ELK-1-388: elk hunt in Unit 53 (excluding Cerro portion), Oct 17-21
ELK-1-388 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 53, excluding Cerro portion, October 17 to 21, with 80 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 89). In the 2026 draw, 112 applicants chose it first and 31 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 80 licenses sold, 66 hunters reporting, a 10% success rate, 7 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 89. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landTribal landUnit 53Neighboring 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 53 |
| Licenses | 80 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 112 (31 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 10% success, 7 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 47.6% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-388?
112 applicants chose ELK-1-388 first in the 2026 draw and 31 drew it on that choice, 27.7% of them. 80 of the 80 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 130 first-choice applicants and 39 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 | 97 | 71 | 96 | 29 | 68 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 15 | 22 | 37 | 2 | 4 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 8 |
| All applicants | 112 | 93 | 148 | 31 | 80 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 94 | 107 | 126 | 34 | 68 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 34 | 33 | 58 | 3 | 4 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 8 |
| All applicants | 130 | 143 | 189 | 39 | 80 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-388?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-388, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 10% (2025-26), from 66 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 81 in 2023-24 to 80 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 | 80 | 66 | 10% | 7 | 0 | 4.07 | 2.73 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 12-16 | 80 | 65 | 9% | 6 | 0 | 4.22 | 2.8 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 14-18 | 81 | 72 | 6% | 5 | 0 | 4.33 | 2.7 |
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-1-388 compare with the other Unit 53 elk hunts?
ELK-1-388 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 53 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (112). Its 2025-26 success rate, 10%, was the 7th highest of the 9 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 53 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 47.6% public land (208,437 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-388 have?
NMDOW lists 80 licenses for ELK-1-388 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 89). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 80 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-388?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-388 a 10% success rate, from 66 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 6% to 10%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-388 in 2026?
353 applicants listed ELK-1-388 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 112 chose it first and 31 of those drew it, 27.7% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 130 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-388?
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).