ELK-3-350: elk hunt in Unit 34, Oct 17-21
ELK-3-350 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a muzzleloader in Unit 34, October 17 to 21, with 250 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86). In the 2026 draw, 1,484 applicants chose it first and 177 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 251 licenses sold, 234 hunters reporting, a 47% success rate, 90 bulls and 20 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landState parkMilitary landTribal landUnit 34Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Muzzleloader |
| Dates | October 17 to 21 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 34 |
| Licenses | 250 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 1,484 (177 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 47% success, 90 bulls, 20 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 67.5% |
| Chronic wasting disease | NMDOW notes CWD has been detected in this area (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 28) |
How many hunters applied for ELK-3-350?
1,484 applicants chose ELK-3-350 first in the 2026 draw and 177 drew it on that choice, 11.9% of them. 250 of the 250 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 1,571 first-choice applicants and 158 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 | 1,002 | 824 | 620 | 157 | 210 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 317 | 365 | 364 | 8 | 15 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 165 | 203 | 225 | 12 | 25 |
| All applicants | 1,484 | 1,392 | 1,209 | 177 | 250 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 1,104 | 706 | 724 | 132 | 210 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 319 | 394 | 336 | 8 | 15 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 148 | 184 | 147 | 18 | 25 |
| All applicants | 1,571 | 1,284 | 1,207 | 158 | 250 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-3-350?
NMDGF's results for ELK-3-350, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 47% (2025-26), from 234 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 251 in 2023-24 to 251 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 18-22 | 251 | 234 | 47% | 90 | 20 | 3.62 | 3.88 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Oct 12-16 | 252 | 243 | 45% | 92 | 13 | 3.67 | 3.94 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Oct 14-18 | 251 | 222 | 52% | 99 | 23 | 3.55 | 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-3-350 compare with the other Unit 34 elk hunts?
ELK-3-350 is one of 14 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 34 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 4th most first-choice applicants of the 13 drawn ones (1,484). Its 2025-26 success rate, 47%, was the 8th highest of the 14 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 34 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 67.5% public land (732,620 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-3-350 have?
NMDOW lists 250 licenses for ELK-3-350 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 252 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-3-350?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-3-350 a 47% success rate, from 234 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 45% to 52%.
How many people applied for ELK-3-350 in 2026?
4,085 applicants listed ELK-3-350 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 1,484 chose it first and 177 of those drew it, 11.9% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 1,571 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-3-350?
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).