ELK-2-379: elk hunt in Unit 49, Sep 1-14
ELK-2-379 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 49, September 1 to 14, with 60 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88). In the 2026 draw, 208 applicants chose it first and 30 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 60 licenses sold, 59 hunters reporting, a 27% success rate, 12 bulls and 2 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landTribal landUnit 49Neighboring 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 49 |
| Licenses | 60 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 208 (30 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 27% success, 12 bulls, 2 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 79.9% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-379?
208 applicants chose ELK-2-379 first in the 2026 draw and 30 drew it on that choice, 14.4% of them. 60 of the 60 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 209 first-choice applicants and 41 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 | 149 | 172 | 96 | 25 | 51 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 34 | 44 | 42 | 3 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 25 | 36 | 33 | 2 | 6 |
| All applicants | 208 | 252 | 171 | 30 | 60 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 141 | 146 | 90 | 34 | 51 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 50 | 73 | 75 | 2 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 18 | 38 | 40 | 5 | 6 |
| All applicants | 209 | 257 | 205 | 41 | 60 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-379?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-379, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 27% (2025-26), from 59 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 60 in 2023-24 to 60 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 | 60 | 59 | 27% | 12 | 2 | 8.9 | 3.78 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 61 | 58 | 24% | 13 | 1 | 7.98 | 3.91 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 1-14 | 60 | 54 | 35% | 17 | 3 | 7.73 | 3.6 |
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-2-379 compare with the other Unit 49 elk hunts?
ELK-2-379 is one of 7 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 49 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 4th most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (208). Its 2025-26 success rate, 27%, was the 5th highest of the 7 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 49 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 79.9% public land (217,129 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-379 have?
NMDOW lists 60 licenses for ELK-2-379 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 61 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-379?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-379 a 27% success rate, from 59 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 24% to 35%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-379 in 2026?
631 applicants listed ELK-2-379 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 208 chose it first and 30 of those drew it, 14.4% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 209 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-379?
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).