ELK-2-355: elk hunt in Unit 34, Dec 19-23
ELK-2-355 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a bull elk with six or more points on one antler, or an antlerless elk with a bow in Unit 34, December 19 to 23, with 200 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86). In the 2026 draw, 158 applicants chose it first and 52 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 200 licenses sold, 175 hunters reporting, a 20% success rate, 19 bulls and 14 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: Antler-point-restricted elk (six or more points on at least one antler) or antlerless |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Bow |
| Dates | December 19 to 23 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 34 |
| Licenses | 200 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 158 (52 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 20% success, 19 bulls, 14 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-2-355?
158 applicants chose ELK-2-355 first in the 2026 draw and 52 drew it on that choice, 32.9% of them. 200 of the 200 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 118 first-choice applicants and 49 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 | 77 | 79 | 395 | 40 | 168 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 60 | 39 | 132 | 4 | 12 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 21 | 10 | 48 | 8 | 20 |
| All applicants | 158 | 128 | 575 | 52 | 200 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 74 | 78 | 362 | 40 | 168 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 42 | 31 | 114 | 8 | 12 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 2 | 4 | 52 | 1 | 20 |
| All applicants | 118 | 113 | 528 | 49 | 200 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-355?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-355, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 20% (2025-26), from 175 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 | APRE/6/A | Dec 20-24 | 200 | 175 | 20% | 19 | 14 | 3.56 | 3.58 |
| 2024-25 | APRE/6/A | Dec 21-25 | 201 | 191 | 16% | 14 | 14 | 3.68 | 3.52 |
| 2023-24 | APRE/6/A | Dec 16-20 | 200 | 180 | 22% | 23 | 12 | 3.74 | 3.65 |
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-2-355 compare with the other Unit 34 elk hunts?
ELK-2-355 is one of 14 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 34 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 11th most first-choice applicants of the 13 drawn ones (158). Its 2025-26 success rate, 20%, was the 14th 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-2-355 have?
NMDOW lists 200 licenses for ELK-2-355 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-2-355?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-355 a 20% success rate, from 175 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 16% to 22%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-355 in 2026?
861 applicants listed ELK-2-355 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 158 chose it first and 52 of those drew it, 32.9% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 118 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-355?
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).