Unit 45 Elk Hunting, New Mexico
New Mexico hunting unit · 1,525 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 45 is like
Unit 45 covers a wide elevation span, from low country near 5,600 feet up to peaks above 13,000 feet, with the bulk of the ground rolling to moderately steep rather than truly rugged. At lower elevations the mix is about half conifer and pinyon-juniper timber and over two-fifths shrub and brush, with just a sliver of grass and meadow. Climbing into the mid and higher bands, conifer and pinyon-juniper dominates even more heavily, running into the 80-percent range, with shrub and brush, grass and meadow, and small pockets of deciduous forest filling the rest. Most of the unit is foot country: a hunter who wants to get away from roads and other hunters needs to be ready to climb and glass, and the timber at mid and high elevation can make spot-and-stalk slow going.
About 76 percent of Unit 45 is public land in National Forest, BLM, and State Trust ownership, though ownership is not the same as guaranteed access — State Trust land (1% of the unit) can only be hunted during a hunter's own hunt plus a short scouting window beforehand, and some parcels on any of these public lands are closed or restricted. A small sliver of National Park Service land sits inside the unit, but hunting there is only allowed in certain designated areas, never in parks or monuments, so that ground should not be counted on without checking first. Just under 5 percent of the unit is tribal land closed to state-licensed hunting, and another 18 percent is private land requiring written permission. Three fires have burned into the unit's east and northwest sides in recent years — the Calf Canyon fire (2022), the Hermits Peak fire (2022), and the Frijoles fire (2026) — and hunters should check for current fire closures before heading in.
Elk hunting here runs through a public draw with six hunts spread from early September archery through mid-November muzzleloader antlerless, each with its own hunt code and random-draw odds that differ by residency and whether an applicant uses a registered outfitter. Separately, landowners enrolled in the Elk Private Lands Use System issue their own authorizations for a private-land elk licence, a path that runs apart from the public draw.
Elk hunts in Unit 45 (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-2-366 | September 1 – September 14 | Any elk | Fair odds | Very long odds | Long odds | Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| Archery ELK-2-367 | September 15 – September 24 | Any elk | Long odds | Very long odds | Very long odds | Primary Rut |
| Muzzleloader ELK-3-368 | October 10 – October 14 | Mature bull | Fair odds | Very long odds | Fair odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-369 | October 17 – October 21 | Mature bull | Long odds | Very long odds | Fair odds | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-370 | October 24 – October 28 | Mature bull | Fair odds | Very long odds | Good odds | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Muzzleloader ELK-3-371 | November 14 – November 18 | Antlerless elk | Fair odds | Residents only | Residents only | Migration Transition |
"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 finds elk moving into the Rut Onset phase and then the Primary Rut phase, so bull activity is building through this hunt's back half. Archery hunters do best working the edges where conifer and pinyon-juniper timber meets shrub and brush, especially at mid and higher elevations where that timber cover dominates. This any-elk hunt lets an archer take any elk, bull or cow, and the terrain's rolling-to-moderately-steep character rewards a hunter willing to climb above the lower drainages to find less-pressured ground.
Archery · Any elk · September 15 – September 24
Running through the back half of September, this hunt sits entirely in the Primary Rut phase, putting it in the thick of rut-driven bull movement. Archery is the only weapon allowed, and the any-elk legal status means both bulls and cows are fair game. Hunters should still expect to work timbered mid- and upper-elevation country on foot, since the unit's cover and slope leave little open, easy ground to cover quickly.
Muzzleloader · Mature bull · October 10 – October 14
By early-to-mid October this hunt falls in the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase, when breeding slows and mature bulls often begin pulling away from cow groups to isolate, with the largest bulls typically leaving first while smaller satellite bulls may linger with cows still cycling. Bulls coming off the rut can be worn down and carrying broken points or beams, so a hunter should look them over carefully before deciding to shoot. Muzzleloader hunters should focus on secluded pockets where feed, bedding cover, and water sit close together, and with October averaging around 1.7 inches of snowfall and lows near freezing, any accumulated snow can help concentrate elk and sign in those pockets. Only a mature bull is legal in this hunt.
Any legal weapon · Mature bull · October 17 – October 21
This late-October hunt falls in the Post-Rut Recovery phase, when bulls have largely settled into secluded areas that meet their needs without much travel, making them behave more like mule deer in their limited, careful appearances. Any legal weapon is allowed, but only a mature bull may be taken, so glassing feeding openings early and late and still-hunting likely cover during the slow midday hours pays off. When tracks or droppings turn up, the better move is to stay and keep working that ground rather than moving on, and with October lows near 33°F and modest snowfall possible, fresh sign should carry more weight than old sign.
Any legal weapon · Mature bull · October 24 – October 28
Also sitting in the Post-Rut Recovery phase, this final-week-of-October hunt offers the same bull behavior as the prior period — bulls holed up in secluded cover, showing themselves briefly and behaving much like mule deer. Hunters should glass open feeding areas at first and last light, then spend the middle of the day walking likely cover for tracks and droppings rather than covering long distances. Any legal weapon may be used on a mature bull only, and with October's modest snowfall and lows around freezing, patience on ground that is already showing sign tends to out-produce moving around.
Muzzleloader · Antlerless elk · November 14 – November 18
By mid-November, elk are shifting into the Migration Transition phase, pushing toward wintering country, and cow groups that were tightly bunched earlier in the fall may start to spread out and move. This muzzleloader hunt is antlerless only and open to residents only, so success depends on finding current sign along that transition route rather than relying on old sign from past years. November averages around 4.1 inches of snowfall with lows near 23°F, and where real accumulation has built up, working lower, more sheltered cover along likely travel routes makes sense. Covering ground methodically and confirming fresh tracks or droppings before committing time to an area is the most direct path to success here.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,600–13,100 ft, typically around 8,400 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 34% gentle · 47% moderate · 18% steep · 1% rugged
- Public land by ownership
- ~1,164 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-juniper50%
- Shrub and brush42%
- Other cover7%
- Grass and meadow2%
Mid elevations
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper84%
- Shrub and brush11%
- Other cover3%
- Grass and meadow2%
- Deciduous forest1%
Higher elevations
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper79%
- Shrub and brush11%
- Grass and meadow5%
- Deciduous forest4%
- Other cover1%
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 45. 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.
- Calf Canyon fire, 2022 — about 161,000 acres in the unit (17%), mostly on its east side.
- Frijoles fire, 2026 — about 16,000 acres in the unit (2%), mostly on its northwest side.
- Hermits Peak fire, 2022 — about 6,800 acres in the unit, mostly on its east side.
Fire perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Land & access
About 76% of Unit 45 is public land by ownership — National Forest, BLM and State Trust land. Ownership is not the same as legal access: some parcels are closed or restricted.
- National Forest66%
- BLM9%
- State Trust land1%
- National Park Service<1%
- tribal land5%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private18%
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.
Hunting is allowed on some National Park Service land (a national preserve, for example) but not in national parks, monuments or historical parks — check where it is allowed.
Tribal land requires the tribe's own permission and licence — a New Mexico elk licence is not valid there.
Fall weather
- August — highs around 75°F, lows around 48°F
- September — highs around 69°F, lows around 42°F
- October — highs around 60°F, lows around 33°F, about 1.7 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 49°F, lows around 23°F, about 4.1 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 41°F, lows around 17°F, about 9.8 in of snowfall
Unit 45 elk hunting FAQ
How does a hunter get an elk licence for Unit 45?
A hunter applies for one of the public draw hunts by its specific hunt code, since each hunt in Unit 45 has its own code and its own draw odds by residency and outfitter status. Separately, landowners enrolled in the Elk Private Lands Use System issue their own authorizations for a private-land elk licence, which is a different route from the public draw.
How hard are the Unit 45 elk hunts to draw, and does it differ by pool?
Yes, odds differ by pool. For example, the early-September archery any-elk hunt (ELK-2-366) shows Fair odds for residents, Long odds applying with an outfitter, and Very long odds for nonresidents without an outfitter, while the late-October mature bull hunt (ELK-1-370) shows Fair odds for residents, Good odds with an outfitter, and Very long odds for nonresidents without an outfitter.
Can a nonresident hunt every elk season in Unit 45?
No. Nonresidents may apply for both archery any-elk hunts and all three mature bull hunts, but the muzzleloader antlerless elk hunt in November is restricted to residents only, making nonresidents ineligible for that one.
Does New Mexico use preference or bonus points for elk?
No. New Mexico has no points system of any kind for elk, so every application in Unit 45 is evaluated through the random draw process rather than any accumulated point standing.
How much of Unit 45 is public land, and does State Trust land change that?
About 76 percent of the unit is public land across National Forest, BLM, and State Trust ownership, but that ownership figure does not mean every acre is open, since some parcels are closed or restricted. State Trust land, which makes up about 1 percent of the unit, can only be hunted during a hunter's own hunt plus a short scouting window beforehand, and entry must be by public or established roads.
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.