Unit 51: elk, mature buck/bull, any legal weapon

Hunt code
ELK-1-195
Unit
51
Weapon
Any weapon
Season
any legal weapon
Draw years
2023–2026

In 2026, 153 of 1,401 residents drew (11%).

In 2026, 10 of 298 nonresidents drew (3%).

Harvest success in 2025 was 45%.

Year by year

YearPermitsResidentsNonresidents
AppliedDrewAppliedDrew
2026–1,40115329810
2025–1,38615928912
2024–1,46016227911
2023–1,4901522567

Harvest

NMDGF counts licenses sold as hunters, and the harvest is NMDGF's estimate from hunter reports, public land only. The success rate is NMDGF's own printed figure, not harvest divided by licenses sold.

YearHuntersHarvestSuccess
20252208845%
20242208039%
20232206733%

Reading these numbers

New Mexico has no points: every application has the same chance every year. Each hunt's licenses are split by law, at least 84% to residents, 6% to nonresidents without an outfitter and 10% to applicants (resident or not) who contracted with an outfitter. Counts here are first-choice applicants and first-choice draws.

  • 2026220 licenses in all; by law at least 84% go to residents, 6% to nonresidents without an outfitter, 10% to an outfitter pool. Outfitter pool (residents or nonresidents who contracted with an outfitter; not counted with the residents or nonresidents above): 296 first-choice applicants, 20 drawn.
  • 2025220 licenses in all; by law at least 84% go to residents, 6% to nonresidents without an outfitter, 10% to an outfitter pool. Outfitter pool (residents or nonresidents who contracted with an outfitter; not counted with the residents or nonresidents above): 263 first-choice applicants, 18 drawn.
  • 2024220 licenses in all; by law at least 84% go to residents, 6% to nonresidents without an outfitter, 10% to an outfitter pool. Outfitter pool (residents or nonresidents who contracted with an outfitter; not counted with the residents or nonresidents above): 234 first-choice applicants, 17 drawn.
  • 2023220 licenses in all; by law at least 84% go to residents, 6% to nonresidents without an outfitter, 10% to an outfitter pool. Outfitter pool (residents or nonresidents who contracted with an outfitter; not counted with the residents or nonresidents above): 167 first-choice applicants, 20 drawn.

Sources

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Other hunts in unit 51

Units listed next to it

In NMDGF's unit order, which often but not always means nearby.