Unit 5A Elk Hunting, New Mexico
New Mexico hunting unit · Part of Unit 5 · 229 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 5A is like
Unit 5A sits at modest elevation for elk country, running from about 6,800 feet up to roughly 7,900 feet, and the ground itself is gentle and rolling rather than steep — by area, the overwhelming majority of the unit is gentle or moderate slope, with mean slope under six degrees. That makes it walkable foot country for the most part, with shrub and brush covering most of the landscape and conifer and pinyon-juniper timber making up the rest. Hunters can expect open sign-reading country broken up by patches of woodland rather than dense timber to push through, which rewards careful glassing and walking as much as still-hunting through cover.
Only about 16 percent of Unit 5A is public land by ownership, a mix of BLM and State Trust land, and the rest — roughly 84 percent — is private ground requiring written permission to hunt. Public ownership is not the same as guaranteed access: some public parcels are closed or restricted, so a hunter should not assume the entire 16 percent is open to them. State Trust land (about 1 percent of the unit) can be used only during a hunter's own hunt dates, plus up to seven days of scouting beforehand, entering by public or established roads under the State Land Office's hunting-access rules; some Trust parcels are withdrawn entirely, so checking the access map ahead of time matters. Beyond the public 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, which is a distinct path onto the private majority of the unit.
Unit 5A carries a full slate of archery and any-legal-weapon hunts spanning early September through early November, with legal animals split between any elk, mature bull, and antlerless designations, several of which fall under New Mexico's draw system — there are no preference or bonus points of any kind, and every hunt is awarded through a random computerized draw rather than points accumulation.
Elk hunts in Unit 5A (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 5A is part of Unit 5; a hunt marked as written for all of Unit 5 is valid across its sub-units.
| Hunt | Dates | Legal elk | Resident | Nonresident, no outfitter | With an outfitter | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery ELK-2-136 Public land only | September 1 – September 14 | Any elk | Fair odds | — | — | Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| Archery ELK-2-137 Public land only | September 15 – September 24 | Any elk | Long odds | — | — | Primary Rut |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-139 Public land only | October 10 – October 14 | Antlerless elk | Long odds | Residents only | Residents only | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-138 Public land only | October 10 – October 14 | Mature bull | Long odds | — | — | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-141 Public land only | October 17 – October 21 | Antlerless elk | Fair odds | Residents only | Residents only | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-140 Public land only | October 17 – October 21 | Mature bull | Long odds | — | — | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-143 Public land only | October 24 – October 28 | Antlerless elk | Long odds | Residents only | Residents only | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-142 Public land only | October 24 – October 28 | Mature bull | — | — | — | Post-Rut Recovery |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-145 Public land only | October 31 – November 4 | Antlerless elk | Long odds | Residents only | Residents only | Migration Transition |
| Any legal weapon ELK-1-144 Public land only | October 31 – November 4 | Mature bull | Very long odds | Very long odds | — | 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
Archery hunters in the first September season are working the start of the rut, as the Rut Onset phase gives way into the Primary Rut phase by the close of the hunt. With gentle, rolling terrain and a mix of shrub and brush opening onto pockets of conifer and pinyon-juniper woodland, visibility is generally good for spot-and-stalk work on public land. This hunt covers any elk, so archers have flexibility in what they fill a tag on. Resident applicants face fair odds in the draw for this hunt (ELK-2-136).
Archery · Any elk · September 15 – September 24
The second archery season runs entirely within the Primary Rut phase, putting hunters into the thick of breeding-season activity on the same gentle, brush-and-timber ground as the earlier hunt. Any elk is legal here, which keeps options open for archers willing to cover country on foot across the unit's public land. Odds tighten considerably for this later slot, with residents facing long odds in the draw (ELK-2-137).
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · October 10 – October 14
This mid-October antlerless hunt falls in the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase, a period when cow groups are coming off the most active breeding stretch. Antlerless hunters should focus on finding and sticking with areas showing current sign in the shrub and brush and timbered pockets that make up this unit's public ground, since patience in a used area tends to pay off more than covering fresh ground. The hunt is limited to antlerless elk and is open only to residents in the draw, who face long odds for this slot (ELK-1-139); nonresidents are not eligible to apply for it.
Any legal weapon · Mature bull · October 10 – October 14
Mature bull hunters in this mid-October season are hunting the tail end of the rut, as bulls begin to slow down and some start pulling away from cow groups to isolate, with the larger bulls often leaving first. Smaller satellite bulls may still linger with cows that are cycling again, so hunters should watch both isolated pockets and lingering group activity. Bulls coming off the rut can be worn down and battered, so it is worth examining any bull carefully for broken points or beams before deciding to shoot. This hunt requires a mature bull — spikes are not legal — and residents face long odds in the draw (ELK-1-138).
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · October 17 – October 21
By the third week of October the unit has settled into the Post-Rut Recovery phase, and antlerless hunters do best treating it as a sign-and-patience hunt: glass feeding openings in the gentle brush and timber country early and late in the day, then spend the slower midday hours walking likely ground for tracks and droppings. Where that sign shows elk using an area, staying put and continuing to hunt it beats moving on to new ground. This hunt is antlerless-only and restricted to residents, who face fair odds in the draw (ELK-1-141); nonresidents cannot apply.
Any legal weapon · Mature bull · October 17 – October 21
This same late-October window finds mature bulls deep in the Post-Rut Recovery phase, often settled into secluded pockets where feeding, bedding, and water sit close together, limiting their time in the open and making them hunt more like mule deer than rutting elk. Glassing openings at first and last light and walking for sign during the middle of the day are the practical approach across this unit's gentle, brush-and-timber terrain. A legal bull must not be a spike, and residents face long odds in the draw for this hunt (ELK-1-140).
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · October 24 – October 28
The fourth antlerless season, also in the Post-Rut Recovery phase, calls for the same patient approach as the prior antlerless hunts: work feeding openings at dawn and dusk, then spend midday searching for fresh tracks and droppings across the unit's open brush and scattered timber. When sign points to elk holding in an area, sticking with it rather than relocating tends to be the better play. This hunt is antlerless-only and limited to residents, who face long odds in the draw (ELK-1-143); nonresidents are not eligible.
Any legal weapon · Mature bull · October 24 – October 28
Mature bulls hunted in this late-October slot are still in the Post-Rut Recovery phase, likely tucked into secluded pockets that meet their needs without much travel, which again makes them scarce in the open and more of a spot-the-sign hunt than a rut hunt. Glass early and late, then walk for tracks and droppings through the gentle terrain and mixed brush and timber during the day. A spike bull does not count as legal game; this hunt has no draw quota and no draw associated with it (ELK-1-142).
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk · October 31 – November 4
The final antlerless season crosses into the Migration Transition phase, when elk begin shifting toward wintering ground and the larger cow groups tend to spread out and become less concentrated. Antlerless hunters should look for current sign along likely transition routes through the unit's brush and timber, using any older sign mainly to identify places worth checking rather than relying on it alone. If meaningful snow has accumulated by early November, when the month averages around 1.3 inches of snowfall and lows near 22°F, concentrating effort on lower ground can help; in milder conditions elk may still be working higher. This hunt is antlerless-only and open only to residents, who face long odds in the draw (ELK-1-145).
Any legal weapon · Mature bull · October 31 – November 4
The last mature bull season of the year also falls in the Migration Transition phase, and bulls may be forming bachelor groups again as cow groups disperse toward wintering areas. Current sign along the transition routes through this unit's gentle brush-and-timber country is the most reliable guide, with older sign useful only for narrowing down where to look. Early November conditions average around 1.3 inches of snowfall with lows near 22°F, so if snow has piled up by the hunt, working lower elevations makes sense, while lingering mild stretches may keep bulls higher. A legal bull cannot be a spike, and both residents and nonresidents face very long odds in the draw for this hunt (ELK-1-144).
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 6,800–7,900 ft, typically around 7,200 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 87% gentle · 10% moderate · 2% steep · 0% rugged
- Public land by ownership
- ~37 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.
Across the unit
- Shrub and brush73%
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper26%
- 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 16% of Unit 5A is public land by ownership — BLM and State Trust land. Ownership is not the same as legal access: some parcels are closed or restricted.
- BLM15%
- State Trust land<1%
- Private84%
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.
Fall weather
- August — highs around 82°F, lows around 51°F
- September — highs around 75°F, lows around 43°F
- October — highs around 64°F, lows around 32°F, about 0.3 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 51°F, lows around 22°F, about 1.3 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 41°F, lows around 14°F, about 6 in of snowfall
Unit 5A elk hunting FAQ
How does a hunter get an elk licence for Unit 5A?
A hunter applies for a specific public draw hunt by its hunt code, and the state's computer awards tags through a random draw rather than any points system. Separately, landowners enrolled in the Elk Private Lands Use System issue their own authorizations that let a hunter buy a private-land elk licence, which is a different route onto the unit's private ground. Both paths exist side by side, so applying for the draw is not the only way onto elk here.
How hard are the Unit 5A hunts to draw, and does it differ by pool?
Draw difficulty is given in words only, never a number, and it varies hunt by hunt and pool by pool. For example the early archery any-elk hunt (ELK-2-136) carries fair odds for residents, while several of the later mature bull and antlerless hunts carry long or very long odds; one mature bull hunt (ELK-1-142) has no quota and no draw at all. Odds apply per application, not per person, so stacking multiple applications does not change the band shown for any one hunt.
Can a nonresident hunt every season listed for Unit 5A?
No. Nonresidents may apply for the two archery any-elk hunts and the mature bull hunts, but every antlerless elk hunt in this unit is restricted to residents only, and a nonresident is ineligible to apply for those, not just unlikely to draw them. This split holds across all four antlerless hunt dates listed for the unit.
Does New Mexico use preference or bonus points for elk like some other states?
No. New Mexico has no points system of any kind for elk, so there is nothing to build or hold from one year to the next. Every draw hunt is decided by random sequence number rather than accumulated points.
How much of Unit 5A is public land, and what is the rule on State Trust ground?
About 16 percent of the unit, roughly 37 square miles, is public land by ownership, split between BLM and State Trust land, while the remaining 84 percent is private and requires written permission. State Trust land, which makes up about 1 percent of the unit, can only be used during a hunter's own hunt dates plus up to seven days of scouting beforehand, entering by public or established roads, and some parcels are withdrawn from access entirely.
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.