ELK-2-299: elk hunt in Unit 16E, Sep 15-24
ELK-2-299 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 16E, September 15 to 24, with 60 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). In the 2026 draw, 91 applicants chose it first and 25 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 60 licenses sold, 51 hunters reporting, a 12% 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 16ENeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Bow |
| Dates | September 15 to 24 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 16E |
| Licenses | 60 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | quality, high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 91 (25 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 12% success, 6 bulls, 1 cow |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 62.7% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-299?
91 applicants chose ELK-2-299 first in the 2026 draw and 25 drew it on that choice, 27.5% of them. 60 of the 60 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 95 first-choice applicants and 19 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 | 42 | 52 | 68 | 18 | 51 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 23 | 54 | 58 | 2 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 26 | 21 | 30 | 5 | 6 |
| All applicants | 91 | 127 | 156 | 25 | 60 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 36 | 75 | 118 | 13 | 51 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 33 | 44 | 55 | 0 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 26 | 16 | 32 | 6 | 6 |
| All applicants | 95 | 135 | 205 | 19 | 60 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-299?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-299, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 12% (2025-26), from 51 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 60 in 2023-24 to 60 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 15-24 | 60 | 51 | 12% | 6 | 1 | 6.8 | 2.57 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 60 | 54 | 19% | 8 | 1 | 4.91 | 2.83 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 60 | 52 | 7% | 3 | 0 | 5.85 | 2.89 |
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-2-299 compare with the other Unit 16E elk hunts?
ELK-2-299 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 16E in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 4th most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (91). Its 2025-26 success rate, 12%, was the 9th 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-2-299 have?
NMDOW lists 60 licenses for ELK-2-299 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 60 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-299?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-299 a 12% success rate, from 51 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 7% to 19%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-299 in 2026?
374 applicants listed ELK-2-299 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 91 chose it first and 25 of those drew it, 27.5% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 95 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-299?
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).