ELK-2-372: elk hunt in Unit 48, Sep 1-14
ELK-2-372 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 48, September 1 to 14, with 80 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87). In the 2026 draw, 99 applicants chose it first and 46 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 80 licenses sold, 71 hunters reporting, an 18% success rate, 8 bulls and 5 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landWildlife Commission landUnit 48Neighboring 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 48 |
| Licenses | 80 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 99 (46 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 18% success, 8 bulls, 5 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 29.1% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-372?
99 applicants chose ELK-2-372 first in the 2026 draw and 46 drew it on that choice, 46.5% of them. 80 of the 80 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 90 first-choice applicants and 44 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 | 63 | 61 | 59 | 36 | 68 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 21 | 28 | 27 | 2 | 4 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 15 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| All applicants | 99 | 93 | 95 | 46 | 80 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 57 | 61 | 83 | 38 | 68 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 18 | 42 | 18 | 1 | 4 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 15 | 8 | 14 | 5 | 8 |
| All applicants | 90 | 111 | 115 | 44 | 80 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-372?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-372, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 18% (2025-26), from 71 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 81 in 2023-24 to 80 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 | 80 | 71 | 18% | 8 | 5 | 7.92 | 3.23 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 80 | 74 | 27% | 15 | 3 | 7.38 | 3.52 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 81 | 74 | 21% | 9 | 7 | 7.15 | 3.22 |
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-2-372 compare with the other Unit 48 elk hunts?
ELK-2-372 is one of 7 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 48 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (99). Its 2025-26 success rate, 18%, was the 6th highest of the 7 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 48 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 29.1% public land (70,473 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-372 have?
NMDOW lists 80 licenses for ELK-2-372 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 80 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-372?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-372 a 18% success rate, from 71 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 18% to 27%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-372 in 2026?
287 applicants listed ELK-2-372 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 99 chose it first and 46 of those drew it, 46.5% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 90 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-372?
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).