New Mexico Unit 51:elk draw odds & harvest
12 hunt codes for elk. 2026: 145 to 252 tags, 181 to 1,995 applicants per hunt.
Hardest draw in Unit 512026 draw
ELK-1-195220 tags, 1,995 applied, 9% drew.
111th hardest of 521 New Mexico elk draws in 2026.
At a glance
Elk hunt codes
12
Any legal · bow · muzzle
Tags · 2026
1,919
across 9 hunts
Applicants · 2026
3,629
1.9 per tag
Harvest success 3-yr
18–45%
Hunt codes
Elk huntsin Unit 51
Whole-hunt draw results: applicants, tags and the share that drew.
| Hunt code | What it is | Draw result · 2022 | Tags | Success 3-yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELK-1-171 | Unit 51 | 151 of 355 drew | 22–33% | |
| ELK-1-195 | any legal · Oct 10–Oct 14Unit 51 | 153 of 1,401 drew | 220 | 33–45% |
| ELK-1-196 | any legal · Oct 17–Oct 21Unit 51 | 63 of 233 drew | 220 | 26–35% |
| ELK-1-197 | any legal · Oct 24–Oct 28Unit 51 | 72 of 246 drew | 220 | 21–28% |
| ELK-1-198 | A · any legal - nm resident only · Nov 7–Nov 11Unit 51 | 175 of 607 drew | 251 | 25–27% |
| ELK-1-199 | A · any legal - nm resident only · Nov 14–Nov 18Unit 51 | 80 of 208 drew | 251 | 26–36% |
| ELK-1-200 | A · any legal - nm resident only · Nov 21–Nov 25Unit 51 | 110 of 226 drew | 252 | 21–37% |
| ELK-2-165 | Unit 51 | 113 of 421 drew | 21–37% | |
Some hunt codes cover several units; the hunt page lists them all.
Harvest
How hunters didin Unit 51.
Harvest success by hunt, 2019–2025
% successELK-1-19533–58%
36%
50%
46%
58%
33%
39%
45%
2019202020212022202320242025
ELK-1-19626–55%
38%
55%
38%
33%
34%
26%
35%
2019202020212022202320242025
ELK-1-19721–48%
42%
48%
32%
43%
24%
21%
28%
2019202020212022202320242025
ELK-1-1985–41%
35%
38%
5%
41%
25%
27%
27%
2019202020212022202320242025
ELK-1-19926–57%
34%
48%
32%
57%
30%
36%
26%
2019202020212022202320242025
ELK-1-17122–33%
25%
30%
22%
33%
2019202020212022
ELK-2-16521–37%
26%
21%
30%
37%
2019202020212022
ELK-3-17231–41%
31%
36%
41%
32%
2019202020212022
ELK-1-20021–37%
21%
25%
37%
202320242025
ELK-2-19321–24%
21%
21%
24%
202320242025
ELK-2-19418–30%
30%
27%
18%
202320242025
ELK-3-20127–39%
38%
27%
39%
202320242025
45%+28–45%Under 28%
Before you apply
- Leftovers
- “Licenses remaining after 14 days shall be available to any youth hunter eligible to purchase an elk license, whether they applied for draw hunts or not. Hunts will only be offered online on a first-come, first-served basis.”
- Points
- “New Mexico does not grant preference to previously unsuccessful applicants.”
- Application fee
- “All draw license fees include a nonrefundable application fee (residents: $7; non-residents: $13).”
- Tag fee
- “High-Demand (HD) $60 $623”
Rules for 2026.
Season dates · 2026
- ELK-1-195Any LegalOct 10–Oct 14
- ELK-1-196Any LegalOct 17–Oct 21
- ELK-1-197Any LegalOct 24–Oct 28
- ELK-1-198Any Legal - NM Resident OnlyNov 7–Nov 11
- ELK-1-199Any Legal - NM Resident OnlyNov 14–Nov 18
- ELK-1-200Any Legal - NM Resident OnlyNov 21–Nov 25
- ELK-2-193BowSep 1–Sep 14
- ELK-2-194BowSep 15–Sep 24
- ELK-3-201MuzzleDec 5–Dec 9
Confirm in the regulations before you go.
Public land & access
Each program opens on the state's site. Check on-the-ground signage.
Ask FarWide
Answers use the same figures as this page.
Source: NMDGF