ELK-2-305: elk hunt in Unit 17, Sep 1-14
ELK-2-305 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 17, September 1 to 14, with 125 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). In the 2026 draw, 263 applicants chose it first and 72 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 125 licenses sold, 120 hunters reporting, a 14% success rate, 15 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 landNational wildlife refugeUnit 17Neighboring 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 17 |
| Licenses | 125 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 263 (72 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 14% success, 15 bulls, 1 cow |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 73.8% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-305?
263 applicants chose ELK-2-305 first in the 2026 draw and 72 drew it on that choice, 27.4% of them. 125 of the 125 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 251 first-choice applicants and 69 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 | 157 | 208 | 156 | 64 | 105 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 83 | 123 | 126 | 3 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 23 | 72 | 85 | 5 | 12 |
| All applicants | 263 | 403 | 367 | 72 | 125 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 157 | 167 | 156 | 65 | 105 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 72 | 126 | 113 | 2 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 22 | 79 | 96 | 2 | 12 |
| All applicants | 251 | 372 | 365 | 69 | 125 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-305?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-305, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 14% (2025-26), from 120 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 125 in 2023-24 to 125 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 | 125 | 120 | 14% | 15 | 1 | 7.9 | 3.5 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 125 | 119 | 19% | 19 | 2 | 8.04 | 3.61 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 125 | 110 | 12% | 9 | 3 | 8.35 | 3.2 |
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-2-305 compare with the other Unit 17 elk hunts?
ELK-2-305 is one of 11 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 17 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 9 drawn ones (263). Its 2025-26 success rate, 14%, was the 9th highest of the 11 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 17 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 73.8% public land (778,238 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-305 have?
NMDOW lists 125 licenses for ELK-2-305 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 125 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-305?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-305 a 14% success rate, from 120 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 12% to 19%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-305 in 2026?
1,033 applicants listed ELK-2-305 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 263 chose it first and 72 of those drew it, 27.4% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 251 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-305?
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).