ELK-3-223: elk hunt in Unit 6B (Valles Caldera, hunter orientation required), Oct 10-14
ELK-3-223 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a muzzleloader in Unit 6B, Valles Caldera, hunter orientation required, October 10 to 14, with 15 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77). In the 2026 draw, 871 applicants chose it first and 14 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 15 licenses sold, 14 hunters reporting, a 79% success rate, 12 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 forestNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 6BNeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Muzzleloader |
| Dates | October 10 to 14 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 6B |
| Licenses | 15 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | quality, high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 871 (14 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 79% success, 12 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 99.9% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-3-223?
871 applicants chose ELK-3-223 first in the 2026 draw and 14 drew it on that choice, 1.6% of them. 15 of the 15 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 954 first-choice applicants and 15 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 | 558 | 219 | 202 | 13 | 13 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 223 | 100 | 74 | 0 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 90 | 30 | 51 | 1 | 1 |
| All applicants | 871 | 349 | 327 | 14 | 15 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 553 | 239 | 186 | 13 | 13 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 283 | 110 | 67 | 1 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 118 | 58 | 35 | 1 | 1 |
| All applicants | 954 | 407 | 288 | 15 | 15 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-3-223?
NMDGF's results for ELK-3-223, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 79% (2025-26), from 14 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 15 in 2023-24 to 15 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 | Oct 11-15 | 15 | 14 | 79% | 12 | 0 | 2.64 | 4.21 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Oct 5-9 | 15 | 14 | 38% | 5 | 0 | 3.85 | 4.54 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Oct 7-11 | 15 | 14 | 92% | 12 | 1 | 2.08 | 4.38 |
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-3-223 compare with the other Unit 6B elk hunts?
ELK-3-223 is one of 15 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 6B in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 15 drawn ones (871). Its 2025-26 success rate, 79%, was the 2nd highest of the 15 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 6B elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 99.9% public land (88,748 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-3-223 have?
NMDOW lists 15 licenses for ELK-3-223 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 15 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-3-223?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-3-223 a 79% success rate, from 14 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 38% to 92%.
How many people applied for ELK-3-223 in 2026?
1,547 applicants listed ELK-3-223 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 871 chose it first and 14 of those drew it, 1.6% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 954 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-3-223?
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).