ELK-3-224: elk hunt in Unit 6B (Valles Caldera, hunter orientation required), Oct 10-14
ELK-3-224 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an antlerless elk with a muzzleloader in Unit 6B, Valles Caldera, hunter orientation required, October 10 to 14, with 20 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77). In the 2026 draw, 64 applicants chose it first and 8 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 20 licenses sold, 17 hunters reporting, a 31% success rate, 0 bulls and 6 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: Antlerless elk |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Muzzleloader |
| Dates | October 10 to 14 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 6B |
| Licenses | 20 (drawn) |
| Who may apply | residents only |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 64 (8 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 31% success, 0 bulls, 6 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 99.9% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-3-224?
64 applicants chose ELK-3-224 first in the 2026 draw and 8 drew it on that choice, 12.5% of them. 20 of the 20 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 62 first-choice applicants and 13 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 | 63 | 58 | 63 | 7 | 19 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| All applicants | 64 | 58 | 63 | 8 | 20 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 62 | 46 | 34 | 13 | 20 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 62 | 46 | 34 | 13 | 20 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-3-224?
NMDGF's results for ELK-3-224, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 31% (2025-26), from 17 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 20 in 2023-24 to 20 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | A | Oct 11-15 | 20 | 17 | 31% | 0 | 6 | 3.56 | 4.19 |
| 2024-25 | A | Oct 5-9 | 20 | 17 | 23% | 0 | 4 | 3.54 | 3.69 |
| 2023-24 | A | Oct 7-11 | 20 | 16 | 27% | 0 | 4 | 3.73 | 4.18 |
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-3-224 compare with the other Unit 6B elk hunts?
ELK-3-224 is one of 15 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 6B in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 12th most first-choice applicants of the 15 drawn ones (64). Its 2025-26 success rate, 31%, was the 14th 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-3-224 have?
NMDOW lists 20 licenses for ELK-3-224 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 20 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-3-224?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-3-224 a 31% success rate, from 17 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 23% to 31%.
How many people applied for ELK-3-224 in 2026?
185 applicants listed ELK-3-224 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 64 chose it first and 8 of those drew it, 12.5% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 62 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-3-224?
No. ELK-3-224 is for New Mexico residents only (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77).