Pronghorn hunting in New Mexico Unit 18: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 pronghorn hunt codes in Unit 18, 3 of them drawn with 55 licenses, from August 15 to September 28, 2026 (page 100). In the 2026 draw, 1,279 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 55 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 101 licenses sold, 89 hunters reporting, a 59% success rate, 56 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 18 hunts.
Data updated October 2026. Hunts: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 drawing report. Harvest: NMDGF reports to 2025-26.
BLMState trust landWildlife Commission landNational wildlife refugeBureau of ReclamationNational Park ServiceMilitary landUnit 18Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 18 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 3 (3 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 55 |
| Season span | August 15 to September 28, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 1,279 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 56 (56 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 59% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 65.9% (1,031,695 acres) |
Which pronghorn hunts are in Unit 18 for 2026-27?
Every pronghorn hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 18, with the code's own 2025-26 result where NMDGF reported one under the same code and units.
| Hunt code | Weapon | Dates, 2026-27 | Bag limit | Licenses | Who may apply | 2025-26 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANT-2-131 | bow | Aug 15-23 | A pronghorn with at least one horn longer than its ears | 25 | Any applicant | 24 sold, 19% success, 4 bucks, 0 does |
| ANT-1-132 | any legal weapon | Aug 29-31 | A pronghorn with at least one horn longer than its ears | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 67% success, 10 bucks, 0 does |
| ANT-1-133 | any legal weapon | Sep 26-28 | A pronghorn with at least one horn longer than its ears | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 71% success, 10 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 100. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 pronghorn harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 18 pronghorn in 2026?
1,279 applicants put one of these 3 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 55 licenses; 25 of them drew on that first choice. The share is NMDOW's 2026 result, not a forecast for another year.
| Hunt code | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn on first choice | Share of first-choice applicants who drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANT-2-131 | 25 | 105 | 8 | 7.6% |
| ANT-1-132 | 15 | 853 | 11 | 1.3% |
| ANT-1-133 | 15 | 321 | 6 | 1.9% |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report. Applicants and licenses drawn on second and third choices are on each hunt code's page.
How many pronghorn are taken in Unit 18?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 18 pronghorn hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 101 licenses sold, 89 hunters reporting, a 59% success rate, 56 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 101 | 89 | 59% | 56 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 107 | 91 | 55% | 57 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 107 | 80 | 53% | 65 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 126 | 92 | 53% | 67 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 145 | 110 | 64% | 97 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 123 | 87 | 79% | 92 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 61 | 38 | 94% | 55 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 66 | 39 | 77% | 51 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 61 | 29 | 82% | 48 | 0 |
Source: NMDOW pronghorn harvest reports, the printed area totals (public-land hunt codes and, where NMDGF counts them in the total, private-land licenses).
How much public land is in Unit 18?
65.9% of Unit 18 is public land, 1,031,695 of 1,564,967 acres, most of it BLM (531,498 acres), measured from the BLM New Mexico surface management agency map (read 2026-10). The unit page has the map, highways, towns and neighbors: Unit 18.
Questions hunters ask
How many pronghorn licenses are there in Unit 18?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 pronghorn hunt codes for Unit 18 with 55 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 100).
What is the pronghorn success rate in Unit 18?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 59% success rate for the Unit 18 pronghorn hunts as a whole: 89 hunters reported and 56 pronghorn were taken. Across the 9 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 53% to 94%.
When is pronghorn season in Unit 18 in 2026?
The Unit 18 pronghorn hunts run from August 15, 2026 to September 28, 2026. Bow hunts start Aug 15 and any legal weapon hunts start Aug 29 and Sep 26 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 100).
Can nonresidents hunt pronghorn in Unit 18?
Yes, for 3 of the drawn codes. Statewide, at least 84% of draw licenses go to residents, 10% to applicants with a registered outfitter and 6% to nonresidents without one, and antlerless elk and WMA-only hunts are for residents (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 18).