ELK-2-241: elk hunt in Unit 7, Sep 1-14
ELK-2-241 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 7, September 1 to 14, with 15 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78). In the 2026 draw, 18 applicants chose it first and 7 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 15 licenses sold, 15 hunters reporting, an 8% success rate, 0 bulls and 1 cow taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landBureau of ReclamationNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 7Neighboring 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 7 |
| Licenses | 15 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 18 (7 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 8% success, 0 bulls, 1 cow |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 36% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-241?
18 applicants chose ELK-2-241 first in the 2026 draw and 7 drew it on that choice, 38.9% of them. 15 of the 15 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 31 first-choice applicants and 10 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 | 12 | 21 | 28 | 7 | 13 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 6 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| All applicants | 18 | 23 | 39 | 7 | 15 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 21 | 20 | 35 | 10 | 13 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 10 | 13 | 28 | 0 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| All applicants | 31 | 34 | 67 | 10 | 15 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-241?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-241, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 8% (2025-26), from 15 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 15 in 2023-24 to 15 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 | 15 | 15 | 8% | 0 | 1 | 6.15 | 3.54 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 15 | 15 | 54% | 5 | 2 | 5.69 | 3.77 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 15 | 13 | 50% | 3 | 3 | 7.67 | 4.08 |
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-2-241 compare with the other Unit 7 elk hunts?
ELK-2-241 is one of 5 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 7 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 5th most first-choice applicants of the 5 drawn ones (18). Its 2025-26 success rate, 8%, was the 5th highest of the 5 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 7 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 36% public land (789,010 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-241 have?
NMDOW lists 15 licenses for ELK-2-241 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 15 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-241?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-241 a 8% success rate, from 15 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 8% to 54%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-241 in 2026?
80 applicants listed ELK-2-241 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 18 chose it first and 7 of those drew it, 38.9% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 31 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-241?
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).