ELK-2-284: elk hunt in Unit 16C, Sep 1-14
ELK-2-284 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 16C, September 1 to 14, with 144 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). In the 2026 draw, 170 applicants chose it first and 55 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 144 licenses sold, 128 hunters reporting, a 5% success rate, 6 bulls and 1 cow taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landUnit 16CNeighboring 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 16C |
| Licenses | 144 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 170 (55 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 5% success, 6 bulls, 1 cow |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 83.3% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-284?
170 applicants chose ELK-2-284 first in the 2026 draw and 55 drew it on that choice, 32.4% of them. 144 of the 144 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 239 first-choice applicants and 74 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 | 99 | 132 | 151 | 50 | 121 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 67 | 103 | 96 | 4 | 9 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 4 | 23 | 37 | 1 | 14 |
| All applicants | 170 | 258 | 284 | 55 | 144 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 113 | 165 | 182 | 62 | 121 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 104 | 122 | 120 | 7 | 9 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 22 | 86 | 62 | 5 | 14 |
| All applicants | 239 | 373 | 364 | 74 | 144 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-284?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-284, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 5% (2025-26), from 128 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 144 in 2023-24 to 144 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 | 144 | 128 | 5% | 6 | 1 | 8.26 | 2.43 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 144 | 140 | 20% | 23 | 2 | 7.89 | 3.39 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 144 | 127 | 16% | 19 | 1 | 8.29 | 3.21 |
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-2-284 compare with the other Unit 16C elk hunts?
ELK-2-284 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 16C in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 4th most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (170). Its 2025-26 success rate, 5%, was the 9th highest of the 9 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 16C elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 83.3% public land (255,480 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-284 have?
NMDOW lists 144 licenses for ELK-2-284 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 144 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-284?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-284 a 5% success rate, from 128 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 5% to 20%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-284 in 2026?
712 applicants listed ELK-2-284 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 170 chose it first and 55 of those drew it, 32.4% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 239 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-284?
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).