ELK-2-187: elk hunt in Unit 50, Sep 1-14
ELK-2-187 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 50, September 1 to 14, with 60 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88). In the 2026 draw, 14 applicants chose it first and 12 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 59 licenses sold, 53 hunters reporting, a 14% success rate, 4 bulls and 2 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landTribal landUnit 50Neighboring 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 50 |
| Licenses | 60 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 14 (12 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 14% success, 4 bulls, 2 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 68% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-187?
14 applicants chose ELK-2-187 first in the 2026 draw and 12 drew it on that choice, 85.7% of them. 60 of the 60 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 37 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 | 10 | 12 | 47 | 10 | 39 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 4 | 6 | 20 | 2 | 18 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| All applicants | 14 | 18 | 70 | 12 | 60 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 15 | 18 | 53 | 14 | 54 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 22 | 24 | 52 | 1 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| All applicants | 37 | 43 | 108 | 15 | 60 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-187?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-187, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 14% (2025-26), from 53 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 62 in 2023-24 to 59 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 | 59 | 53 | 14% | 4 | 2 | 7.49 | 2.29 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 61 | 54 | 13% | 6 | 1 | 7.48 | 3.04 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 62 | 57 | 26% | 8 | 5 | 7.15 | 2.83 |
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-2-187 compare with the other Unit 50 elk hunts?
ELK-2-187 is one of 6 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 50 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 6th most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (14). Its 2025-26 success rate, 14%, was the 5th highest of the 6 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 50 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 68% public land (401,683 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-187 have?
NMDOW lists 60 licenses for ELK-2-187 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 61 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-187?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-187 a 14% success rate, from 53 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 13% to 26%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-187 in 2026?
102 applicants listed ELK-2-187 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 14 chose it first and 12 of those drew it, 85.7% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 37 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-187?
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).