ELK-2-179: elk hunt in Unit 5B, Sep 15-24
ELK-2-179 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 5B, September 15 to 24, with 75 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 76). In the 2026 draw, 181 applicants chose it first and 43 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 75 licenses sold, 65 hunters reporting, a 14% success rate, 9 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 76. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landMilitary landTribal landUnit 5BNeighboring 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 5B |
| Licenses | 75 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 181 (43 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 14% success, 9 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 81% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-179?
181 applicants chose ELK-2-179 first in the 2026 draw and 43 drew it on that choice, 23.8% of them. 75 of the 75 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 183 first-choice applicants and 42 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 | 144 | 153 | 131 | 38 | 63 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 31 | 55 | 47 | 2 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 6 | 24 | 61 | 3 | 7 |
| All applicants | 181 | 232 | 239 | 43 | 75 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 147 | 144 | 172 | 41 | 63 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 28 | 46 | 45 | 0 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 8 | 15 | 31 | 1 | 7 |
| All applicants | 183 | 205 | 248 | 42 | 75 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-179?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-179, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 14% (2025-26), from 65 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 75 in 2023-24 to 75 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 | 75 | 65 | 14% | 9 | 0 | 6.69 | 3.36 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 75 | 74 | 11% | 7 | 1 | 6.75 | 3.54 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 75 | 70 | 13% | 6 | 2 | 6.32 | 3.46 |
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-2-179 compare with the other Unit 5B elk hunts?
ELK-2-179 is one of 10 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 5B in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 4th most first-choice applicants of the 9 drawn ones (181). Its 2025-26 success rate, 14%, was the 10th highest of the 10 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 5B elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 81% public land (214,294 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-179 have?
NMDOW lists 75 licenses for ELK-2-179 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 76). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 75 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-179?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-179 a 14% success rate, from 65 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 11% to 14%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-179 in 2026?
652 applicants listed ELK-2-179 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 181 chose it first and 43 of those drew it, 23.8% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 183 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-179?
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).