ELK-2-291: elk hunt in Unit 16D, Sep 1-14
ELK-2-291 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 16D, September 1 to 14, with 90 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). In the 2026 draw, 713 applicants chose it first and 70 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 90 licenses sold, 85 hunters reporting, a 16% success rate, 11 bulls and 3 cows 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 16DNeighboring 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 16D |
| Licenses | 90 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 713 (70 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 16% success, 11 bulls, 3 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 88.3% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-291?
713 applicants chose ELK-2-291 first in the 2026 draw and 70 drew it on that choice, 9.8% of them. 90 of the 90 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 897 first-choice applicants and 79 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 | 254 | 199 | 144 | 61 | 76 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 329 | 228 | 173 | 4 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 130 | 84 | 82 | 5 | 9 |
| All applicants | 713 | 511 | 399 | 70 | 90 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 327 | 206 | 161 | 68 | 76 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 318 | 260 | 188 | 3 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 252 | 133 | 100 | 8 | 9 |
| All applicants | 897 | 599 | 449 | 79 | 90 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-291?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-291, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 16% (2025-26), from 85 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 90 in 2023-24 to 90 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 | 90 | 85 | 16% | 11 | 3 | 8.45 | 3.11 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 91 | 89 | 49% | 37 | 4 | 7.12 | 4.12 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 90 | 85 | 35% | 25 | 3 | 8.18 | 3.77 |
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-2-291 compare with the other Unit 16D elk hunts?
ELK-2-291 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 16D in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (713). Its 2025-26 success rate, 16%, was the 8th highest of the 9 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 16D elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 88.3% public land (266,069 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-291 have?
NMDOW lists 90 licenses for ELK-2-291 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 91 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-291?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-291 a 16% success rate, from 85 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 16% to 49%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-291 in 2026?
1,623 applicants listed ELK-2-291 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 713 chose it first and 70 of those drew it, 9.8% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 897 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-291?
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).