ELK-3-243: elk hunt in Unit 7, Oct 10-14
ELK-3-243 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with a muzzleloader in Unit 7, October 10 to 14, with 24 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78). In the 2026 draw, 30 applicants chose it first and 5 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 24 licenses sold, 23 hunters reporting, a 38% success rate, 8 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 landBureau of ReclamationNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 7Neighboring 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 7 |
| Licenses | 24 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 30 (5 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 38% success, 8 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 36% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-3-243?
30 applicants chose ELK-3-243 first in the 2026 draw and 5 drew it on that choice, 16.7% of them. 24 of the 24 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 28 first-choice applicants and 12 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 | 25 | 34 | 44 | 5 | 22 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 5 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| All applicants | 30 | 39 | 55 | 5 | 24 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 26 | 26 | 40 | 11 | 23 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 2 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 28 | 30 | 48 | 12 | 24 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-3-243?
NMDGF's results for ELK-3-243, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 38% (2025-26), from 23 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 24 in 2023-24 to 24 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 | 24 | 23 | 38% | 8 | 0 | 3.14 | 3.57 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 5-9 | 24 | 22 | 25% | 5 | 0 | 3.85 | 3.2 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 7-11 | 24 | 21 | 35% | 7 | 0 | 3.82 | 3.24 |
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-3-243 compare with the other Unit 7 elk hunts?
ELK-3-243 is one of 5 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 7 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 4th most first-choice applicants of the 5 drawn ones (30). Its 2025-26 success rate, 38%, was the highest of the 5 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 7 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 36% public land (789,010 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-3-243 have?
NMDOW lists 24 licenses for ELK-3-243 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 24 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-3-243?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-3-243 a 38% success rate, from 23 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 25% to 38%.
How many people applied for ELK-3-243 in 2026?
124 applicants listed ELK-3-243 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 30 chose it first and 5 of those drew it, 16.7% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 28 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-3-243?
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).