ELK-1-389: elk hunt in Unit 53 (excluding Cerro portion), Oct 24-28
ELK-1-389 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 53, excluding Cerro portion, October 24 to 28, with 131 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 89). In the 2026 draw, 73 applicants chose it first and 35 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 131 licenses sold, 107 hunters reporting, a 5% success rate, 6 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 24 to 28 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 53 |
| Licenses | 131 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 73 (35 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 5% success, 6 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 47.6% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-389?
73 applicants chose ELK-1-389 first in the 2026 draw and 35 drew it on that choice, 47.9% of them. 131 of the 131 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 63 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 | 50 | 111 | 108 | 32 | 112 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 23 | 33 | 35 | 3 | 7 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| All applicants | 73 | 160 | 146 | 35 | 131 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 38 | 82 | 109 | 31 | 111 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 17 | 40 | 41 | 4 | 7 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 8 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 13 |
| All applicants | 63 | 122 | 166 | 39 | 131 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-389?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-389, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 5% (2025-26), from 107 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 131 in 2023-24 to 131 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 | 131 | 107 | 5% | 6 | 0 | 4.11 | 2.86 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 19-23 | 131 | 109 | 7% | 8 | 0 | 4.02 | 2.9 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 21-25 | 131 | 103 | 12% | 13 | 0 | 3.93 | 2.84 |
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-1-389 compare with the other Unit 53 elk hunts?
ELK-1-389 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 53 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (73). Its 2025-26 success rate, 5%, was the 9th 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-1-389 have?
NMDOW lists 131 licenses for ELK-1-389 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 89). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 131 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-389?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-389 a 5% success rate, from 107 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 5% to 12%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-389 in 2026?
379 applicants listed ELK-1-389 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 73 chose it first and 35 of those drew it, 47.9% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 63 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-389?
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).