Unit 48 Elk Hunting, New Mexico
New Mexico hunting unit · 378 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 48 is like
Unit 48 is gentle and rolling country, with gentle slopes covering the large majority of the ground and almost none of it qualifying as rugged. Elevation runs from about 5,900 feet up to 10,700 feet, and cover shifts with it: lower ground is mostly grass and meadow with shrub and brush, mid elevations mix shrub and brush with grass and meadow and some conifer and pinyon-juniper, and the higher country is dominated by conifer and pinyon-juniper timber with pockets of deciduous forest and riparian draws. Because the terrain is rolling rather than broken, most of the hunting here is foot country where glassing openings and walking timber edges covers ground efficiently, rather than country that demands technical climbing.
Public land by ownership covers roughly 29 percent of the unit, a mix of State Trust land, BLM ground, and a State Wildlife Management Area; this is ownership, not a guarantee of access, since some parcels are closed or restricted. State Trust land makes up 28 percent of the unit and can only be used during a hunter's own hunt, plus up to seven days of scouting beforehand, entering by public or established roads — a hunter should check the State Land Office's access map before counting on a parcel. The remaining 71 percent is private land requiring written permission. The Cooks Peak fire burned about 49,000 acres, roughly 20 percent of the unit, toward the middle of the unit in 2022; with the timber opened up there, the burn now offers easier glassing and better feed, and hunters should check for current fire closures before heading in.
Beyond the public draw hunts listed here, landowners in the Elk Private Lands Use System also issue authorizations that let a hunter buy a private-land elk licence, a separate route from the draw with its own rules by ranch and management zone.
Elk hunts in Unit 48 (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-2-372 | September 1 – September 14 | Any elk | Fair odds | Very long odds | Fair odds | Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| Archery ELK-2-373 | September 15 – September 24 | Any elk | Good odds | Long odds | Long odds | Primary Rut |
| Muzzleloader ELK-3-374 | October 10 – October 14 | Mature bull | Fair odds | Long odds | Fair odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-375 | October 17 – October 21 | Mature bull | Long odds | Long odds | — | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-376 | October 24 – October 28 | Mature bull | Fair odds | Very long odds | Long odds | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-377 | November 14 – November 18 | Antlerless elk | Fair odds | Residents only | Residents only | Migration Transition |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-378 | December 5 – December 9 | 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
This early archery hunt opens as bulls move from rut onset into the primary rut, so activity is building through the two weeks. Rolling terrain and open grass and meadow at lower elevations make for good early morning and late evening glassing, with shrub and brush and timber edges nearby for closing the stalk. The burned ground from the Cooks Peak fire is worth a look during this stretch, since the open sightlines there can make locating animals easier before the push into thicker cover. Any elk is legal, residents see fair odds, and a nonresident applying without an outfitter faces very long odds, though applying with a registered outfitter brings the odds back to fair.
Archery · Any elk · September 15 – September 24
This hunt falls entirely inside the primary rut, putting archers in the country during the most active phase of the season. The same rolling mix of grass, brush, and timber supports a slow, patient approach — working the edges between open feed and conifer and pinyon-juniper cover on the higher ground. Good odds for residents make this one of the more attainable archery hunts in the unit, while a nonresident applying without an outfitter faces long odds, the same as one applying through an outfitter. Any elk is legal during this period.
Muzzleloader · Mature bull · October 10 – October 14
By the time this muzzleloader hunt opens, the rut is winding down and bulls are shifting into the late rut and early post-rut phase. Mature bulls may be pulling away from cow groups to isolate, with the larger ones often leaving first, while smaller bulls can still linger with cows that are cycling again; bulls coming off the rut can also be worn down or carrying broken antlers, so it pays to look them over carefully. The best approach is finding secluded pockets where feed, bedding, and water sit close together, something the unit's gentle terrain and mixed cover make easier to locate on foot. Only mature bulls are legal, and residents draw fair odds while a nonresident without an outfitter faces long odds; applying with an outfitter also brings fair odds.
Any legal weapon · Mature bull · October 17 – October 21
This hunt opens in the post-rut recovery phase, when bulls have settled into limited routines and can be as hard to pattern as mule deer. Glassing feeding openings in the grass and meadow or shrub and brush at first and last light is the most productive use of time, with slower midday hours best spent walking likely ground for tracks and droppings. Once sign shows elk are using an area, staying with it rather than moving on tends to pay off better than covering new ground. Only mature bulls are legal, and both resident and nonresident-without-outfitter applicants face long odds for this hunt.
Any legal weapon · Mature bull · October 24 – October 28
Like the hunt before it, this late-October rifle season falls in the post-rut recovery phase, with bulls holding to secluded pockets where they can find feed, bedding, and water without traveling far. The same glass-early-and-late, walk-and-look-for-sign approach applies, and patience on a spot that is showing fresh sign beats moving around looking for something better. Only mature bulls are legal here; residents see fair odds, a nonresident applying without an outfitter faces very long odds, and applying with an outfitter improves that to long odds.
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · November 14 – November 18
This November hunt is for antlerless elk only, set in the migration transition phase as animals begin shifting out of summer range toward wintering country and cow groups spread out more loosely. The approach here is to find current sign along likely travel routes between the unit's open grass and meadow and its timbered higher ground, using older sign mainly to narrow down where to look before confirming with fresh tracks or droppings. With November averaging around 1.6 inches of snowfall and lows near 24°F, a hunter who finds substantial snow already on the ground might concentrate effort lower, while in milder conditions elk may still be working higher ground. This hunt is open to residents only, and residents face fair odds.
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · December 5 – December 9
By early December the Winter Range phase has set in, and antlerless elk tend to be concentrated in wintering areas that often see repeated use from year to year. The job here is to use that historical pattern to narrow the search, then confirm current activity with fresh tracks, droppings, or direct sightings before committing time to an area. December brings colder averages, around 3.6 inches of snowfall and lows near 17°F, so where real accumulation has built up, lower ground and sheltered draws are worth checking first. This hunt is residents only, with fair odds for a resident applicant.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,900–10,700 ft, typically around 7,100 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 87% gentle · 11% moderate · 2% steep · 0% rugged
- Public land by ownership
- ~110 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
- Grass and meadow65%
- Shrub and brush29%
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper3%
- Riparian2%
- Other cover1%
Mid elevations
- Shrub and brush45%
- Grass and meadow36%
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper16%
- Riparian2%
- Other cover1%
Higher elevations
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper75%
- Shrub and brush18%
- Riparian3%
- Grass and meadow2%
- Deciduous forest2%
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 48. 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.
- Cooks Peak fire, 2022 — about 49,000 acres in the unit (20%), toward the middle of the unit.
Fire perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Land & access
About 29% of Unit 48 is public land by ownership — State Trust land, BLM and State Wildlife Management Area. Ownership is not the same as legal access: some parcels are closed or restricted.
- State Trust land28%
- BLM<1%
- State Wildlife Management Area<1%
- Private71%
Public land includes State Trust land (28% 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 83°F, lows around 51°F
- September — highs around 77°F, lows around 44°F
- October — highs around 67°F, lows around 34°F, about 0.5 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 56°F, lows around 24°F, about 1.6 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 47°F, lows around 17°F, about 3.6 in of snowfall
Unit 48 elk hunting FAQ
How does a hunter get an elk licence for Unit 48?
A hunter applies for one of the public draw hunts listed for Unit 48 by its hunt code, choosing a weapon, season, and legal animal. Separately, landowners enrolled in the Elk Private Lands Use System (EPLUS) issue their own authorizations that let a hunter buy a private-land elk licence, a different route with access rights that vary by ranch. New Mexico has no preference or bonus points for elk, so every application is judged on that year's random draw alone.
How hard are the Unit 48 elk hunts to draw, and does it differ by pool?
Odds vary by hunt and by pool. Residents generally see fair to good odds across most seasons, nonresidents applying without an outfitter face long to very long odds on several hunts, and applicants who go through a registered outfitter — a pool open to both residents and nonresidents — often see better odds than the unguided nonresident pool, such as fair odds on the muzzleloader hunt and the early archery hunt. The antlerless hunts show a fair odds band for residents but are closed to nonresidents entirely.
Can a nonresident hunt every season in Unit 48?
No. A nonresident may apply for the two archery any-elk hunts, the muzzleloader mature-bull hunt, and both any-legal-weapon mature-bull hunts, but the two antlerless elk hunts in November and December are residents-only and a nonresident is ineligible for them in the draw.
Does New Mexico use points for elk in Unit 48?
No. New Mexico does not have any preference or bonus point system for elk, so there is nothing to build or hold from year to year. Every application for Unit 48 is entered fresh into that year's random draw, which assigns each application a random sequence number before processing choices in that order.
Which Unit 48 elk seasons fall in the rut, and how much of the unit is public land?
The two archery any-elk hunts in September and the October muzzleloader mature-bull hunt fall within the regional rut window, spanning its onset, primary, and late/early post-rut phases, while the later rifle and antlerless hunts fall after it in post-rut recovery, migration transition, and winter range. About 29 percent of Unit 48 is public land by ownership — a mix of State Trust land, BLM, and a State Wildlife Management Area — with State Trust land (28 percent of the unit) usable only during a hunter's own hunt plus limited scouting days beforehand; the remaining roughly 71 percent is private land requiring written permission.
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.