ELK-2-221: elk hunt in Unit 6B (Valles Caldera, hunter orientation required), Sep 15-24
ELK-2-221 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 6B, Valles Caldera, hunter orientation required, September 15 to 24, with 25 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77). In the 2026 draw, 1,347 applicants chose it first and 24 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 25 licenses sold, 25 hunters reporting, a 42% success rate, 10 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 6BNeighboring 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 6B |
| Licenses | 25 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | quality, high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 1,347 (24 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 42% success, 10 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 99.9% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-221?
1,347 applicants chose ELK-2-221 first in the 2026 draw and 24 drew it on that choice, 1.8% of them. 25 of the 25 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 1,491 first-choice applicants and 24 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 | 620 | 234 | 112 | 20 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 483 | 143 | 130 | 1 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 244 | 50 | 63 | 3 | 3 |
| All applicants | 1,347 | 427 | 305 | 24 | 25 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 708 | 249 | 138 | 20 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 567 | 170 | 118 | 2 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 216 | 50 | 29 | 2 | 2 |
| All applicants | 1,491 | 469 | 285 | 24 | 25 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-221?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-221, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 42% (2025-26), from 25 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 25 in 2023-24 to 25 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 | 25 | 25 | 42% | 10 | 0 | 5.92 | 4.08 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 25 | 23 | 59% | 14 | 0 | 4.77 | 4.64 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 25 | 25 | 80% | 20 | 0 | 5.84 | 4.8 |
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-2-221 compare with the other Unit 6B elk hunts?
ELK-2-221 is one of 15 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 6B in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 15 drawn ones (1,347). Its 2025-26 success rate, 42%, was the 12th highest of the 15 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 6B elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 99.9% public land (88,748 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-221 have?
NMDOW lists 25 licenses for ELK-2-221 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 25 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-221?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-221 a 42% success rate, from 25 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 42% to 80%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-221 in 2026?
2,079 applicants listed ELK-2-221 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 1,347 chose it first and 24 of those drew it, 1.8% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 1,491 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-221?
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).