Pronghorn hunting in New Mexico Unit 42: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 4 pronghorn hunt codes in Unit 42, 4 of them drawn with 28 licenses, from August 15 to October 5, 2026 (page 103). In the 2026 draw, 147 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 28 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 80 licenses sold, 55 hunters reporting, a 67% success rate, 47 bucks and 1 doe taken on the Unit 42 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 refugeState parkMilitary landUnit 42Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 42 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 4 (4 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 28 |
| Season span | August 15 to October 5, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 147 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 48 (47 bucks, 1 doe) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 67% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 8.9% (244,390 acres) |
Which pronghorn hunts are in Unit 42 for 2026-27?
Every pronghorn hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 42, 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-2-219 | bow | Aug 15-23 | A pronghorn with at least one horn longer than its ears | 4 | Any applicant | 4 sold, 33% success, 1 buck, 0 does |
| ANT-1-220 | any legal weapon | Aug 29-31 | Either sex (any one pronghorn) | 8 | youth only | 8 sold, 38% success, 2 bucks, 1 doe |
| ANT-1-221 | any legal weapon | Sep 26-28 | A pronghorn with at least one horn longer than its ears | 8 | Any applicant | 8 sold, 100% success, 8 bucks, 0 does |
| ANT-1-222 | any legal weapon | Oct 3-5 | A pronghorn with at least one horn longer than its ears | 8 | Any applicant | 8 sold, 71% success, 5 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 103. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 pronghorn harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 42 pronghorn in 2026?
147 applicants put one of these 4 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 28 licenses; 16 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-2-219 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 33.3% |
| ANT-1-220 | 8 | 28 | 6 | 21.4% |
| ANT-1-221 | 8 | 69 | 4 | 5.8% |
| ANT-1-222 | 8 | 41 | 3 | 7.3% |
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 42?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 42 pronghorn hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 80 licenses sold, 55 hunters reporting, a 67% success rate, 47 bucks and 1 doe taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 80 | 55 | 67% | 47 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 99 | 60 | 62% | 56 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 103 | 65 | 69% | 68 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 120 | 71 | 69% | 86 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 118 | 77 | 80% | 89 | 6 |
| 2019-20 | 122 | 70 | 77% | 91 | 5 |
| 2018-19 | 58 | 34 | 85% | 48 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 70 | 33 | 81% | 54 | 1 |
| 2016-17 | 73 | 21 | 81% | 59 | 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 42?
8.9% of Unit 42 is public land, 244,390 of 2,748,354 acres, most of it state trust land (197,074 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 42.
Questions hunters ask
How many pronghorn licenses are there in Unit 42?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 4 pronghorn hunt codes for Unit 42 with 28 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 103).
What is the pronghorn success rate in Unit 42?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 67% success rate for the Unit 42 pronghorn hunts as a whole: 55 hunters reported and 48 pronghorn were taken. Across the 9 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 62% to 85%.
When is pronghorn season in Unit 42 in 2026?
The Unit 42 pronghorn hunts run from August 15, 2026 to October 5, 2026. Bow hunts start Aug 15 and any legal weapon hunts start Aug 29, Sep 26 and Oct 3 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 103).
Can nonresidents hunt pronghorn in Unit 42?
Yes, for 4 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).