ELK-1-405: elk hunt in Unit 37, Oct 17-21
ELK-1-405 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 37, October 17 to 21, with 30 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87). In the 2026 draw, 166 applicants chose it first and 10 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 30 licenses sold, 29 hunters reporting, a 75% success rate, 22 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 17 to 21 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 37 |
| Licenses | 30 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 166 (10 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 75% success, 22 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 38.8% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-405?
166 applicants chose ELK-1-405 first in the 2026 draw and 10 drew it on that choice, 6% of them. 30 of the 30 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 190 first-choice applicants and 15 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 | 112 | 312 | 279 | 9 | 26 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 20 | 54 | 55 | 0 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 34 | 104 | 53 | 1 | 3 |
| All applicants | 166 | 470 | 387 | 10 | 30 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 130 | 307 | 244 | 12 | 26 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 20 | 47 | 45 | 1 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 40 | 71 | 32 | 2 | 3 |
| All applicants | 190 | 425 | 321 | 15 | 30 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-405?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-405, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 75% (2025-26), from 29 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 18-22 | 30 | 29 | 75% | 22 | 0 | 2.86 | 3.93 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 12-16 | 30 | 29 | 59% | 13 | 0 | 3.41 | 4.23 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 14-18 | 30 | 22 | 48% | 14 | 0 | 3.38 | 3.81 |
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-1-405 compare with the other Unit 37 elk hunts?
ELK-1-405 is one of 6 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 37 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (166). Its 2025-26 success rate, 75%, was the 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-1-405 have?
NMDOW lists 30 licenses for ELK-1-405 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-1-405?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-405 a 75% success rate, from 29 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 48% to 75%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-405 in 2026?
1,023 applicants listed ELK-1-405 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 166 chose it first and 10 of those drew it, 6% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 190 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-405?
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).