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 59 | 64 | 121 | 13 | 47 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 18 | 34 | 52 | 0 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 12 | 44 | 45 | 0 | 5 |
| All applicants | 89 | 142 | 218 | 13 | 55 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-318?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-318, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 24% (2025-26), from 50 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 25-29 | 55 | 50 | 24% | 11 | 0 | 4.24 | 2.83 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 19-23 | 55 | 47 | 27% | 13 | 0 | 3.52 | 3.55 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 21-25 | 55 | 51 | 21% | 10 | 0 | 3.7 | 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-1-318 compare with the other Unit 21A elk hunts?
ELK-1-318 is one of 7 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 21A in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 4th most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (89). Its 2025-26 success rate, 24%, was the 4th 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-1-318 have?
NMDOW lists 55 licenses for ELK-1-318 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 55 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-318?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-318 a 24% success rate, from 50 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 21% to 27%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-318 in 2026?
482 applicants listed ELK-1-318 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 89 chose it first and 20 of those drew it, 22.5% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 89 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-318?
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).