ELK-2-157: elk hunt in Unit 10, Sep 1-14
ELK-2-157 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 10, September 1 to 14, with 125 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 79). In the 2026 draw, 178 applicants chose it first and 65 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 124 licenses sold, 114 hunters reporting, a 9% success rate, 5 bulls and 5 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 79. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landState parkNational Park ServiceMilitary landTribal landUnit 10Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Bow |
| Dates | September 1 to 14 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 10 |
| Licenses | 125 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 178 (65 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 9% success, 5 bulls, 5 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 31.2% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-157?
178 applicants chose ELK-2-157 first in the 2026 draw and 65 drew it on that choice, 36.5% of them. 125 of the 125 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 194 first-choice applicants and 78 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 | 115 | 151 | 91 | 53 | 105 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 42 | 47 | 56 | 5 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 21 | 27 | 50 | 7 | 12 |
| All applicants | 178 | 225 | 197 | 65 | 125 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 142 | 127 | 108 | 69 | 105 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 39 | 60 | 103 | 3 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 13 | 32 | 38 | 6 | 12 |
| All applicants | 194 | 219 | 249 | 78 | 125 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-157?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-157, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 9% (2025-26), from 114 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 126 in 2023-24 to 124 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 | Sept 1-14 | 124 | 114 | 9% | 5 | 5 | 8.58 | 3.19 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 125 | 109 | 17% | 16 | 3 | 6.92 | 3.34 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 126 | 113 | 11% | 11 | 1 | 7.63 | 3.16 |
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-2-157 compare with the other Unit 10 elk hunts?
ELK-2-157 is one of 7 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 10 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 5th most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (178). Its 2025-26 success rate, 9%, was the 6th highest of the 7 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 10 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 31.2% public land (447,239 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-157 have?
NMDOW lists 125 licenses for ELK-2-157 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 79). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 125 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-157?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-157 a 9% success rate, from 114 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 9% to 17%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-157 in 2026?
600 applicants listed ELK-2-157 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 178 chose it first and 65 of those drew it, 36.5% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 194 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-157?
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).