ELK-1-343: elk hunt in Unit 24 (including Ft. Bayard Mgmt. Area), Oct 10-14
ELK-1-343 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with any legal weapon in Unit 24, including Ft. Bayard Mgmt. Area, October 10 to 14, with 5 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85). In the 2026 draw, 145 applicants chose it first and 4 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 5 licenses sold, 5 hunters reporting, a 50% success rate, 2 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: Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 10 to 14 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 24 |
| Licenses | 5 (drawn) |
| Who may apply | youth only |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 145 (4 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 50% success, 2 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 63.1% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-343?
145 applicants chose ELK-1-343 first in the 2026 draw and 4 drew it on that choice, 2.8% of them. 5 of the 5 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 145 first-choice applicants and 4 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 | 145 | 84 | 37 | 4 | 5 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 145 | 84 | 38 | 4 | 5 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 144 | 69 | 71 | 4 | 5 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 145 | 69 | 73 | 4 | 5 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-343?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-343, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 50% (2025-26), from 5 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 5 in 2023-24 to 5 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 | 5 | 5 | 50% | 2 | 0 | 3.75 | 4.25 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Oct 5-9 | 5 | 4 | 25% | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2.75 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Oct 7-11 | 5 | 4 | 50% | 3 | 0 | 2.25 | 4.25 |
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-1-343 compare with the other Unit 24 elk hunts?
ELK-1-343 is one of 6 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 24 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (145). Its 2025-26 success rate, 50%, was the 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-1-343 have?
NMDOW lists 5 licenses for ELK-1-343 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 5 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-343?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-343 a 50% success rate, from 5 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 25% to 50%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-343 in 2026?
267 applicants listed ELK-1-343 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 145 chose it first and 4 of those drew it, 2.8% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 145 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-343?
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). NMDOW warns that with 5 licenses, an outfitted applicant is extremely unlikely to draw this hunt, and a nonresident is extremely unlikely to draw it.