ELK-1-365: elk hunt in Unit 36, Jan 23-27
ELK-1-365 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an antlerless elk with any legal weapon in Unit 36, January 23 to 27, with 100 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87). In the 2026 draw, 106 applicants chose it first and 47 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 100 licenses sold, 90 hunters reporting, a 49% success rate, 1 bull and 41 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87. 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: Antlerless elk |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | January 23 to 27 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 36 |
| Licenses | 100 (drawn) |
| Who may apply | residents only |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 106 (47 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 49% success, 1 bull, 41 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 53.1% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-365?
106 applicants chose ELK-1-365 first in the 2026 draw and 47 drew it on that choice, 44.3% of them. 100 of the 100 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 136 first-choice applicants and 38 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 | 102 | 145 | 377 | 43 | 94 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 4 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 6 |
| All applicants | 106 | 146 | 384 | 47 | 100 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 135 | 146 | 397 | 37 | 97 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| All applicants | 136 | 149 | 401 | 38 | 100 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-365?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-365, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 49% (2025-26), from 90 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 101 in 2023-24 to 100 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | A | Jan 24-28 '26 | 100 | 90 | 49% | 1 | 41 | 2.35 | 3.74 |
| 2024-25 | A | Jan 25-29 '25 | 101 | 95 | 63% | 2 | 53 | 2.45 | 4.2 |
| 2023-24 | A | Jan 27-31 '24 | 101 | 86 | 77% | 2 | 65 | 2.51 | 4.18 |
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-1-365 compare with the other Unit 36 elk hunts?
ELK-1-365 is one of 10 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 36 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 7th most first-choice applicants of the 8 drawn ones (106). Its 2025-26 success rate, 49%, was the 8th 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-1-365 have?
NMDOW lists 100 licenses for ELK-1-365 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 101 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-365?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-365 a 49% success rate, from 90 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 49% to 77%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-365 in 2026?
636 applicants listed ELK-1-365 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 106 chose it first and 47 of those drew it, 44.3% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 136 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-365?
No. ELK-1-365 is for New Mexico residents only (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87).