ELK-1-404: elk hunt in Unit 37, Oct 1-5
ELK-1-404 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 37, October 1 to 5, with 30 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87). In the 2026 draw, 1,014 applicants chose it first and 25 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 30 licenses sold, 27 hunters reporting, a 63% success rate, 19 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 landUnit 37Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 1 to 5 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 37 |
| Licenses | 30 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 1,014 (25 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 63% success, 19 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 38.8% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-404?
1,014 applicants chose ELK-1-404 first in the 2026 draw and 25 drew it on that choice, 2.5% of them. 30 of the 30 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 882 first-choice applicants and 26 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 | 560 | 388 | 408 | 21 | 26 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 157 | 81 | 87 | 1 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 297 | 176 | 75 | 3 | 3 |
| All applicants | 1,014 | 645 | 570 | 25 | 30 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 530 | 328 | 412 | 23 | 26 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 125 | 91 | 99 | 1 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 227 | 131 | 60 | 2 | 3 |
| All applicants | 882 | 550 | 571 | 26 | 30 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-404?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-404, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 63% (2025-26), from 27 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 30 in 2023-24 to 30 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 1-5 | 30 | 27 | 63% | 19 | 0 | 3.52 | 4.26 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 1-5 | 30 | 28 | 67% | 19 | 0 | 3.04 | 3.44 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 1-5 | 30 | 26 | 73% | 22 | 0 | 2.92 | 4 |
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-1-404 compare with the other Unit 37 elk hunts?
ELK-1-404 is one of 6 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 37 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (1,014). Its 2025-26 success rate, 63%, was the 3rd highest of the 6 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 37 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 38.8% public land (409,272 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-404 have?
NMDOW lists 30 licenses for ELK-1-404 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 30 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-404?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-404 a 63% success rate, from 27 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 63% to 73%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-404 in 2026?
2,229 applicants listed ELK-1-404 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 1,014 chose it first and 25 of those drew it, 2.5% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 882 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-404?
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).