ELK-1-375: elk hunt in Unit 48, Oct 17-21
ELK-1-375 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 48, October 17 to 21, with 75 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88). In the 2026 draw, 238 applicants chose it first and 48 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 75 licenses sold, 65 hunters reporting, a 27% success rate, 20 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landWildlife Commission landUnit 48Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 17 to 21 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 48 |
| Licenses | 75 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 238 (48 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 27% success, 20 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 29.1% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-375?
238 applicants chose ELK-1-375 first in the 2026 draw and 48 drew it on that choice, 20.2% of them. 75 of the 75 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 241 first-choice applicants and 51 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 | 213 | 127 | 140 | 45 | 63 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 23 | 46 | 48 | 3 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 2 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 7 |
| All applicants | 238 | 183 | 200 | 48 | 75 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 189 | 151 | 167 | 44 | 63 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 46 | 28 | 37 | 1 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 6 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| All applicants | 241 | 184 | 206 | 51 | 75 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-375?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-375, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 27% (2025-26), from 65 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 75 in 2023-24 to 75 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 18-22 | 75 | 65 | 27% | 20 | 0 | 3.56 | 3.63 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 12-16 | 74 | 64 | 19% | 13 | 0 | 3.98 | 3.21 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 14-19 | 75 | 63 | 30% | 20 | 0 | 3.5 | 3.32 |
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-1-375 compare with the other Unit 48 elk hunts?
ELK-1-375 is one of 7 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 48 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (238). Its 2025-26 success rate, 27%, was the 4th highest of the 7 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 48 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 29.1% public land (70,473 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-375 have?
NMDOW lists 75 licenses for ELK-1-375 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 74 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-375?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-375 a 27% success rate, from 65 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 19% to 30%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-375 in 2026?
621 applicants listed ELK-1-375 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 238 chose it first and 48 of those drew it, 20.2% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 241 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-375?
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).