Unit 23 Elk Hunting, New Mexico
New Mexico hunting unit · 2,928 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 23 is like
Unit 23 is rolling country, with some steeper breaks, spreading from around 3,700 feet up to 9,000 feet, though most of the unit sits closer to the 5,300-foot mid elevations. At the lower band, shrub and brush and grass and meadow dominate in roughly equal measure, giving way at mid elevations to more shrub and brush with grass and meadow and a touch of conifer and pinyon-juniper. The higher country shifts again, with shrub and brush and conifer and pinyon-juniper taking over and grass and meadow thinning out. With mean slope under eight degrees and almost no steep or rugged ground, this is walkable country for most of its area, favoring hunters willing to cover ground on foot and glass open pockets rather than climb.
About 65% of Unit 23 is public land, spread across National Forest, State Trust land, BLM and a State Wildlife Management Area, managed by different agencies with different access rules. Public land here is ownership, not a guarantee of entry — some parcels are closed or restricted, and a hunter should check access before counting on any given block. State Trust land makes up 23% of the unit and can be used only during a hunter's own hunt, plus up to seven days of scouting beforehand, entering by public or established roads. The remaining 35% is private and requires written permission to hunt.
Getting a tag here runs through a random draw by hunt code, and New Mexico has no points system of any kind — a hunter either draws a given season or does not, with no preference carried forward. Beyond the draw hunts listed for Unit 23, landowners enrolled in the Elk Private Lands Use System separately issue authorizations that let a hunter buy a private-land elk licence, a distinct route from the public draw.
Elk hunts in Unit 23 (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 elk | Resident | Nonresident, no outfitter | With an outfitter | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery ELK-2-331 | September 1 – September 14 | Any elk | Fair odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| Archery ELK-2-332 | September 15 – September 24 | Any elk | Fair odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Primary Rut |
| Muzzleloader ELK-3-334 | October 17 – October 21 | Mature bull | Fair odds | Very long odds | Long odds | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-335 | October 24 – October 28 | Mature bull | Long odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-336 | December 5 – December 9 | Antlerless elk | Long odds | Residents only | Residents only | Winter Range |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-338 South of NM 78 | December 19 – December 27 | Antlerless elk | Fair odds | Residents only | Residents only | Winter Range |
| Archery ELK-2-337 | December 19 – December 23 | Mature bull | — | Long odds | — | 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 September in Unit 23 falls across the rut onset and primary rut phases, when bull activity may be building and intensifying through the two weeks. Archery hunters chasing any elk can work the shrub and brush and grass and meadow mix at lower and mid elevations, or push into the conifer and pinyon-juniper at higher country where elk may be concentrating. Because the legal animal is any elk, both bulls and cows are fair game, which opens up more of the terrain to cover. Residents draw this hunt (ELK-2-331) at fair odds, while nonresidents face very long odds whether or not they apply with an outfitter.
Archery · Any elk · September 15 – September 24
Running through the heart of the primary rut phase, this late-September archery hunt offers the same any-elk opportunity as the first season but compresses it into a slightly later ten-day window. Elk activity tied to the rut should still be a factor across the unit's mix of shrub and brush, grass and meadow, and timbered higher ground. Covering ground on foot remains the practical approach given how gentle most of the terrain is. The draw works the same way as the earlier archery hunt — fair odds for residents (ELK-2-332), very long odds for nonresidents in either pool.
Muzzleloader · Mature bull · October 17 – October 21
By mid-to-late October, Unit 23 has settled into the post-rut recovery phase, and bulls tend to pull back into secluded pockets where they can meet their needs without moving far. That makes this muzzleloader hunt for mature bulls more like hunting mule deer than chasing rutting elk — glassing feeding openings in the shrub and brush and grass and meadow at first and last light, then walking likely cover through the middle of the day looking for tracks and droppings. When fresh sign turns up, the better move is to stay patient and keep working that ground rather than moving on. Residents draw at fair odds (ELK-3-334); nonresidents face very long odds without an outfitter and long odds with one.
Any legal weapon · Mature bull · October 24 – October 28
The late-October any-legal-weapon hunt for mature bulls lands in the same post-rut recovery phase as the muzzleloader season, with bulls holding tight to secluded cover rather than moving far. The approach is the same mule-deer-style pattern: glass open feeding areas early and late, then spend slower hours on foot checking cover for tracks and droppings, concentrating effort where sign is fresh. The wider weapon choice is the main difference from the muzzleloader hunt, though the draw is tougher — residents face long odds (ELK-1-335), and both nonresident pools face very long odds.
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · December 5 – December 9
Early December puts this hunt squarely in the winter range phase, and it's a residents-only antlerless season — nonresidents are ineligible to apply. Wintering elk may return to the same ground year after year, so locating sign left from previous seasons can help narrow down where to focus before confirming current activity with fresh tracks or droppings. December averages around 0.2 inches of snowfall with lows near 26°F; if meaningful snow has accumulated by the hunt, concentrating effort at lower elevations where grass and meadow and shrub and brush persist is worth considering. Residents draw this hunt (ELK-1-336) at long odds.
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · December 19 – December 27
Running later in December and restricted to the area south of NM 78, this antlerless hunt also falls in the winter range phase and is open to residents only. The same approach applies as the earlier antlerless season — check areas with a history of winter use, then confirm with fresh sign before committing time to a spot. With December lows averaging near 26°F and light average snowfall, a hunter should adjust by elevation based on what snow has actually fallen rather than assuming conditions. Residents draw this hunt (ELK-1-338) at fair odds, noticeably better than the early-December antlerless hunt.
Archery · Mature bull · December 19 – December 23
The late-December archery hunt for mature bulls sits in the winter range phase, when bulls may be grouped together with other bulls rather than scattered. Wintering ground often sees repeated use from year to year, so checking areas with known history and then looking for current tracks, droppings, or sightings is the way to narrow things down before committing to a spot. December's modest average snowfall and lows near 26°F mean a hunter should judge movement by what snow is actually on the ground at the time rather than assuming elk have shifted. This hunt (ELK-2-337) only lists a nonresident-without-outfitter band, at long odds.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 3,700–9,000 ft, typically around 5,300 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 70% gentle · 25% moderate · 5% steep · 0% rugged
- Public land by ownership
- ~1,908 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 brush58%
- Grass and meadow40%
- Other cover2%
Mid elevations
- Shrub and brush62%
- Grass and meadow31%
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper7%
Higher elevations
- Shrub and brush51%
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper40%
- Grass and meadow7%
- Other cover2%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land.
Land & access
About 65% of Unit 23 is public land by ownership — National Forest, State Trust land, BLM and State Wildlife Management Area. Ownership is not the same as legal access: some parcels are closed or restricted.
- National Forest24%
- State Trust land23%
- BLM18%
- State Wildlife Management Area<1%
- Private35%
Public land includes State Trust land (23% 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 88°F, lows around 60°F
- September — highs around 84°F, lows around 54°F
- October — highs around 75°F, lows around 43°F
- November — highs around 64°F, lows around 33°F
- December — highs around 55°F, lows around 26°F, about 0.2 in of snowfall
Unit 23 elk hunting FAQ
How does a hunter get an elk licence for Unit 23?
A hunter applies for one of the specific draw hunts by its hunt code through the random public draw. 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 hunts listed for this unit.
How hard are the Unit 23 elk hunts to draw, and does it differ by pool?
Yes, odds vary by pool and by hunt. Residents see mostly fair-to-long odds across the archery, muzzleloader, and mature-bull hunts, while nonresidents applying without an outfitter face very long odds on most hunts, with only the late-December archery mature-bull hunt and muzzleloader hunt showing better nonresident bands. Odds are given in words only and apply per application, not per person.
Can a nonresident hunt every season offered in Unit 23?
No. Nonresidents may apply for both any-elk archery hunts, the muzzleloader mature-bull hunt, the any-legal-weapon mature-bull hunt, and the late-December archery mature-bull hunt. Nonresidents are ineligible for both antlerless elk hunts in December, which are restricted to residents only.
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 from one application to the next. Every application for a Unit 23 elk hunt is assigned a random sequence number and processed in that order.
Which Unit 23 elk seasons fall during the rut?
The two archery any-elk seasons, running from September 1–14 and September 15–24, fall within the rut onset and primary rut phases. Every other season in Unit 23 — the muzzleloader and any-legal-weapon mature-bull hunts in October, the antlerless hunts in December, and the late-December archery mature-bull hunt — falls outside those rut phases, in the post-rut recovery or winter range phases instead.
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.