Unit 16E Elk Hunting, New Mexico
New Mexico hunting unit · Part of Unit 16 · 959 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 16E is like
Unit 16E is gentle and rolling country, with mean slope under five degrees and almost no ground that qualifies as steep or rugged. That makes it accessible on foot for most hunters, with long sightlines across grass and meadow and shrub and brush at the lower and mid elevations, giving way to a mix of shrub and brush, conifer and pinyon-juniper, and grass and meadow higher up. The open character of the cover means glassing can do a lot of the work, but it also means elk can see and smell a hunter a long way off, so careful use of the terrain's low relief matters more than climbing ability.
About 63% of the unit is public land under State Trust, BLM, and National Forest ownership, though that is ownership and not a guarantee of access — some parcels are closed or restricted, and State Trust land (37% of the unit) can only be used during a hunter's own hunt, plus up to seven days of scouting beforehand, entering by public or established roads. The remaining 37% is private and requires written permission to hunt. The Buck fire burned roughly 58,000 acres on the unit's south side in 2025, and every season here falls within the first year after that burn, so hunters should expect elk distribution to have shifted toward ground with water and feed and should check for current fire closures before heading out.
Besides the draw hunts listed here, landowners enrolled in the Elk Private Lands Use System separately issue authorizations that let a hunter buy a private-land elk licence, a different route from the public draw. The draw itself is random rather than first-choice-based, and odds vary considerably by hunt, weapon, and pool, with some hunts open to any resident or nonresident applicant and the antlerless hunts reserved for residents only.
Elk hunts in Unit 16E (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 16E 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-2-298 | September 1 – September 14 | Any elk | Fair odds | Very long odds | Fair odds | Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| ArcheryQuality hunt ELK-2-299 | September 15 – September 24 | Any elk | Fair odds | Very long odds | Long odds | Primary Rut |
| MuzzleloaderQuality hunt ELK-3-301 | October 17 – October 21 | Mature bull | Fair odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-302 | October 24 – October 28 | Mature bull | Long odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-303 | December 5 – December 9 | Antlerless elk | Fair odds | Residents only | Residents only | Winter Range |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-304 | December 12 – December 16 | Antlerless elk | Fair 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 in the season elk are moving into the Rut Onset phase and activity should be building toward the Primary Rut phase by the close of the hunt. Archers can work the grass and meadow and shrub and brush at lower and mid elevations where visibility is good, though the gentle terrain offers little to break a hunter's silhouette, so careful approach matters. Because the Buck fire burned part of the unit's south side within the past year, elk may be using burned ground differently than in past seasons, moving through it between patches of unburned timber rather than holding there. Any elk is legal, which gives bowhunters more flexibility than the later bull-only hunts.
Archery · Any elk · September 15 – September 24
This hunt falls entirely within the Primary Rut phase, the best window here for elk to be actively engaged with one another across the open grass, meadow, and shrub and brush. The gentle, rolling ground and modest cover mean a hunter can cover terrain and glass extensively rather than fight elevation, though the Quality hunt designation reflects an effort to improve the hunting experience through timing and hunter density rather than any promise about animal age. Elk recovering from or still working through the fire-affected ground on the unit's south side may be concentrated where feed and water have recovered fastest. Any elk may be taken, which keeps the hunt open to more than just bull hunters.
Muzzleloader · Mature bull · October 17 – October 21
By mid-to-late October bulls have moved into the Post-Rut Recovery phase and tend to pull back into secluded pockets where they can meet their needs without moving far, making them harder to catch in the open grass and meadow. This Quality muzzleloader hunt rewards a hunter willing to glass feeding openings early and late, then still-hunt through likely cover looking for tracks and droppings during the slow midday hours. Only a mature bull is legal, so once fresh sign is found, staying patient and working that ground pays off better than moving on quickly. The unit's gentle slopes make this kind of methodical, sign-based hunting practical on foot.
Any legal weapon · Mature bull · October 24 – October 28
Like the muzzleloader hunt just before it, this any-legal-weapon season sits in the Post-Rut Recovery phase, when bulls settle into secluded cover and show themselves less in open feeding areas. Hunters should expect a mule-deer-style approach: glass openings of grass and meadow at first and last light, then spend the middle of the day working the conifer and pinyon-juniper and shrub and brush on foot for fresh tracks and droppings. A mature bull is required, and the draw odds for this hunt run longer than the muzzleloader Quality hunt, so persistence in productive ground matters once sign is found. The open, low-relief terrain makes it realistic to cover a fair amount of country in the five-day window without major elevation challenges.
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · December 5 – December 9
By early December elk are in the Winter Range phase, and this hunt is for filling an antlerless licence only. Wintering ground in this unit often sees repeated use from year to year, so checking areas with a history of elk sign and then confirming current activity with fresh tracks, droppings, or sightings is the most productive approach. December averages around 1.7 inches of snowfall with lows near 19°F; if snow has accumulated by the hunt dates, concentrate effort on lower-elevation grass and meadow and shrub and brush where elk are more likely to be holding. This hunt is open only to residents, and the gentle terrain keeps it practical to cover ground on foot while searching for sign.
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · December 12 – December 16
This second antlerless hunt again falls in the Winter Range phase, with elk likely settled into wintering areas that may show consistent use across years. As with the hunt the week before, the approach is to lean on historical sign to narrow down likely ground, then locate fresh tracks, droppings, or sightings to confirm elk are currently present before committing time to an area. December's average snowfall of about 1.7 inches and lows near 19°F mean a hunter should be ready to shift toward lower elevations if meaningful snow has built up by these dates. This hunt is restricted to residents only, and only an antlerless elk may be taken.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 6,800–9,500 ft, typically around 7,200 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 84% gentle · 14% moderate · 2% steep · 0% rugged
- Public land by ownership
- ~605 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
- Shrub and brush50%
- Grass and meadow47%
- Other cover3%
Mid elevations
- Shrub and brush60%
- Grass and meadow33%
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper6%
Higher elevations
- Shrub and brush38%
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper36%
- Grass and meadow25%
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 16E. 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.
- Buck fire, 2025 — about 58,000 acres in the unit (9%), mostly on its south side.
Fire perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Land & access
About 63% of Unit 16E is public land by ownership — State Trust land, BLM and National Forest. Ownership is not the same as legal access: some parcels are closed or restricted.
- State Trust land37%
- BLM25%
- National Forest<1%
- Private37%
Public land includes State Trust land (37% 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 82°F, lows around 54°F
- September — highs around 77°F, lows around 47°F
- October — highs around 68°F, lows around 36°F, about 0.4 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 56°F, lows around 26°F, about 0.6 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 47°F, lows around 19°F, about 1.7 in of snowfall
Unit 16E elk hunting FAQ
How does a hunter get an elk licence for Unit 16E?
A hunter applies for one of the public draw hunts by its hunt code, choosing among archery, muzzleloader, or any-legal-weapon seasons with different legal animals. Separately, landowners enrolled in the Elk Private Lands Use System issue authorizations that let a hunter buy a private-land elk licence, which is a different route from the draw. There is no point system involved in either route.
How hard are the Unit 16E hunts to draw, and does it differ by pool?
Yes, difficulty varies a lot by pool and hunt. Residents see Fair odds on most hunts and Long odds on the October any-legal-weapon mature bull hunt, while nonresidents applying without an outfitter face Very long odds across every hunt open to them. Applicants who apply with a registered outfitter see better odds on some hunts, such as Fair odds on the first archery hunt, but still face Long or Very long odds on others.
Can a nonresident hunt every season in Unit 16E?
No. Nonresidents may apply for both archery any-elk hunts, the muzzleloader mature bull hunt, and the October any-legal-weapon mature bull hunt. The two antlerless elk hunts in December are restricted to residents only, and a nonresident is ineligible to apply for them.
Does New Mexico use preference points or bonus points for elk?
No. New Mexico has no points system of any kind for elk, so there is nothing to build or hold toward a future application. Every application for a given year's hunts is treated on its own through the random draw sequence.
How much of Unit 16E is public land, and what is the rule on State Trust land?
About 63% of the unit, roughly 605 square miles, is public land under State Trust, BLM, and National Forest ownership, though ownership alone does not mean every parcel is open since some are closed or restricted. State Trust land, which makes up 37% of the unit, can only be used during a hunter's own hunt plus up to seven days of scouting beforehand, entering by public or established roads. The remaining 37% of the unit is private land that requires written permission to hunt.
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.