ELK-2-298: elk hunt in Unit 16E, Sep 1-14
ELK-2-298 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 16E, September 1 to 14, with 90 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). In the 2026 draw, 86 applicants chose it first and 24 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 90 licenses sold, 78 hunters reporting, a 19% success rate, 7 bulls and 8 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 16ENeighboring 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 16E |
| Licenses | 90 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 86 (24 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 19% success, 7 bulls, 8 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 62.7% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-298?
86 applicants chose ELK-2-298 first in the 2026 draw and 24 drew it on that choice, 27.9% of them. 90 of the 90 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 101 first-choice applicants and 23 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 | 36 | 58 | 156 | 20 | 76 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 39 | 43 | 70 | 0 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 11 | 17 | 22 | 4 | 9 |
| All applicants | 86 | 118 | 248 | 24 | 90 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 26 | 57 | 140 | 16 | 76 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 50 | 34 | 62 | 2 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 25 | 6 | 27 | 5 | 9 |
| All applicants | 101 | 97 | 229 | 23 | 90 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-298?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-298, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 19% (2025-26), from 78 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 | 78 | 19% | 7 | 8 | 7.49 | 3.06 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 90 | 86 | 29% | 20 | 4 | 7.4 | 3.54 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 90 | 84 | 14% | 10 | 2 | 7.39 | 3.24 |
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-2-298 compare with the other Unit 16E elk hunts?
ELK-2-298 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 16E in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 5th most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (86). Its 2025-26 success rate, 19%, was the 7th highest of the 9 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 16E elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 62.7% public land (385,211 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-298 have?
NMDOW lists 90 licenses for ELK-2-298 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 90 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-298?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-298 a 19% success rate, from 78 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 14% to 29%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-298 in 2026?
452 applicants listed ELK-2-298 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 86 chose it first and 24 of those drew it, 27.9% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 101 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-298?
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).