ELK-2-403: elk hunt in Unit 37, Sep 15-24
ELK-2-403 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 37, September 15 to 24, with 30 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87). In the 2026 draw, 227 applicants chose it first and 21 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 30 licenses sold, 28 hunters reporting, a 44% success rate, 12 bulls and 1 cow 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.
National forestBLMState trust landUnit 37Neighboring 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 37 |
| Licenses | 30 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 227 (21 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 44% success, 12 bulls, 1 cow |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 38.8% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-403?
227 applicants chose ELK-2-403 first in the 2026 draw and 21 drew it on that choice, 9.3% of them. 30 of the 30 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 210 first-choice applicants and 22 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 | 112 | 140 | 136 | 19 | 26 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 28 | 42 | 37 | 0 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 87 | 81 | 46 | 2 | 3 |
| All applicants | 227 | 263 | 219 | 21 | 30 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 109 | 140 | 129 | 20 | 26 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 30 | 38 | 37 | 0 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 71 | 74 | 38 | 2 | 3 |
| All applicants | 210 | 252 | 204 | 22 | 30 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-403?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-403, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 44% (2025-26), from 28 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 30 in 2023-24 to 30 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 | 30 | 28 | 44% | 12 | 1 | 5.81 | 3.85 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 30 | 29 | 32% | 8 | 1 | 6.25 | 4.11 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 30 | 27 | 28% | 8 | 0 | 6.8 | 3.76 |
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-2-403 compare with the other Unit 37 elk hunts?
ELK-2-403 is one of 6 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 37 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (227). Its 2025-26 success rate, 44%, was the 4th highest of the 6 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 37 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 38.8% public land (409,272 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-403 have?
NMDOW lists 30 licenses for ELK-2-403 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 30 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-403?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-403 a 44% success rate, from 28 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 28% to 44%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-403 in 2026?
709 applicants listed ELK-2-403 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 227 chose it first and 21 of those drew it, 9.3% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 210 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-403?
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).