Unit 9, including Water Canyon WMA: elk, mature buck/bull, muzzleloader

Hunt code
ELK-3-155
Unit
9
Weapon
Muzzleloader
Season
muzzleloader
Draw years
2023–2026

In 2026, 8 of 10 residents drew (80%).

In 2026, 0 of 6 nonresidents drew (0%).

Harvest success in 2025 was 9%.

Year by year

YearPermitsResidentsNonresidents
AppliedDrewAppliedDrew
2026–10860
2025–161411
2024–322020
2023–8510

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
20253539%
202435927%
202335515%

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.

  • 2024–202635 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): 0 first-choice applicants, 0 drawn.
  • 202335 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): 1 first-choice applicants, 1 drawn. Hunt area or bag this year: Unit 9 (MB).

Sources

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Other hunts in unit 9

Units listed next to it

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