Unit 16A Elk Hunting, New Mexico
New Mexico hunting unit · Part of Unit 16 · 644 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. Some hunts here are for New Mexico residents only; a nonresident is not eligible for them.
What hunting Unit 16A is like
Unit 16A is rolling to moderately steep country, with mean slope near 12 degrees and almost no ground classed as rugged. Elevations run from below 5,000 feet up to 10,000 feet, and across that range the cover is dominated by conifer and pinyon-juniper timber, with shrub and brush filling most of the rest and small pockets of grass and meadow showing up at mid and higher elevations. It is foot-hunting country for the most part: the gentle-to-moderate majority of the slope makes for long glassing days and plenty of walking rather than technical climbing, with the smaller steep fraction offering tougher pockets to push elk out of.
Public land accounts for roughly 99% of the unit's 644 square miles, a mix of National Forest and a small share of State Trust land; the State Trust ground can be used only during a hunter's own hunt, plus up to a week of scouting beforehand, and entry is limited to public or established roads, so it adds access rather than guaranteeing it. Ownership on this scale is not the same as guaranteed access, since some parcels carry restrictions, and a hunter should check current maps before setting out. Three fires have reshaped parts of the unit: the Divide fire burned about 6% of it on the east side in 2023, the Pasture fire burned about 3% on the north side in 2023, and the Turkeyfeather fire burned about 2% on the south side in 2025; hunters should check for current fire closures before heading in.
Licences here come through New Mexico's random draw, which has no points of any kind — every application gets a random sequence number, and the computer works through all three of an application's choices before moving to the next one in sequence, so an earlier-sequenced application can be awarded a second or third choice ahead of a later-sequenced application's first choice. Three pools apply: residents, nonresidents without an outfitter, and applicants using a registered outfitter, the last open to both residents and nonresidents. Landowners in the Elk Private Lands Use System also issue separate authorizations for private-land elk licences, independent of these draw hunts.
Elk hunts in Unit 16A (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. Unit 16A is part of Unit 16; a hunt marked as written for all of Unit 16 is valid across its sub-units.
| Hunt | Dates | Legal elk | Resident | Nonresident, no outfitter | With an outfitter | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery ELK-2-272 | September 1 – September 14 | Any elk | Fair odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| ArcheryQuality hunt ELK-2-273 | September 15 – September 24 | Any elk | Long odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Primary Rut |
| Any legal weaponQuality hunt ELK-1-275 | October 17 – October 21 | Mature bull | Very long odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-276 | October 24 – October 28 | Mature bull | Long odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-277 | December 5 – December 9 | Antlerless elk | Long odds | Residents only | Residents only | Winter Range |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-278 | December 12 – December 16 | Antlerless elk | Long odds | Residents only | Residents only | Winter Range |
"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 · Any elk · September 1 – September 14
Early archery opens right as rut onset gives way into the primary rut, so bull activity is beginning to build through the period. Hunters cover ground on foot through the timber and brush that dominate this unit, using the more open shrub and brush and meadow pockets at mid and higher elevations to glass before closing distance in the conifer and pinyon-juniper. This hunt carries any-elk legal status, and it draws Fair odds for residents, with nonresident applications, with or without an outfitter, facing Very long odds (hunt code ELK-2-272).
Archery · Any elk · September 15 – September 24
Running later in September, this Quality hunt falls squarely in the primary rut, when bull activity is well along. The same mix of timber, brush and scattered meadow across the elevation bands applies, and foot access across the gentle-to-moderate majority of the unit lets a hunter work drainages and openings methodically. Any elk is legal here, and the draw runs Long odds for residents and Very long odds for nonresidents either applying with or without an outfitter (hunt code ELK-2-273).
Any legal weapon · Mature bull · October 17 – October 21
By mid-to-late October bulls have moved into post-rut recovery, settling into secluded pockets where they can meet their needs without moving far, which makes them act more like mule deer than rutting elk. The approach here is to glass feeding openings in the shrub and brush and meadow patches early and late, then spend the slower midday hours walking likely cover on foot checking for tracks and droppings; where that sign turns up, it pays to stay and keep hunting the spot rather than move on. Only mature bulls are legal, a Quality hunt, and the draw is Very long odds in every pool, resident included (hunt code ELK-1-275).
Any legal weapon · Mature bull · October 24 – October 28
This late-October bull hunt falls in the same post-rut recovery window, with bulls holding in secluded cover and showing themselves only briefly, so the mule-deer-style approach of glassing openings at the edges of day and checking sign on foot through the timber during the lulls still applies. Patience on productive sign matters more than covering new ground once elk activity is confirmed in an area. Legal animal is a mature bull only, and the draw gives residents Long odds while nonresident applications, with or without an outfitter, face Very long odds (hunt code ELK-1-276).
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · December 5 – December 9
By early December elk are on winter range, and this hunt is for antlerless elk only. Wintering ground here can see repeated use across years, so a hunter does well to lean on known areas and then confirm current activity with fresh tracks, droppings or direct sightings before settling in to hunt them, working the timber and brush on foot. December averages around 4 inches of snowfall with lows near 20°F, and where real accumulation is on the ground it is worth concentrating effort on lower, more sheltered cover. This hunt is residents-only, with Long odds in the draw (hunt code ELK-1-277).
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · December 12 – December 16
Running a week later, this second antlerless hunt sits in the same winter range phase, and the approach is the same: check historical wintering areas for fresh sign and commit time to spots showing current elk use rather than covering excessive ground. Average December snowfall of about 4 inches and lows near 20°F mean that, if snow has piled up by these dates, lower and more sheltered terrain is worth prioritizing. This is a residents-only hunt for antlerless elk, drawing Long odds for residents (hunt code ELK-1-278).
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,900–10,000 ft, typically around 7,600 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 49% gentle · 39% moderate · 11% steep · 0% rugged
- Public land by ownership
- ~639 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.
Lower elevations
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper70%
- Shrub and brush29%
- Other cover2%
Mid elevations
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper70%
- Shrub and brush26%
- Grass and meadow4%
Higher elevations
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper56%
- Shrub and brush41%
- Grass and meadow2%
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 16A. 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.
- Divide fire, 2023 — about 27,000 acres in the unit (6%), mostly on its east side.
- Pasture fire, 2023 — about 11,000 acres in the unit (3%), mostly on its north side.
- Turkeyfeather fire, 2025 — about 6,000 acres in the unit (2%), mostly on its south side.
Fire perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Land & access
About 99% of Unit 16A is public land by ownership — National Forest and State Trust land. Ownership is not the same as legal access: some parcels are closed or restricted.
- National Forest99%
- State Trust land<1%
- Private<1%
Public land includes State Trust land (1% 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 78°F, lows around 51°F
- September — highs around 73°F, lows around 45°F
- October — highs around 65°F, lows around 35°F, about 0.4 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 55°F, lows around 26°F, about 0.8 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 47°F, lows around 20°F, about 4 in of snowfall
Unit 16A elk hunting FAQ
Can a hunter buy an elk tag for Unit 16A over the counter?
No. Every public hunt listed for Unit 16A requires applying for a specific hunt code in New Mexico's draw. Separately, landowners enrolled in the Elk Private Lands Use System issue their own authorizations that let a hunter buy a private-land elk licence, which is a different route from the draw hunts described here.
Does applying earlier or choosing first choice help the odds in Unit 16A?
The draw works by a random sequence number assigned to each application, not by choice rank. The computer processes applications in that sequence, checking an application's first, second and third choices in order before moving to the next application, so an earlier-sequenced application can be awarded a second or third choice ahead of a later-sequenced application's first choice.
Should a hunter save points before applying to Unit 16A?
New Mexico has no preference or bonus points for elk at all, so there is nothing to build or hold. Every application in a given year stands on its own random sequence number regardless of past application history.
Can a nonresident apply for every elk hunt in Unit 16A?
Not all of them. Nonresidents may apply for both archery any-elk hunts and both any-legal-weapon mature bull hunts, but the two antlerless elk hunts in December are residents-only and nonresidents are ineligible for those draws.
How much of Unit 16A can a hunter count on for public access?
About 99% of the unit's roughly 644 square miles is public land, split between National Forest and a smaller share of State Trust land. State Trust land can only be used during a hunter's own hunt, plus up to a week of scouting beforehand, entered on public or established roads, and some parcels are withdrawn, so ownership alone does not guarantee access and current maps are worth checking.
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.