ELK-3-201: elk hunt in Units 51A and 51B, Dec 5-9
ELK-3-201 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a muzzleloader in Units 51A and 51B, December 5 to 9, with 145 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88). In the 2026 draw, 181 applicants chose it first and 68 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 145 licenses sold, 133 hunters reporting, a 39% success rate, 24 bulls and 27 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 landUnits 51A and 51BUnit linesLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Muzzleloader |
| Dates | December 5 to 9 (2026-27) |
| Units | Unit 51A, Unit 51B |
| Licenses | 145 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 181 (68 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 39% success, 24 bulls, 27 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 82.3% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-3-201?
181 applicants chose ELK-3-201 first in the 2026 draw and 68 drew it on that choice, 37.6% of them. 145 of the 145 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 203 first-choice applicants and 62 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 | 117 | 114 | 272 | 51 | 122 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 46 | 47 | 68 | 6 | 9 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 18 | 5 | 29 | 11 | 14 |
| All applicants | 181 | 166 | 369 | 68 | 145 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 139 | 131 | 266 | 57 | 122 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 57 | 40 | 140 | 4 | 9 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 7 | 4 | 41 | 1 | 14 |
| All applicants | 203 | 175 | 447 | 62 | 145 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-3-201?
NMDGF's results for ELK-3-201, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 39% (2025-26), from 133 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 147 in 2023-24 to 145 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 | Dec 6-10 | 145 | 133 | 39% | 24 | 27 | 3.55 | 3.68 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Dec 7-11 | 146 | 131 | 27% | 18 | 18 | 3.73 | 3.32 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Dec 2-6 | 147 | 136 | 38% | 21 | 29 | 3.64 | 3.73 |
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-3-201 compare with the other Units 51A and 51B elk hunts?
ELK-3-201 is one of 11 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Units 51A and 51B in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 9th most first-choice applicants of the 9 drawn ones (181). Its 2025-26 success rate, 39%, was the 4th highest of the 11 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Units 51A and 51B elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 82.3% public land (522,891 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-3-201 have?
NMDOW lists 145 licenses for ELK-3-201 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 146 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-3-201?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-3-201 a 39% success rate, from 133 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 27% to 39%.
How many people applied for ELK-3-201 in 2026?
716 applicants listed ELK-3-201 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 181 chose it first and 68 of those drew it, 37.6% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 203 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-3-201?
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 51A and 51B elk Unit 51A Unit 51B