ELK-3-387: elk hunt in Unit 53 (excluding Cerro portion), Oct 10-14
ELK-3-387 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a muzzleloader in Unit 53, excluding Cerro portion, October 10 to 14, with 50 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 89). In the 2026 draw, 35 applicants chose it first and 22 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 50 licenses sold, 42 hunters reporting, a 17% success rate, 6 bulls and 1 cow taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 89. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landTribal landUnit 53Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Muzzleloader |
| Dates | October 10 to 14 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 53 |
| Licenses | 50 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 35 (22 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 17% success, 6 bulls, 1 cow |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 47.6% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-3-387?
35 applicants chose ELK-3-387 first in the 2026 draw and 22 drew it on that choice, 62.9% of them. 50 of the 50 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 79 first-choice applicants and 27 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 | 26 | 32 | 58 | 22 | 42 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 9 | 20 | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 5 |
| All applicants | 35 | 52 | 88 | 22 | 50 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 42 | 39 | 47 | 24 | 42 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 34 | 30 | 29 | 0 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 3 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
| All applicants | 79 | 71 | 83 | 27 | 50 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-3-387?
NMDGF's results for ELK-3-387, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 17% (2025-26), from 42 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 50 in 2023-24 to 50 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 11-15 | 50 | 42 | 17% | 6 | 1 | 4 | 2.47 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Oct 5-9 | 50 | 47 | 12% | 5 | 0 | 4.09 | 2.79 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Oct 7-11 | 50 | 44 | 22% | 8 | 1 | 3.89 | 3.03 |
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-3-387 compare with the other Unit 53 elk hunts?
ELK-3-387 is one of 9 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 53 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 6th most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (35). Its 2025-26 success rate, 17%, was the 5th highest of the 9 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 53 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 47.6% public land (208,437 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-3-387 have?
NMDOW lists 50 licenses for ELK-3-387 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 89). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 50 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-3-387?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-3-387 a 17% success rate, from 42 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 12% to 22%.
How many people applied for ELK-3-387 in 2026?
175 applicants listed ELK-3-387 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 35 chose it first and 22 of those drew it, 62.9% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 79 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-3-387?
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).