ELK-1-395: elk hunt in Unit 18, Oct 1-5
ELK-1-395 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with any legal weapon in Unit 18, October 1 to 5, with 10 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84). In the 2026 draw, 298 applicants chose it first and 7 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 10 licenses sold, 10 hunters reporting, a 33% success rate, 2 bulls and 1 cow taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landWildlife Commission landNational wildlife refugeBureau of ReclamationNational Park ServiceMilitary landUnit 18Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 1 to 5 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 18 |
| Licenses | 10 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 298 (7 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 33% success, 2 bulls, 1 cow |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 65.9% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-395?
298 applicants chose ELK-1-395 first in the 2026 draw and 7 drew it on that choice, 2.3% of them. 10 of the 10 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 172 first-choice applicants and 8 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 | 150 | 93 | 122 | 7 | 9 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 147 | 28 | 22 | 0 | 1 |
| All applicants | 298 | 122 | 147 | 7 | 10 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 123 | 89 | 92 | 7 | 9 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 48 | 20 | 15 | 1 | 1 |
| All applicants | 172 | 109 | 109 | 8 | 10 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-395?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-395, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 33% (2025-26), from 10 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 10 in 2023-24 to 10 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | ES | Oct 1-5 | 10 | 10 | 33% | 2 | 1 | 3.67 | 4.22 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Oct 1-5 | 10 | 9 | 38% | 3 | 0 | 3.5 | 2.75 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Oct 1-5 | 10 | 9 | 78% | 7 | 1 | 3.11 | 4.33 |
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-1-395 compare with the other Unit 18 elk hunts?
ELK-1-395 is one of 3 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 18 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 3 drawn ones (298). Its 2025-26 success rate, 33%, was the highest of the 3 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 18 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 65.9% public land (1,031,695 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-395 have?
NMDOW lists 10 licenses for ELK-1-395 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 10 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-395?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-395 a 33% success rate, from 10 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 33% to 78%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-395 in 2026?
567 applicants listed ELK-1-395 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 298 chose it first and 7 of those drew it, 2.3% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 172 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-395?
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). NMDOW warns that with 10 licenses a nonresident is extremely unlikely to draw it.