ELK-1-333: elk hunt in Unit 23, Oct 10-14
ELK-1-333 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with any legal weapon in Unit 23, October 10 to 14, with 25 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85). In the 2026 draw, 187 applicants chose it first and 12 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 25 licenses sold, 25 hunters reporting, a 65% success rate, 14 bulls and 1 cow taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landMilitary landUnit 23Neighboring 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 23 |
| Licenses | 25 (drawn) |
| Who may apply | youth only |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 187 (12 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 65% success, 14 bulls, 1 cow |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 63.1% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-333?
187 applicants chose ELK-1-333 first in the 2026 draw and 12 drew it on that choice, 6.4% of them. 25 of the 25 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 158 first-choice applicants and 11 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 | 114 | 158 | 132 | 11 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 40 | 89 | 70 | 0 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 33 | 75 | 61 | 1 | 2 |
| All applicants | 187 | 322 | 263 | 12 | 25 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 106 | 190 | 133 | 9 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 26 | 105 | 98 | 2 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 26 | 92 | 52 | 0 | 2 |
| All applicants | 158 | 387 | 283 | 11 | 25 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-333?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-333, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 65% (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 | 65% | 14 | 1 | 2.87 | 4.22 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Oct 5-9 | 25 | 23 | 50% | 11 | 1 | 3.73 | 3.41 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Oct 7-11 | 25 | 25 | 74% | 12 | 5 | 2.96 | 4 |
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-1-333 compare with the other Unit 23 elk hunts?
ELK-1-333 is one of 8 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 23 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 8 drawn ones (187). Its 2025-26 success rate, 65%, was the highest of the 8 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 23 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 63.1% public land (1,183,461 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-333 have?
NMDOW lists 25 licenses for ELK-1-333 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 25 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-333?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-333 a 65% success rate, from 25 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 50% to 74%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-333 in 2026?
772 applicants listed ELK-1-333 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 187 chose it first and 12 of those drew it, 6.4% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 158 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-333?
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).