ELK-3-131: elk hunt in Units 2A, 2B and 2C, Oct 10-14
ELK-3-131 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with a muzzleloader in Units 2A, 2B and 2C, October 10 to 14, with 135 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 75). In the 2026 draw, 438 applicants chose it first and 69 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 135 licenses sold, 126 hunters reporting, a 33% success rate, 41 bulls and 1 cow taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 75. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landBureau of ReclamationNational Park ServiceTribal landUnits 2A, 2B and 2CUnit linesLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Muzzleloader |
| Dates | October 10 to 14 (2026-27) |
| Units | Unit 2A, Unit 2B, Unit 2C |
| Licenses | 135 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 438 (69 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 33% success, 41 bulls, 1 cow |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 80.2% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-3-131?
438 applicants chose ELK-3-131 first in the 2026 draw and 69 drew it on that choice, 15.8% of them. 135 of the 135 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 411 first-choice applicants and 83 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 | 375 | 372 | 290 | 60 | 114 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 42 | 68 | 80 | 3 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 21 | 71 | 125 | 6 | 13 |
| All applicants | 438 | 511 | 495 | 69 | 135 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 353 | 307 | 288 | 76 | 114 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 45 | 93 | 95 | 3 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 13 | 45 | 81 | 4 | 13 |
| All applicants | 411 | 445 | 464 | 83 | 135 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-3-131?
NMDGF's results for ELK-3-131, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 33% (2025-26), from 126 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 135 in 2023-24 to 135 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | MB | Oct 11-15 | 135 | 126 | 33% | 41 | 1 | 3.64 | 3.61 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 5-9 | 137 | 131 | 24% | 30 | 0 | 4.12 | 3.26 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 7-11 | 135 | 125 | 34% | 43 | 0 | 3.62 | 3.79 |
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-3-131 compare with the other Units 2A, 2B and 2C elk hunts?
ELK-3-131 is one of 7 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Units 2A, 2B and 2C in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (438). Its 2025-26 success rate, 33%, was the 5th highest of the 7 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Units 2A, 2B and 2C elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 80.2% public land (1,198,807 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-3-131 have?
NMDOW lists 135 licenses for ELK-3-131 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 75). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 137 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-3-131?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-3-131 a 33% success rate, from 126 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 24% to 34%.
How many people applied for ELK-3-131 in 2026?
1,444 applicants listed ELK-3-131 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 438 chose it first and 69 of those drew it, 15.8% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 411 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-3-131?
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).
New Mexico hunting New Mexico elk Units 2A, 2B and 2C elk Unit 2A Unit 2B Unit 2C