Unit-by-unit draw odds from official New Mexico wildlife-agency data. Use applicant counts and tags available to gauge real competition before you burn points.
53
with draw data
32.5%
2025 season
4
units ≥100% odds
2025
most recent
Across New Mexico's 53 elk units with published draw data, odds range widely. 4 units are effectively over-the-counter (100% or better odds, meaning every applicant draws), while the most sought-after limited-entry units can take years of preference points to pull. That split is the heart of a New Mexico elk strategy: bank points for a low-odds trophy tag, or hunt a high-odds unit this season.
Draw odds are the ratio of tags available to applicants, so a low number means heavy competition, not a bad hunt. Read them next to the applicants and points required before you commit. Every figure below comes from official New Mexico wildlife-agency draw results; the table sorts hardest-draw first.
A note on grouped hunts. New Mexico publishes 7 of these units' figures for a group of units rather than for the unit on its own — one quota and one applicant pool covering several units, which is what you are actually applying for. Those rows are marked, and the average above counts each published figure once rather than once per unit.
What are the draw odds for New Mexico elk?
Across the 53 New Mexico elk units with published draw data, average draw odds are 32.5% for the 2025 season. New Mexico publishes some hunts for a group of units rather than per unit, so that average counts each published figure once, not once per unit in the group. Odds vary widely by unit, so review each unit's applicants and tags available before applying. Figures come from official New Mexico wildlife-agency draw results.
Which New Mexico elk unit is the hardest to draw?
Unit statewide is among the hardest New Mexico elk draws, at roughly 0.1% odds in 2025. Low-odds units typically produce higher-quality animals but take years of points to draw.
What is the easiest New Mexico elk unit to draw?
Unit 53 has among the best New Mexico elk draw odds, around 100.0% in 2025. Higher-odds units are good options for hunters who want to hunt sooner rather than bank points for a premium tag.
Want point projections and a draw timeline for this species?
Tag Planner models your draw timeline, true cost, and ROI across every western state. Free to try.
Last updated Jul 13, 2026 from official New Mexico Department of Game & Fish draw results.
| – |
| – |
| 29group of 2 | 6.5% | 1,394 | 90 | – | – |
| 16D | 6.9% | 5,485 | 380 | – | – |
| 14 | 7.1% | 140 | 10 | – | – |
| 16A | 7.2% | 10,454 | 750 | – | – |
| 22 | 10.0% | 1,647 | 165 | – | – |
| 38 | 10.4% | 192 | 20 | – | – |
| 58 | 10.9% | 46 | 5 | – | – |
| 55A | 11.3% | 2,954 | 335 | – | – |
| 28 | 12.3% | 162 | 20 | – | – |
| 4 | 13.7% | 1,274 | 175 | – | – |
| 6A | 13.8% | 4,755 | 658 | – | – |
| 37 | 15.3% | 1,467 | 225 | – | – |
| 34 | 16.6% | 16,216 | 2,695 | – | – |
| 56 | 16.8% | 179 | 30 | – | – |
| 39group of 2 | 17.4% | 172 | 30 | – | – |
| 43group of 2 | 17.4% | 172 | 30 | – | – |
| 36 | 18.3% | 5,454 | 1,000 | – | – |
| 24 | 20.1% | 323 | 65 | – | – |
| 2 | 20.4% | 3,230 | 660 | – | – |
| 57 | 23.7% | 169 | 40 | – | – |
| 49 | 23.9% | 1,781 | 426 | – | – |
| 15 | 25.3% | 7,199 | 1,820 | – | – |
| 42group of 3 | 25.3% | 154 | 39 | – | – |
| 59group of 3 | 25.3% | 154 | 39 | – | – |
| 47group of 3 | 25.3% | 154 | 39 | – | – |
| 18 | 26.9% | 223 | 60 | – | – |
| 16B | 27.0% | 2,276 | 615 | – | – |
| 21A | 27.9% | 895 | 250 | – | – |
| 16C | 28.8% | 1,622 | 467 | – | – |
| 2C | 30.6% | 245 | 75 | – | – |
| 55 | 33.3% | 60 | 20 | – | – |
| 12 | 33.6% | 1,594 | 535 | – | – |
| 5A | 33.8% | 266 | 90 | – | – |
| 52 | 37.3% | 3,928 | 1,464 | – | – |
| 51 | 38.4% | 4,995 | 1,919 | – | – |
| 5B | 39.3% | 1,717 | 674 | – | – |
| 6C | 41.1% | 2,042 | 840 | – | – |
| 17 | 41.5% | 1,626 | 675 | – | – |
| 13 | 42.1% | 2,257 | 951 | – | – |
| 10 | 42.4% | 1,439 | 610 | – | – |
| 45 | 43.1% | 1,422 | 613 | – | – |
| 23 | 46.1% | 933 | 430 | – | – |
| 16E | 51.7% | 867 | 448 | – | – |
| 48 | 58.5% | 791 | 463 | – | – |
| 7 | 63.0% | 211 | 133 | – | – |
| 21B | 65.9% | 273 | 180 | – | – |
| 53 | 100.0% | 504 | 574 | – | – |
| 9 | 100.0% | 240 | 276 | – | – |
| 54 | 100.0% | 68 | 100 | – | – |
| 50 | 100.0% | 362 | 447 | – | – |
