ELK-2-279: elk hunt in Units 16B and 22, Sep 1-14
ELK-2-279 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Units 16B and 22, September 1 to 14, with 225 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 80). In the 2026 draw, 346 applicants chose it first and 80 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 225 licenses sold, 200 hunters reporting, a 13% success rate, 25 bulls and 1 cow 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 forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landNational Park ServiceUnits 16B and 22Unit linesLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Bow |
| Dates | September 1 to 14 (2026-27) |
| Units | Unit 16B, Unit 22 |
| Licenses | 225 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 346 (80 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 13% success, 25 bulls, 1 cow |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 90.6% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-279?
346 applicants chose ELK-2-279 first in the 2026 draw and 80 drew it on that choice, 23.1% of them. 225 of the 225 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 436 first-choice applicants and 111 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 | 111 | 195 | 197 | 65 | 189 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 185 | 193 | 176 | 8 | 14 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 50 | 52 | 54 | 7 | 22 |
| All applicants | 346 | 440 | 427 | 80 | 225 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 143 | 186 | 255 | 88 | 189 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 205 | 209 | 186 | 7 | 14 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 88 | 51 | 56 | 16 | 22 |
| All applicants | 436 | 446 | 497 | 111 | 225 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-279?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-279, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 13% (2025-26), from 200 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 225 in 2023-24 to 225 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 | 225 | 200 | 13% | 25 | 1 | 7.69 | 3.04 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 225 | 203 | 17% | 31 | 4 | 7.93 | 3.36 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 225 | 197 | 11% | 18 | 3 | 7.5 | 3.36 |
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-2-279 compare with the other Units 16B and 22 elk hunts?
ELK-2-279 is one of 5 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Units 16B and 22 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 5 drawn ones (346). Its 2025-26 success rate, 13%, was the 5th highest of the 5 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Units 16B and 22 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 90.6% public land (774,405 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-279 have?
NMDOW lists 225 licenses for ELK-2-279 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 80). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 225 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-279?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-279 a 13% success rate, from 200 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 11% to 17%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-279 in 2026?
1,213 applicants listed ELK-2-279 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 346 chose it first and 80 of those drew it, 23.1% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 436 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-279?
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).
New Mexico hunting New Mexico elk Units 16B and 22 elk Unit 16B Unit 22