ELK-2-272: elk hunt in Unit 16A, Sep 1-14
ELK-2-272 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 16A, September 1 to 14, with 250 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 80). In the 2026 draw, 1,089 applicants chose it first and 150 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 250 licenses sold, 229 hunters reporting, a 17% success rate, 33 bulls and 8 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 80. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestState trust landUnit 16ANeighboring 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 16A |
| Licenses | 250 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 1,089 (150 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 17% success, 33 bulls, 8 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 97% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-272?
1,089 applicants chose ELK-2-272 first in the 2026 draw and 150 drew it on that choice, 13.8% of them. 250 of the 250 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 1,302 first-choice applicants and 156 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 | 351 | 374 | 216 | 121 | 210 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 457 | 329 | 310 | 12 | 15 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 281 | 241 | 163 | 17 | 25 |
| All applicants | 1,089 | 944 | 689 | 150 | 250 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 441 | 440 | 289 | 140 | 210 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 473 | 392 | 292 | 6 | 15 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 388 | 302 | 228 | 10 | 25 |
| All applicants | 1,302 | 1,134 | 809 | 156 | 250 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-272?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-272, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 17% (2025-26), from 229 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 251 in 2023-24 to 250 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 | 250 | 229 | 17% | 33 | 8 | 8.39 | 3 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 251 | 230 | 26% | 51 | 9 | 8.08 | 3.85 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 251 | 234 | 15% | 27 | 9 | 8.58 | 3.6 |
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-2-272 compare with the other Unit 16A elk hunts?
ELK-2-272 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 16A in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (1,089). Its 2025-26 success rate, 17%, was the 8th highest of the 9 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 16A elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 97% public land (399,885 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-272 have?
NMDOW lists 250 licenses for ELK-2-272 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 80). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 251 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-272?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-272 a 17% success rate, from 229 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 15% to 26%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-272 in 2026?
2,722 applicants listed ELK-2-272 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 1,089 chose it first and 150 of those drew it, 13.8% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 1,302 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-272?
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).