Unit 26 Deer Hunting, New Mexico
New Mexico hunting unit · 2,304 sq mi
Draw hunts — random, no points
New Mexico has no preference or bonus points: every hunt here with draw odds is a random draw, with its own hunt code. Residents, nonresidents applying without an outfitter, and applicants applying with a registered outfitter (a pool open to residents and nonresidents) are drawn in separate pools, and the table gives each pool's odds in words. A Private-Land Only Deer License, sold outside the draw, covers private land only, with the landowner's written permission; it is never valid on public land, State Trust land included.
What hunting Unit 26 is like
Unit 26 is gentle, rolling country, with a mean slope under 5 degrees and only a small share of steep or rugged ground anywhere in the unit. Most of the elevation range runs from about 4,100 feet up to 8,500 feet, and across the unit the cover is split between shrub and brush and grass and meadow. That mix of low cover and open ground means long looks with optics are part of the game here, and a hunter on foot can cover a lot of visible country, though the openness also means deer can spot movement from a distance.
Just over half the unit, about 53 percent, is public land under BLM and State Trust ownership, with State Trust land making up 16 percent of that and usable only during a hunter's own hunt plus up to a week of scouting beforehand, entered by public or established roads. Public ownership here is not the same as guaranteed access — some parcels are closed or restricted, and the State Land Office's access map is worth checking before heading out. The remaining 47 percent is private land, open only with written permission. The Ok Bar Fire and San Luis fire, both in 2018, and the more recent Brushy fire in 2023, burned ground mostly on the unit's southwest side; hunters should check for current fire closures before heading into those areas.
Deer here are reached two ways: through the draw hunts below, each with its own hunt code and draw bands by pool, or through a Private-Land Only Deer License sold outside the draw, valid solely on private land with written permission and never on any public land, State Trust included. New Mexico has no points system of any kind for deer, so every application stands on its own in the random draw each year.
Deer hunts in Unit 26 (2026–27)
Each row is a hunt a hunter selects by its hunt code. Draw difficulty is a band in words from the 2026 first-choice results — good, fair, long or very long odds — for each pool; a dash means too few applicants to give a fair band. It is not a published percentage. The outfitter pool is open to both residents and nonresidents.
| Hunt | Dates | Legal deer | Resident | Nonresident, no outfitter | With an outfitter | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery DER-2-272 | September 1 – September 24 | Fork-antlered deer (mule deer or white-tailed) | — | — | — | Late Fawning / Velvet Shed |
| Muzzleloader DER-3-274 | October 31 – November 4 | Fork-antlered deer (mule deer or white-tailed) | — | — | — | Early Fall / Hard-Antler Pattern |
| Any legal weapon DER-1-270 | November 7 – November 11 | Fork-antlered deer (mule deer or white-tailed) | Good odds | Long odds | Good odds | Early Fall / Hard-Antler Pattern |
| Any legal weapon DER-1-271 | November 14 – November 18 | Fork-antlered deer (mule deer or white-tailed) | Good odds | Fair odds | — | Pre-Rut / Seeking Build-Up |
| Any legal weapon DER-1-275 | December 5 – December 13 | Fork-antlered Coues white-tailed deer | Good odds | Very long odds | — | Pre-Rut / Early Breeding |
| Archery DER-2-273 | January 1 – January 15, 2027 | Fork-antlered deer (mule deer or white-tailed) | Fair odds | — | — | Primary Rut / Late Rut |
"Residents only" hunts (antlerless elk, and hunts held only on state wildlife areas) are closed to nonresidents. "Unlimited" hunts are private-land hunts: no quota, no draw, valid on private land only with the landowner's written permission. A "Quality hunt" is a State Wildlife Commission designation for hunts meant to improve the chance of a successful harvest, offer a wider selection of mature animals, or give a better experience through timing or hunter density. Youth, mobility-impaired, military and other special-eligibility hunts are not listed.
Archery · Fork-antlered deer (mule deer or white-tailed) · September 1 – September 24
Early fall archery here falls in the Late Fawning / Velvet Shed phase, with deer still settled into late-summer patterns across the unit's open shrub and brush and grass and meadow cover. The gentle terrain and modest slope make for easy walking and good visibility, so covering ground and glassing open stretches is practical through most of the unit. Only fork-antlered mule deer or white-tailed deer are legal, and archery equipment is the only weapon allowed. The southwest-side burns from the Ok Bar Fire, San Luis fire, and Brushy fire sit five to eight years and two to four years out respectively, and hunters working that ground should expect thick regrowth in the older burns and more open glassing in the Brushy fire scar.
Muzzleloader · Fork-antlered deer (mule deer or white-tailed) · October 31 – November 4
The muzzleloader hunt in late October and early November lands in the Early Fall / Hard-Antler Pattern phase, a period before any rut activity shows. The unit's gentle, open country keeps most of it walkable, and the shrub and brush and grass and meadow cover across the elevation bands offers few hiding spots for hunter or deer alike. Only fork-antlered mule deer or white-tailed deer may be taken, with any legal muzzleloader. In the southwest-side burn areas, the Brushy fire ground from 2023 is now in its most open and productive window, while the older Ok Bar Fire and San Luis fire burns have grown back thick with brush and deadfall.
Any legal weapon · Fork-antlered deer (mule deer or white-tailed) · November 7 – November 11
This early-November any-legal-weapon hunt also falls in the Early Fall / Hard-Antler Pattern phase, so deer behavior mirrors the muzzleloader season just before it. Residents and those applying with a registered outfitter see Good odds in the draw, while a nonresident applying without an outfitter faces Long odds for this hunt. The open, gentle ground and the unit's mix of shrub and brush and grass and meadow cover make for wide-open hunting across most of the unit, aside from the brush-choked older burns on the southwest side. Only fork-antlered mule deer or white-tailed deer are legal game.
Any legal weapon · Fork-antlered deer (mule deer or white-tailed) · November 14 – November 18
By mid-November this any-legal-weapon hunt moves into the Pre-Rut / Seeking Build-Up phase, when activity among deer may be building toward the rut ahead. Draw odds run Good for residents and Fair for a nonresident applying without an outfitter. The same gentle, rolling terrain and open cover classes apply across the unit, with the southwest-side burns offering contrasting conditions — thicker regrowth in the 2018 Ok Bar Fire and San Luis fire scars, more open ground in the 2023 Brushy fire. Any legal weapon may be used on fork-antlered mule deer or white-tailed deer.
Any legal weapon · Fork-antlered Coues white-tailed deer · December 5 – December 13
The December Coues hunt sits in the Pre-Rut / Early Breeding phase for Coues white-tailed deer, with December averaging near no measurable snowfall and lows near 28°F, conditions worth weighing for a late-season hunt in open country. Draw odds run Good for residents and Very long for a nonresident applying without an outfitter. The unit's gentle slopes and mix of shrub and brush and grass and meadow extend across the elevation range, and the southwest-side burns remain part of the landscape to consider when picking ground to hunt. Only fork-antlered Coues white-tailed deer are legal under any legal weapon.
Archery · Fork-antlered deer (mule deer or white-tailed) · January 1 – January 15, 2027
The January archery hunt falls within the Primary Rut / Late Rut phase, the one season here that coincides with rut activity. January brings light average snowfall near 0.1 inch with lows around 28°F, and any snow that has actually accumulated is worth factoring into where deer are found on a given day. Residents face Fair odds in the draw for this hunt. The unit's open, gentle terrain and shrub and brush and grass and meadow cover stay consistent through winter, with the southwest-side burns from the Ok Bar Fire, San Luis fire, and Brushy fire still part of the mix, and only fork-antlered mule deer or white-tailed deer are legal under archery equipment.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,100–8,500 ft, typically around 4,600 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 85% gentle · 11% moderate · 4% steep · 0% rugged
- Public land by ownership
- ~1,231 sq mi
Habitat & cover
What grows here, by elevation. Each band adds to 100% on its own — these are shares of that band, not of the unit.
Across the unit
- Shrub and brush52%
- Grass and meadow46%
- Other cover3%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land.
Recent fires
Wildfires in the last several seasons that burned a meaningful share of Unit 26. Fire perimeters show where a fire burned, not how hot — and closures change through the year, so check current fire closures and restrictions before you go.
- Ok Bar Fire fire, 2018 — about 59,000 acres in the unit (4%), mostly on its southwest side.
- San Luis fire, 2018 — about 19,000 acres in the unit (1%), mostly on its southwest side.
- Brushy fire, 2023 — about 6,000 acres in the unit, mostly on its southwest side.
Fire perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Land & access
About 53% of Unit 26 is public land by ownership — BLM and State Trust land. Ownership is not the same as legal access: some parcels are closed or restricted.
- BLM38%
- State Trust land16%
- Private47%
Public land includes State Trust land (16% of this unit). You may use it only during your own hunt, plus up to 7 days of scouting beforehand, entering by public or established roads (NM State Land Office / Game Commission easement). Some parcels are withdrawn; check the State Land Office's hunting-access map.
Fall weather
- August — highs around 92°F, lows around 64°F
- September — highs around 88°F, lows around 58°F
- October — highs around 80°F, lows around 46°F
- November — highs around 69°F, lows around 35°F
- December — highs around 59°F, lows around 28°F
Unit 26 deer hunting FAQ
Can a hunter get a deer licence for Unit 26 without going through the draw?
Yes. New Mexico sells a Private-Land Only Deer License outside the draw to residents and nonresidents alike, valid only on private land with the landowner's written permission. That licence is never valid on public land, including State Trust land, even if a landowner happens to lease it.
How hard is it to draw a deer hunt in Unit 26, and does it differ by pool?
Yes, odds vary by pool and by hunt. Residents see Good odds on most of the any-legal-weapon hunts and Fair odds on the January archery hunt, while a nonresident applying without an outfitter ranges from Fair odds down to Very long odds depending on the hunt, and applying with a registered outfitter can bring Good odds on the early-November hunt.
Can a nonresident hunt deer in Unit 26?
Yes, a nonresident can apply for any of the draw hunts listed for the unit, either without an outfitter or through the outfitter pool, which is open to both residents and nonresidents. A nonresident can also obtain a Private-Land Only Deer License outside the draw, usable solely on private land with written permission.
Does New Mexico use preference points or bonus points for deer hunts in Unit 26?
No. New Mexico has no points system of any kind for deer, so there is nothing to build or hold from year to year. Every application is assigned a random sequence number each year and stands on its own in that draw.
How much of Unit 26 is public land, and what is the rule on State Trust land?
About 53 percent of the unit is public land under BLM and State Trust ownership, with State Trust land making up 16 percent of that total. State Trust land may be used only during a hunter's own hunt, plus up to seven days of scouting beforehand, entering by public or established roads, and some parcels are withdrawn from access.
Data sources & methodology
- New Mexico Department of Game and Fish — Hunting Rules & Info booklet (2026-27) — season dates, legal animals, hunt codes and the rules for each hunt
- New Mexico Department of Game and Fish — How the New Mexico draw works — the random draw, the choices a hunter ranks and how licences are split among the draw pools
- New Mexico Department of Game and Fish — Applications and draw information — the draw results behind the draw-difficulty bands for each pool
- New Mexico Department of Game and Fish — Game management unit maps — unit boundaries and the official unit maps
- USGS / MRLC — National Land Cover Database — habitat and cover classes by elevation band
- USGS PAD-US — Protected Areas Database of the United States — land ownership and access
- Daymet daily climate, 1991–2020 (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) — fall weather
- National Interagency Fire Center — wildfire perimeters — recent fires, their size and where they burned
Draw difficulty is a qualitative band from first-choice results for each pool, not published odds. Rut phases are regional timing, not New Mexico-specific dates. Land shares are separate, non-overlapping categories. Confirm current dates and rules in the New Mexico Hunting Rules & Info booklet before you hunt. Unit data last updated October 21, 2026.