ELK-3-374: elk hunt in Unit 48, Oct 10-14
ELK-3-374 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with a muzzleloader in Unit 48, October 10 to 14, with 60 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87). In the 2026 draw, 76 applicants chose it first and 27 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 60 licenses sold, 54 hunters reporting, a 27% success rate, 14 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landWildlife Commission landUnit 48Neighboring 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 48 |
| Licenses | 60 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 76 (27 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 27% success, 14 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 29.1% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-3-374?
76 applicants chose ELK-3-374 first in the 2026 draw and 27 drew it on that choice, 35.5% of them. 60 of the 60 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 70 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 | 50 | 50 | 56 | 22 | 51 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 21 | 16 | 22 | 3 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 5 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 6 |
| All applicants | 76 | 68 | 92 | 27 | 60 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 57 | 38 | 55 | 30 | 51 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 12 | 26 | 31 | 3 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 6 |
| All applicants | 70 | 67 | 95 | 34 | 60 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-3-374?
NMDGF's results for ELK-3-374, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 27% (2025-26), from 54 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 60 in 2023-24 to 60 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 | 60 | 54 | 27% | 14 | 0 | 3.39 | 3.49 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 5-9 | 60 | 54 | 23% | 12 | 0 | 3.62 | 3 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 7-11 | 60 | 53 | 13% | 7 | 0 | 4.22 | 3.27 |
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-3-374 compare with the other Unit 48 elk hunts?
ELK-3-374 is one of 7 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 48 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 7th most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (76). Its 2025-26 success rate, 27%, was the 4th highest of the 7 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 48 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 29.1% public land (70,473 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-3-374 have?
NMDOW lists 60 licenses for ELK-3-374 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 60 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-3-374?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-3-374 a 27% success rate, from 54 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 13% to 27%.
How many people applied for ELK-3-374 in 2026?
236 applicants listed ELK-3-374 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 76 chose it first and 27 of those drew it, 35.5% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 70 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-3-374?
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).