ELK-3-301: elk hunt in Unit 16E, Oct 17-21
ELK-3-301 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with a muzzleloader in Unit 16E, October 17 to 21, with 70 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). In the 2026 draw, 107 applicants chose it first and 25 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 70 licenses sold, 61 hunters reporting, an 18% success rate, 11 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landUnit 16ENeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Muzzleloader |
| Dates | October 17 to 21 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 16E |
| Licenses | 70 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | quality, high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 107 (25 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 18% success, 11 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 62.7% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-3-301?
107 applicants chose ELK-3-301 first in the 2026 draw and 25 drew it on that choice, 23.4% of them. 70 of the 70 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 99 first-choice applicants and 34 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 | 71 | 112 | 114 | 24 | 59 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 24 | 44 | 54 | 1 | 4 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 12 | 11 | 16 | 0 | 7 |
| All applicants | 107 | 167 | 184 | 25 | 70 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 60 | 82 | 119 | 31 | 59 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 26 | 59 | 47 | 0 | 4 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 13 | 9 | 29 | 3 | 7 |
| All applicants | 99 | 150 | 195 | 34 | 70 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-3-301?
NMDGF's results for ELK-3-301, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 18% (2025-26), from 61 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 70 in 2023-24 to 70 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 18-22 | 70 | 61 | 18% | 11 | 0 | 3.76 | 2.89 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 12-16 | 71 | 65 | 18% | 11 | 0 | 3.98 | 3.25 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 14-18 | 70 | 61 | 15% | 9 | 0 | 3.7 | 3.41 |
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-3-301 compare with the other Unit 16E elk hunts?
ELK-3-301 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 16E in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (107). Its 2025-26 success rate, 18%, was the 8th highest of the 9 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 16E elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 62.7% public land (385,211 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-3-301 have?
NMDOW lists 70 licenses for ELK-3-301 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 81). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 71 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-3-301?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-3-301 a 18% success rate, from 61 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 15% to 18%.
How many people applied for ELK-3-301 in 2026?
458 applicants listed ELK-3-301 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 107 chose it first and 25 of those drew it, 23.4% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 99 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-3-301?
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).