ELK-2-359: elk hunt in Unit 36, Sep 15-24
ELK-2-359 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 36, September 15 to 24, with 140 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86). In the 2026 draw, 833 applicants chose it first and 111 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 140 licenses sold, 131 hunters reporting, a 37% success rate, 42 bulls and 5 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 landMilitary landTribal landUnit 36Neighboring 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 36 |
| Licenses | 140 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 833 (111 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 37% success, 42 bulls, 5 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 53.1% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-359?
833 applicants chose ELK-2-359 first in the 2026 draw and 111 drew it on that choice, 13.3% of them. 140 of the 140 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 782 first-choice applicants and 87 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 | 429 | 487 | 438 | 95 | 118 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 242 | 394 | 267 | 4 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 162 | 185 | 155 | 12 | 14 |
| All applicants | 833 | 1,066 | 860 | 111 | 140 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 338 | 478 | 409 | 74 | 118 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 214 | 354 | 259 | 5 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 230 | 168 | 143 | 8 | 14 |
| All applicants | 782 | 1,000 | 811 | 87 | 140 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-359?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-359, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 37% (2025-26), from 131 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 141 in 2023-24 to 140 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 | 140 | 131 | 37% | 42 | 5 | 5.87 | 4.06 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 140 | 131 | 36% | 42 | 4 | 5.52 | 4.13 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 141 | 127 | 28% | 31 | 4 | 6.66 | 3.94 |
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-2-359 compare with the other Unit 36 elk hunts?
ELK-2-359 is one of 10 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 36 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 8 drawn ones (833). Its 2025-26 success rate, 37%, was the 9th highest of the 10 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 36 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 53.1% public land (337,435 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-359 have?
NMDOW lists 140 licenses for ELK-2-359 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 140 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-359?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-359 a 37% success rate, from 131 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 28% to 37%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-359 in 2026?
2,759 applicants listed ELK-2-359 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 833 chose it first and 111 of those drew it, 13.3% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 782 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-359?
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).