ELK-2-321: elk hunt in Unit 21B, Sep 1-14
ELK-2-321 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 21B, September 1 to 14, with 25 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84). In the 2026 draw, 23 applicants chose it first and 9 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 25 licenses sold, 24 hunters reporting, an 18% success rate, 3 bulls and 1 cow taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landBureau of ReclamationState parkTribal landUnit 21BNeighboring 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 21B |
| Licenses | 25 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 23 (9 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 18% success, 3 bulls, 1 cow |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 62% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-321?
23 applicants chose ELK-2-321 first in the 2026 draw and 9 drew it on that choice, 39.1% of them. 25 of the 25 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 30 first-choice applicants and 13 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 | 10 | 23 | 36 | 8 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 5 | 8 | 19 | 1 | 2 |
| All applicants | 23 | 40 | 64 | 9 | 25 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 10 | 13 | 23 | 10 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 17 | 28 | 7 | 1 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 3 | 11 | 20 | 2 | 2 |
| All applicants | 30 | 52 | 50 | 13 | 25 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-321?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-321, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 18% (2025-26), from 24 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 26 in 2023-24 to 25 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 | 25 | 24 | 18% | 3 | 1 | 8.45 | 3.23 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 25 | 21 | 16% | 2 | 1 | 7.26 | 2.74 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 26 | 22 | 41% | 7 | 1 | 5.24 | 3 |
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-2-321 compare with the other Unit 21B elk hunts?
ELK-2-321 is one of 10 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 21B in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 10 drawn ones (23). Its 2025-26 success rate, 18%, was the 9th highest of the 10 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 21B elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 62% public land (1,011,352 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-321 have?
NMDOW lists 25 licenses for ELK-2-321 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 25 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-321?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-321 a 18% success rate, from 24 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 16% to 41%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-321 in 2026?
127 applicants listed ELK-2-321 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 23 chose it first and 9 of those drew it, 39.1% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 30 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-321?
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).