ELK-1-342: elk hunt in Unit 24 (excluding Ft. Bayard Mgmt. Area), Dec 19-23
ELK-1-342 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 24, excluding Ft. Bayard Mgmt. Area, December 19 to 23, with 15 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85). In the 2026 draw, 155 applicants chose it first and 11 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 15 licenses sold, 14 hunters reporting, a 29% success rate, 4 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 landOther federal (closed)Unit 24Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | December 19 to 23 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 24 |
| Licenses | 15 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 155 (11 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 29% success, 4 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 63.1% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-342?
155 applicants chose ELK-1-342 first in the 2026 draw and 11 drew it on that choice, 7.1% of them. 15 of the 15 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 99 first-choice applicants and 10 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 | 109 | 91 | 109 | 10 | 13 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 28 | 21 | 36 | 1 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 18 | 9 | 23 | 0 | 1 |
| All applicants | 155 | 121 | 168 | 11 | 15 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 86 | 75 | 68 | 9 | 13 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 11 | 16 | 16 | 1 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 2 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| All applicants | 99 | 94 | 90 | 10 | 15 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-342?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-342, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 29% (2025-26), from 14 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 15 in 2023-24 to 15 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 | Dec 20-24 | 15 | 14 | 29% | 4 | 0 | 3.5 | 2.43 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Dec 21-25 | 15 | 14 | 27% | 3 | 0 | 3.27 | 2.18 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Dec 16-20 | 15 | 11 | 9% | 1 | 0 | 3.73 | 2.45 |
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-1-342 compare with the other Unit 24 elk hunts?
ELK-1-342 is one of 6 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 24 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (155). Its 2025-26 success rate, 29%, was the 6th highest of the 6 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 24 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 (610,510 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-342 have?
NMDOW lists 15 licenses for ELK-1-342 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 15 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-342?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-342 a 29% success rate, from 14 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 9% to 29%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-342 in 2026?
444 applicants listed ELK-1-342 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 155 chose it first and 11 of those drew it, 7.1% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 99 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-342?
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).