ELK-2-345: elk hunt in Unit 34, Sep 1-14
ELK-2-345 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 34, September 1 to 14, with 200 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86). In the 2026 draw, 1,354 applicants chose it first and 135 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 200 licenses sold, 182 hunters reporting, a 38% success rate, 66 bulls and 3 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landState parkMilitary landTribal landUnit 34Neighboring 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 34 |
| Licenses | 200 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 1,354 (135 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 38% success, 66 bulls, 3 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 67.5% |
| Chronic wasting disease | NMDOW notes CWD has been detected in this area (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 28) |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-345?
1,354 applicants chose ELK-2-345 first in the 2026 draw and 135 drew it on that choice, 10% of them. 200 of the 200 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 1,279 first-choice applicants and 127 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 | 687 | 804 | 356 | 123 | 168 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 410 | 508 | 281 | 3 | 12 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 257 | 315 | 170 | 9 | 20 |
| All applicants | 1,354 | 1,627 | 807 | 135 | 200 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 700 | 893 | 379 | 112 | 168 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 368 | 448 | 229 | 7 | 12 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 211 | 294 | 179 | 8 | 20 |
| All applicants | 1,279 | 1,635 | 787 | 127 | 200 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-345?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-345, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 38% (2025-26), from 182 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 200 in 2023-24 to 200 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 | 200 | 182 | 38% | 66 | 3 | 7.55 | 4.02 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 201 | 186 | 37% | 56 | 16 | 7.22 | 4.15 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 200 | 184 | 31% | 49 | 9 | 6.89 | 4.1 |
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-2-345 compare with the other Unit 34 elk hunts?
ELK-2-345 is one of 14 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 34 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 5th most first-choice applicants of the 13 drawn ones (1,354). Its 2025-26 success rate, 38%, was the 12th highest of the 14 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 34 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 67.5% public land (732,620 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-345 have?
NMDOW lists 200 licenses for ELK-2-345 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 201 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-345?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-345 a 38% success rate, from 182 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 31% to 38%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-345 in 2026?
3,788 applicants listed ELK-2-345 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 1,354 chose it first and 135 of those drew it, 10% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 1,279 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-345?
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).