ELK-1-361: elk hunt in Unit 36, Oct 17-21
ELK-1-361 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with any legal weapon in Unit 36, October 17 to 21, with 140 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86). In the 2026 draw, 2,297 applicants chose it first and 91 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 140 licenses sold, 124 hunters reporting, a 64% success rate, 70 bulls and 11 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landMilitary landTribal landUnit 36Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 17 to 21 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 36 |
| Licenses | 140 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 2,297 (91 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 64% success, 70 bulls, 11 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 53.1% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-361?
2,297 applicants chose ELK-1-361 first in the 2026 draw and 91 drew it on that choice, 4% of them. 140 of the 140 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 2,247 first-choice applicants and 113 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 | 1,637 | 1,694 | 1,157 | 85 | 118 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 442 | 568 | 321 | 2 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 218 | 359 | 180 | 4 | 14 |
| All applicants | 2,297 | 2,621 | 1,658 | 91 | 140 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 1,584 | 1,631 | 1,152 | 100 | 118 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 418 | 517 | 267 | 8 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 245 | 303 | 187 | 5 | 14 |
| All applicants | 2,247 | 2,451 | 1,606 | 113 | 140 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-361?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-361, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 64% (2025-26), from 124 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 140 in 2023-24 to 140 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 18-22 | 140 | 124 | 64% | 70 | 11 | 2.94 | 4.07 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Oct 12-16 | 140 | 121 | 60% | 58 | 21 | 3.45 | 3.86 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Oct 14-18 | 140 | 124 | 71% | 77 | 14 | 3.05 | 4.29 |
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-1-361 compare with the other Unit 36 elk hunts?
ELK-1-361 is one of 10 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 36 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 8 drawn ones (2,297). Its 2025-26 success rate, 64%, was the 3rd highest of the 10 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 36 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 53.1% public land (337,435 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-361 have?
NMDOW lists 140 licenses for ELK-1-361 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 140 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-361?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-361 a 64% success rate, from 124 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 60% to 71%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-361 in 2026?
6,576 applicants listed ELK-1-361 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 2,297 chose it first and 91 of those drew it, 4% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 2,247 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-361?
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).