ELK-3-236: elk hunt in Unit 6C, Oct 10-14
ELK-3-236 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with a muzzleloader in Unit 6C, October 10 to 14, with 155 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78). In the 2026 draw, 299 applicants chose it first and 64 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 155 licenses sold, 146 hunters reporting, a 23% success rate, 34 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landNational Park ServiceMilitary landTribal landOther federal (closed)Unit 6CNeighboring 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 6C |
| Licenses | 155 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 299 (64 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 23% success, 34 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 53.4% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-3-236?
299 applicants chose ELK-3-236 first in the 2026 draw and 64 drew it on that choice, 21.4% of them. 155 of the 155 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 322 first-choice applicants and 74 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 | 215 | 326 | 291 | 53 | 131 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 49 | 71 | 88 | 6 | 9 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 35 | 56 | 63 | 5 | 15 |
| All applicants | 299 | 453 | 442 | 64 | 155 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 234 | 297 | 275 | 57 | 131 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 55 | 67 | 86 | 7 | 9 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 33 | 40 | 29 | 10 | 15 |
| All applicants | 322 | 404 | 390 | 74 | 155 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-3-236?
NMDGF's results for ELK-3-236, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 23% (2025-26), from 146 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 155 in 2023-24 to 155 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 | 155 | 146 | 23% | 34 | 0 | 3.84 | 3.23 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 5-9 | 155 | 142 | 27% | 37 | 1 | 3.77 | 3.28 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 7-11 | 155 | 143 | 35% | 49 | 0 | 3.78 | 3.81 |
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-3-236 compare with the other Unit 6C elk hunts?
ELK-3-236 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 6C in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (299). Its 2025-26 success rate, 23%, was the 7th highest of the 9 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 6C elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 53.4% public land (415,553 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-3-236 have?
NMDOW lists 155 licenses for ELK-3-236 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 155 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-3-236?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-3-236 a 23% success rate, from 146 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 23% to 35%.
How many people applied for ELK-3-236 in 2026?
1,194 applicants listed ELK-3-236 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 299 chose it first and 64 of those drew it, 21.4% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 322 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-3-236?
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).