ELK-1-335: elk hunt in Unit 23, Oct 24-28
ELK-1-335 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 23, October 24 to 28, with 75 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85). In the 2026 draw, 256 applicants chose it first and 26 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 75 licenses sold, 65 hunters reporting, a 14% success rate, 9 bulls and 0 cows 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: Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 24 to 28 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 23 |
| Licenses | 75 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 256 (26 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 14% success, 9 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 63.1% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-335?
256 applicants chose ELK-1-335 first in the 2026 draw and 26 drew it on that choice, 10.2% of them. 75 of the 75 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 302 first-choice applicants and 43 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 | 148 | 183 | 246 | 25 | 63 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 79 | 73 | 105 | 1 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 29 | 45 | 82 | 0 | 7 |
| All applicants | 256 | 301 | 433 | 26 | 75 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 184 | 193 | 276 | 37 | 63 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 91 | 74 | 107 | 3 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 27 | 36 | 105 | 3 | 7 |
| All applicants | 302 | 303 | 488 | 43 | 75 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-335?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-335, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 14% (2025-26), from 65 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 75 in 2023-24 to 75 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 | 75 | 65 | 14% | 9 | 0 | 4.21 | 2.95 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 19-23 | 75 | 70 | 31% | 20 | 0 | 3.84 | 3.21 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 21-25 | 75 | 66 | 27% | 18 | 0 | 3.78 | 3.31 |
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-1-335 compare with the other Unit 23 elk hunts?
ELK-1-335 is one of 8 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 23 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 8 drawn ones (256). Its 2025-26 success rate, 14%, was the 4th 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-1-335 have?
NMDOW lists 75 licenses for ELK-1-335 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 75 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-335?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-335 a 14% success rate, from 65 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 14% to 31%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-335 in 2026?
990 applicants listed ELK-1-335 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 256 chose it first and 26 of those drew it, 10.2% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 302 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-335?
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).