Unit 36 Elk Hunting, New Mexico
New Mexico hunting unit · 992 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 36 is like
Unit 36 is rolling country, with some steeper breaks, running from low flats up through mid-elevation benches into higher timber. Lower elevations are dominated by shrub and brush with some grass and meadow, mid elevations carry a mix of shrub and brush with conifer and pinyon-juniper and grass and meadow, and the higher country shifts to conifer and pinyon-juniper over shrub and brush and grass and meadow. Most of the terrain is gentle to moderate, so a hunter can cover ground on foot, but the steeper breaks demand more deliberate route-finding and glassing from a distance pays off before committing to a climb.
About 54% of the unit is public land under National Forest, State Trust, and BLM ownership, but that ownership figure is not the same as guaranteed access: some parcels are closed or restricted, and State Trust land (usable only during a hunter's own hunt, plus up to 7 days of scouting beforehand) can only be entered by public or established roads. Three unitized ranches in the unit — 3 Rivers, I Bar X, and Pajarito — close their State Trust and BLM acreage to hunting even though that acreage is still counted in the public total, so the land a hunter can actually walk is smaller than the headline number suggests. The remaining 46% is private and requires written permission. Four fires have burned inside the unit: the South Fork fire and the Blue 2 fire, both in 2024, and the Mcbride fire in 2022, all toward the middle of the unit, along with the Three Rivers fire in 2021 on the northwest side; hunters should check for current fire closures before heading out.
Hunting here runs through the public draw, with every listed hunt awarded by random draw rather than first-come order; landowners enrolled in the Elk Private Lands Use System (EPLUS) separately issue authorizations for a private-land elk licence, a distinct route from the draw hunts described here.
Elk hunts in Unit 36 (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-2-358 | September 1 – September 14 | Any elk | Fair odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| Archery ELK-2-359 | September 15 – September 24 | Any elk | Long odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Primary Rut |
| Muzzleloader ELK-3-360 | October 10 – October 14 | Any elk | Long odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-361 | October 17 – October 21 | Any elk | Very long odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-362 | October 31 – November 4 | Any elk | Very long odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Migration Transition |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-363 | December 5 – December 9 | Antlerless elk | Long odds | Residents only | Residents only | Winter Range |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-364 | December 12 – December 16 | Antlerless elk | Long odds | Residents only | Residents only | Winter Range |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-365 | January 23 – January 27, 2027 | Antlerless elk | Fair odds | Residents only | Residents only | — |
"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 archery hunting in Unit 36 falls across the Rut Onset and Primary Rut phases, so bull activity may be building through the period as the season progresses. This is any-elk archery, meaning any bull or cow is legal, and the random draw gives residents Fair odds while both nonresidents without an outfitter and those applying with an outfitter face Very long odds. Hunters on foot can work the shrub and brush and grass and meadow at lower and mid elevations or push into the conifer and pinyon-juniper higher up, using the open ridgelines to glass before closing distance. Terrain here is mostly gentle to moderate, which helps an archery hunter move quietly into position without long technical climbs.
Archery · Any elk · September 15 – September 24
By mid-to-late September the unit sits fully inside the Primary Rut phase, and this archery season is again any-elk with any bull or cow legal to take. The draw is tougher at this point in the calendar, with residents facing Long odds and both nonresident pools facing Very long odds. Hunters can still use the mix of shrub and brush, grass and meadow, and higher timber to locate elk, working the cover edges where open feeding ground meets heavier conifer and pinyon-juniper. Foot access and patient glassing remain the most practical approach given the unit's rolling terrain.
Muzzleloader · Any elk · October 10 – October 14
This muzzleloader hunt lands in the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase, when breeding is winding down and mature bulls may begin pulling away from cow groups to isolate, often with the larger bulls leaving first; smaller satellite bulls may linger with cows that are still cycling. Bulls coming off the rut can be worn down and battered, sometimes carrying broken points or beams, so a hunter focused on antler condition should look bulls over carefully before deciding to shoot. Any elk is legal here, bull or cow, and the search should shift toward secluded pockets where feeding, bedding, and water sit close together. Residents draw at Long odds while both nonresident pools face Very long odds, and the gentle-to-moderate terrain still allows plenty of ground to be covered on foot checking such pockets.
Any legal weapon · Any elk · October 17 – October 21
This any-legal-weapon, any-elk hunt falls in the Post-Rut Recovery phase, when bulls recovering from the rut tend to settle into secluded areas and make only limited appearances in open cover, making them behave more like mule deer to hunt. Glassing the feeding openings early and late pays off, and the slower midday hours are best spent walking likely ground for tracks and droppings. Draw odds are Very long odds for residents and for both nonresident pools alike, reflecting how tight this hunt is to draw regardless of residency or outfitter use. When sign shows elk are using a spot, the better move is to stay and keep hunting it rather than move on too quickly.
Any legal weapon · Any elk · October 31 – November 4
Late in the fall, this any-legal-weapon, any-elk hunt sits in the Migration Transition phase, when bulls may regroup into bachelor bands and elk generally begin shifting toward wintering country, with large cow groups becoming less concentrated. The approach here is to look for current sign along likely transition routes, using older sign mainly to identify places worth checking and relying on fresh tracks or droppings to confirm elk are actually present now. Draw odds sit at Very long odds across residents and both nonresident pools. The terrain's gentle-to-moderate slopes make it feasible to cover the ground needed to find where elk are concentrating as they move.
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · December 5 – December 9
This early December hunt is antlerless-only, filling a cow or calf licence during the Winter Range phase, and it is open only to residents since nonresidents are ineligible for the draw here. Wintering ground in this unit can see repeated use year after year, so checking areas with a history of elk sign and then confirming current activity with fresh tracks, droppings, or sightings is the sound approach. December in this unit averages around 2.7 inches of snowfall with lows near 24°F, and if meaningful snow has built up by the hunt dates, working the lower ground where elk may have concentrated makes sense; in lighter conditions elk may still be spread across higher cover. Residents face Long odds in the draw for this hunt.
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · December 12 – December 16
Running one week after the first December antlerless season, this hunt covers the same Winter Range phase and the same antlerless-only legal animal, open to residents only. The same approach applies: look for wintering areas with a history of use, then spend time confirming current elk presence through fresh sign rather than relying on old evidence. With December averaging about 2.7 inches of snowfall and lows around 24°F, a hunter facing accumulated snow should concentrate effort on lower ground, while milder stretches may keep elk using higher cover longer. The resident draw for this hunt runs at Long odds.
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · January 23 – January 27, 2027
This late-January antlerless hunt closes out the elk seasons in Unit 36, open to residents only, with no named rut or post-rut phase attached to these dates. January here averages roughly 1.3 inches of snowfall with lows near 24°F, so a hunter encountering real accumulation by the hunt dates should focus on lower-elevation ground, while lighter snow may leave elk more dispersed through the available cover. As with the other antlerless hunts, searching out wintering areas with a history of use and then confirming elk are currently there through fresh tracks or droppings is the most reliable method. Residents draw this hunt at Fair odds, the best odds among the unit's antlerless seasons.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,300–11,600 ft, typically around 6,200 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 56% gentle · 31% moderate · 12% steep · 0% rugged
- Public land by ownership
- ~536 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 brush91%
- Other cover5%
- Grass and meadow4%
Mid elevations
- Shrub and brush75%
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper16%
- Grass and meadow7%
- Other cover2%
Higher elevations
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper61%
- Shrub and brush31%
- Other cover5%
- Grass and meadow3%
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 36. 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.
- South Fork fire, 2024 — about 10,000 acres in the unit (2%), toward the middle of the unit.
- Blue 2 fire, 2024 — about 7,500 acres in the unit (1%), toward the middle of the unit.
- Three Rivers fire, 2021 — about 6,900 acres in the unit (1%), mostly on its northwest side.
- Mcbride fire, 2022 — about 6,200 acres in the unit (1%), toward the middle of the unit.
Fire perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Land & access
About 54% of Unit 36 is public land by ownership — National Forest, State Trust land and BLM. Ownership is not the same as legal access: some parcels are closed or restricted. That figure still counts State Trust and BLM land inside the unit's unitized ranch (3 Rivers, I Bar X and Pajarito), which is closed to hunting — so the dependably open share is lower.
- National Forest24%
- State Trust land16%
- BLM14%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private46%
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. Unitized ranches in this unit: 3 Rivers, I Bar X, Pajarito. State Trust and BLM land inside them is treated as private and closed to hunting — it is still counted in the huntable figure above — while the ranch's private land in the agreement is open to public hunters. See NMDOW's unitized-ranch maps.
Fall weather
- August — highs around 83°F, lows around 56°F
- September — highs around 78°F, lows around 50°F
- October — highs around 69°F, lows around 40°F, about 0.2 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 59°F, lows around 30°F, about 0.6 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 51°F, lows around 24°F, about 2.7 in of snowfall
Unit 36 elk hunting FAQ
Can a hunter get a elk licence for Unit 36 without going through the draw?
A hunter can apply for one of the public draw hunts listed for Unit 36, each identified by its own hunt code. Separately, landowners enrolled in the Elk Private Lands Use System (EPLUS) issue authorizations that let a hunter buy a private-land elk licence, a different route from the draw. Both exist side by side, but neither guarantees access on its own.
How hard are the Unit 36 elk hunts to draw, and does it differ by pool?
Odds are given in words only, per application, and they vary by hunt and by pool. For example, the first archery any-elk hunt shows Fair odds for residents but Very long odds for both nonresidents without an outfitter and those applying with an outfitter, while the January antlerless hunt shows Fair odds for residents who are the only pool eligible to apply. There is no single answer for the unit as a whole since each hunt and pool carries its own band.
Can a nonresident hunt every elk season in Unit 36?
No. Nonresidents may apply for the two archery any-elk hunts, the muzzleloader any-elk hunt, and the two any-legal-weapon any-elk hunts. The three antlerless elk hunts are residents-only in the draw, 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. Every hunt listed for Unit 36 is awarded through a random draw based on an application sequence number, not through accumulated points.
How much of Unit 36 is public land, and what is the catch with State Trust land?
About 54% of the unit is public land under National Forest, State Trust, and BLM ownership, but that figure describes ownership, not guaranteed access, since some parcels are closed or restricted. State Trust land can only be used during a hunter's own hunt, plus up to 7 days of scouting beforehand, and must be entered by public or established roads. Three unitized ranches in the unit also close their State Trust and BLM acreage to hunting even though it is still counted in the public total, so the usable public land is smaller than the ownership share implies.
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.