ELK-3-204: elk hunt in Unit 52, Oct 10-14
ELK-3-204 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with a muzzleloader in Unit 52, October 10 to 14, with 50 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 89). In the 2026 draw, 34 applicants chose it first and 23 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 50 licenses sold, 43 hunters reporting, a 27% success rate, 13 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 89. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landTribal landUnit 52Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Muzzleloader |
| Dates | October 10 to 14 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 52 |
| Licenses | 50 (drawn) |
| Who may apply | mobility impaired only |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 34 (23 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 27% success, 13 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 92.1% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-3-204?
34 applicants chose ELK-3-204 first in the 2026 draw and 23 drew it on that choice, 67.6% of them. 50 of the 50 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 42 first-choice applicants and 25 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 | 32 | 16 | 26 | 21 | 42 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 1 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 5 |
| All applicants | 34 | 18 | 41 | 23 | 50 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 39 | 12 | 29 | 25 | 43 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| All applicants | 42 | 13 | 39 | 25 | 50 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-3-204?
NMDGF's results for ELK-3-204, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 27% (2025-26), from 43 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 50 in 2023-24 to 50 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 | 50 | 43 | 27% | 13 | 0 | 3.51 | 3.12 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 5-9 | 49 | 49 | 20% | 9 | 0 | 3.57 | 3.15 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 7-11 | 50 | 50 | 36% | 15 | 0 | 3.52 | 3.1 |
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-3-204 compare with the other Unit 52 elk hunts?
ELK-3-204 is one of 12 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 52 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 11th most first-choice applicants of the 11 drawn ones (34). Its 2025-26 success rate, 27%, was the 7th highest of the 12 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 52 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 92.1% public land (247,713 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-3-204 have?
NMDOW lists 50 licenses for ELK-3-204 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 89). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 49 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-3-204?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-3-204 a 27% success rate, from 43 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 20% to 36%.
How many people applied for ELK-3-204 in 2026?
93 applicants listed ELK-3-204 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 34 chose it first and 23 of those drew it, 67.6% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 42 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-3-204?
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).