ELK-1-370: elk hunt in Unit 45, Oct 24-28
ELK-1-370 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 45, October 24 to 28, with 140 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87). In the 2026 draw, 159 applicants chose it first and 54 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 140 licenses sold, 117 hunters reporting, a 20% success rate, 24 bulls and 0 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 landWildlife Commission landState parkNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 45Neighboring 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 45 |
| Licenses | 140 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 159 (54 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 20% success, 24 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 74.3% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-370?
159 applicants chose ELK-1-370 first in the 2026 draw and 54 drew it on that choice, 34% of them. 140 of the 140 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 136 first-choice applicants and 40 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 | 112 | 320 | 302 | 48 | 118 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 39 | 68 | 105 | 0 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 8 | 8 | 26 | 6 | 14 |
| All applicants | 159 | 396 | 433 | 54 | 140 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 109 | 238 | 260 | 35 | 118 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 25 | 51 | 57 | 3 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 2 | 7 | 19 | 2 | 14 |
| All applicants | 136 | 296 | 336 | 40 | 140 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-370?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-370, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 20% (2025-26), from 117 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 142 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 | MB | Oct 25-29 | 140 | 117 | 20% | 24 | 0 | 3.99 | 3.16 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 19-23 | 140 | 118 | 9% | 11 | 0 | 3.84 | 3.07 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 21-25 | 142 | 118 | 11% | 14 | 0 | 3.86 | 3.03 |
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-1-370 compare with the other Unit 45 elk hunts?
ELK-1-370 is one of 6 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 45 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 5th most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (159). Its 2025-26 success rate, 20%, was the 5th highest of the 6 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 45 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 74.3% public land (725,646 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-370 have?
NMDOW lists 140 licenses for ELK-1-370 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 140 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-370?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-370 a 20% success rate, from 117 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 9% to 20%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-370 in 2026?
988 applicants listed ELK-1-370 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 159 chose it first and 54 of those drew it, 34% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 136 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-370?
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).