ELK-2-158: elk hunt in Unit 10, Sep 15-24
ELK-2-158 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 10, September 15 to 24, with 125 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 79). In the 2026 draw, 265 applicants chose it first and 80 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 125 licenses sold, 112 hunters reporting, a 3% success rate, 1 bull and 2 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 15 to 24 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 10 |
| Licenses | 125 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 265 (80 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 3% success, 1 bull, 2 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 31.2% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-158?
265 applicants chose ELK-2-158 first in the 2026 draw and 80 drew it on that choice, 30.2% of them. 125 of the 125 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 274 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 | 171 | 197 | 147 | 70 | 105 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 65 | 73 | 99 | 6 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 29 | 41 | 62 | 4 | 12 |
| All applicants | 265 | 311 | 308 | 80 | 125 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 168 | 193 | 136 | 67 | 105 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 73 | 58 | 91 | 4 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 33 | 31 | 52 | 7 | 12 |
| All applicants | 274 | 282 | 279 | 78 | 125 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-158?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-158, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 3% (2025-26), from 112 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 127 in 2023-24 to 125 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 15-24 | 125 | 112 | 3% | 1 | 2 | 6.39 | 3.13 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 126 | 116 | 15% | 16 | 1 | 6.36 | 3.64 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 127 | 112 | 8% | 9 | 0 | 6.44 | 3.29 |
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-2-158 compare with the other Unit 10 elk hunts?
ELK-2-158 is one of 7 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 10 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (265). Its 2025-26 success rate, 3%, was the 7th 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-2-158 have?
NMDOW lists 125 licenses for ELK-2-158 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 79). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 126 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-158?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-158 a 3% success rate, from 112 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 3% to 15%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-158 in 2026?
884 applicants listed ELK-2-158 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 265 chose it first and 80 of those drew it, 30.2% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 274 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-158?
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).