ELK-3-215: elk hunt in Unit 6A, Oct 10-14
ELK-3-215 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with a muzzleloader in Unit 6A, October 10 to 14, with 104 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77). In the 2026 draw, 744 applicants chose it first and 69 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 105 licenses sold, 97 hunters reporting, a 39% success rate, 37 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landState parkNational Park ServiceTribal landOther federal (closed)Unit 6ANeighboring 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 6A |
| Licenses | 104 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 744 (69 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 39% success, 37 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 47.8% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-3-215?
744 applicants chose ELK-3-215 first in the 2026 draw and 69 drew it on that choice, 9.3% of them. 104 of the 104 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 715 first-choice applicants and 76 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 | 537 | 413 | 254 | 63 | 88 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 130 | 99 | 108 | 3 | 6 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 77 | 84 | 55 | 3 | 10 |
| All applicants | 744 | 596 | 417 | 69 | 104 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 526 | 397 | 288 | 65 | 88 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 110 | 104 | 96 | 5 | 6 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 79 | 86 | 61 | 6 | 10 |
| All applicants | 715 | 587 | 445 | 76 | 104 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-3-215?
NMDGF's results for ELK-3-215, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 39% (2025-26), from 97 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 104 in 2023-24 to 105 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 | 105 | 97 | 39% | 37 | 0 | 3.49 | 3.92 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 5-9 | 104 | 95 | 39% | 38 | 0 | 3.53 | 3.89 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 7-11 | 104 | 97 | 43% | 43 | 0 | 3.4 | 4.22 |
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-3-215 compare with the other Unit 6A elk hunts?
ELK-3-215 is one of 8 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 6A in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (744). Its 2025-26 success rate, 39%, was the 5th highest of the 8 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 6A elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 47.8% public land (404,621 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-3-215 have?
NMDOW lists 104 licenses for ELK-3-215 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 104 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-3-215?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-3-215 a 39% success rate, from 97 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 39% to 43%.
How many people applied for ELK-3-215 in 2026?
1,757 applicants listed ELK-3-215 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 744 chose it first and 69 of those drew it, 9.3% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 715 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-3-215?
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).