New Mexico Deer — GMU 24
New Mexico GMU 24 covers 967,570 acres and lies 8 miles east of Bayard. 73% of it is public land, mostly national forest (31%) and state trust land (27%). In 2025, 1,655 people hunted deer here and took 500 — 30% of them killed something. The 2026 draw put up 24 tags here for 68 first-choice applicants.
Your chance of drawing here
Every deer license type on offer in GMU 24, with the prior-draw chance for a first-choice nonresident applicant. Type your points in to see your own number.
Chances are from the 2026 draw (the most recent) for a first-choice nonresident. "Points needed" = the cut in the last draw.
Simple view Odds at every point level-
DER-1-253 Unit 24: including Fort Bayard management area, youth only — fork-antlered deer — Any Legal — Sept. 26-Oct.4 3 tags · 6 applicants · Standard0% Long shot 29% as 2nd choice
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DER-1-253 Unit 24: including Fort Bayard management area, youth only — fork-antlered deer — Any Legal — Sept. 26-Oct.4 5 tags · 3 applicants · Outfitter100% Likely draw 40% as 2nd choice
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DER-1-254 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Any Legal — Nov. 7-11 24 tags · 68 applicants · Standard22% Long shot 11% as 2nd choice
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DER-1-254 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Any Legal — Nov. 7-11 15 tags · 11 applicants · Outfitter100% Undersubscribed 36% as 2nd choice
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DER-1-255 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Any Legal — Nov. 14-18 24 tags · 15 applicants · Standard100% Likely draw 18% as 2nd choice
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DER-1-255 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Any Legal — Nov. 14-18 12 tags · 10 applicants · Outfitter100% Undersubscribed 100% as 2nd choice
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DER-1-256 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Any Legal — Nov. 21-25 6 tags · 25 applicants · Standard12% Long shot 5% as 2nd choice
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DER-1-256 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Any Legal — Nov. 21-25 10 tags · 9 applicants · Outfitter100% Likely draw 38% as 2nd choice
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DER-1-257 Unit 24: including Fort Bayard management area, youth only — fork-antlered deer — Any Legal — Nov. 21-29 3 tags · 7 applicants · Standard0% Long shot 29% as 2nd choice
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DER-1-257 Unit 24: including Fort Bayard management area, youth only — fork-antlered deer — Any Legal — Nov. 21-29 5 tags · 4 applicants · Outfitter100% Likely draw 36% as 2nd choice
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DER-1-258 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Any Legal — Dec. 5-13 3 tags · 36 applicants · Standard3% Long shot 0% as 2nd choice
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DER-1-258 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Any Legal — Dec. 5-13 5 tags · 25 applicants · Outfitter4% Long shot 4% as 2nd choice
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DER-2-259 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Bow — Sept. 1-24 8 tags · 15 applicants · Standard40% Real chance 67% as 2nd choice
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DER-2-259 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Bow — Sept. 1-24 0 tags · 0 applicants · Outfitter— Not open to nonresidents
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DER-2-260 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Bow — Jan. 1-15, ‘27 5 tags · 22 applicants · Standard9% Long shot 12% as 2nd choice
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DER-2-260 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Bow — Jan. 1-15, ‘27 8 tags · 4 applicants · Outfitter100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
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DER-2-261 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Bow — Sept. 1-24 10 tags · 3 applicants · Standard100% Undersubscribed 100% as 2nd choice
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DER-2-261 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Bow — Sept. 1-24 0 tags · 0 applicants · Outfitter— Not open to nonresidents
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DER-2-262 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Bow — Jan. 16-31, ‘27 2 tags · 7 applicants · Standard29% Long shot 0% as 2nd choice
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DER-2-262 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Bow — Jan. 16-31, ‘27 4 tags · 4 applicants · Outfitter100% Undersubscribed
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DER-3-263 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Muzzle — Oct. 31-Nov.4 16 tags · 3 applicants · Standard100% Undersubscribed 33% as 2nd choice
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DER-3-263 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Muzzle — Oct. 31-Nov.4 0 tags · 0 applicants · Outfitter— Not open to nonresidents
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DER-3-264 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Muzzle — Oct. 31-Nov.4 6 tags · 3 applicants · Standard100% Undersubscribed 100% as 2nd choice
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DER-3-264 Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Muzzle — Oct. 31-Nov.4 0 tags · 0 applicants · Outfitter— Not open to nonresidents
| Hunt | Your odds | As 2nd choice | Points needed | Tags / applicants | License | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DER-1-253 ↗ Unit 24: including Fort Bayard management area, youth only — fork-antlered deer — Any Legal — Sept. 26-Oct.4 Rifle | 0% Long shot | 29% | — | 3 / 6 | Standard | Sep 26 – Oct 4, 2026 |
| DER-1-253 ↗ Unit 24: including Fort Bayard management area, youth only — fork-antlered deer — Any Legal — Sept. 26-Oct.4 Rifle | 100% Likely draw | 40% | — | 5 / 3 | Outfitter | Sep 26 – Oct 4, 2026 |
| DER-1-254 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Any Legal — Nov. 7-11 Rifle | 22% Long shot | 11% | — | 24 / 68 | Standard | Nov 7–11, 2026 |
| DER-1-254 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Any Legal — Nov. 7-11 Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 36% | — | 15 / 11 undersubscribed | Outfitter | Nov 7–11, 2026 |
| DER-1-255 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Any Legal — Nov. 14-18 Rifle | 100% Likely draw | 18% | — | 24 / 15 | Standard | Nov 14–18, 2026 |
| DER-1-255 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Any Legal — Nov. 14-18 Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 100% | — | 12 / 10 undersubscribed | Outfitter | Nov 14–18, 2026 |
| DER-1-256 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Any Legal — Nov. 21-25 Rifle | 12% Long shot | 5% | — | 6 / 25 | Standard | Nov 21–25, 2026 |
| DER-1-256 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Any Legal — Nov. 21-25 Rifle | 100% Likely draw | 38% | — | 10 / 9 | Outfitter | Nov 21–25, 2026 |
| DER-1-257 ↗ Unit 24: including Fort Bayard management area, youth only — fork-antlered deer — Any Legal — Nov. 21-29 Rifle | 0% Long shot | 29% | — | 3 / 7 | Standard | Nov 21–29, 2026 |
| DER-1-257 ↗ Unit 24: including Fort Bayard management area, youth only — fork-antlered deer — Any Legal — Nov. 21-29 Rifle | 100% Likely draw | 36% | — | 5 / 4 | Outfitter | Nov 21–29, 2026 |
| DER-1-258 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Any Legal — Dec. 5-13 Rifle | 3% Long shot | 0% | — | 3 / 36 | Standard | Dec 5–13, 2026 |
| DER-1-258 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Any Legal — Dec. 5-13 Rifle | 4% Long shot | 4% | — | 5 / 25 | Outfitter | Dec 5–13, 2026 |
| DER-2-259 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Bow — Sept. 1-24 Archery | 40% Real chance | 67% | — | 8 / 15 | Standard | Sep 1–24, 2026 |
| DER-2-259 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Bow — Sept. 1-24 Archery | Not open to nonresidents | — | — | 0 / 0 | Outfitter | Sep 1–24, 2026 |
| DER-2-260 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Bow — Jan. 1-15, ‘27 Archery | 9% Long shot | 12% | — | 5 / 22 | Standard | Jan 1–15, 2027 |
| DER-2-260 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Bow — Jan. 1-15, ‘27 Archery | 100% Undersubscribed | 0% | — | 8 / 4 undersubscribed | Outfitter | Jan 1–15, 2027 |
| DER-2-261 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Bow — Sept. 1-24 Archery | 100% Undersubscribed | 100% | — | 10 / 3 undersubscribed | Standard | Sep 1–24, 2026 |
| DER-2-261 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Bow — Sept. 1-24 Archery | Not open to nonresidents | — | — | 0 / 0 | Outfitter | Sep 1–24, 2026 |
| DER-2-262 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Bow — Jan. 16-31, ‘27 Archery | 29% Long shot | 0% | — | 2 / 7 | Standard | Jan 16–31, 2027 |
| DER-2-262 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Bow — Jan. 16-31, ‘27 Archery | 100% Undersubscribed | — | — | 4 / 4 undersubscribed | Outfitter | Jan 16–31, 2027 |
| DER-3-263 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Muzzle — Oct. 31-Nov.4 Muzzleloader | 100% Undersubscribed | 33% | — | 16 / 3 undersubscribed | Standard | Oct 31 – Nov 4, 2026 |
| DER-3-263 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered mule deer — Muzzle — Oct. 31-Nov.4 Muzzleloader | Not open to nonresidents | — | — | 0 / 0 | Outfitter | Oct 31 – Nov 4, 2026 |
| DER-3-264 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Muzzle — Oct. 31-Nov.4 Muzzleloader | 100% Undersubscribed | 100% | — | 6 / 3 undersubscribed | Standard | Oct 31 – Nov 4, 2026 |
| DER-3-264 ↗ Unit 24: excluding Fort Bayard management area — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Muzzle — Oct. 31-Nov.4 Muzzleloader | Not open to nonresidents | — | — | 0 / 0 | Outfitter | Oct 31 – Nov 4, 2026 |
What these columns mean
- Your odds —
- the share of applicants at your point level who drew this tag in the 2026 draw. Not a forecast: quotas and demand move every year.
- The badge —
- plain language for that number. Likely draw 75% or better · Real chance 40%+ · Long shot 15%+ · Point builder below that, so you are applying mainly to bank a point · Undersubscribed means fewer first-choice applicants than tags, so everyone who applied drew.
- As 2nd choice —
- New Mexico lets you name more than one hunt on the application. Miss on your first choice and you go into the pot for whatever tags are left, alongside everyone else's second choices. Points never help a lower choice, so this number is the same whatever you have banked — it is usually worth naming a hunt that goes undersubscribed.
- Points needed —
- the lowest point total that still got a tag in the 2026 draw, and how that cut has moved since the earliest draw we hold.
- Tags / applicants —
- tags on offer and first-choice applicants for them, as the agency published them. Under five tags we print counts instead of a percentage, because one applicant either way swings it.
What it costs to apply (2026 nonresident fees)
| License | Up front | Gone if you miss | If you draw |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard license | $492 | $107 | $502 |
| Outfitter license | $492 | $107 | $502 |
Application window: closes Mar 18, 2027 (expected). Full fee breakdown.
The country
Boundaries are drawn for orientation only — the written boundary description in the regulations governs.
Who owns the ground
- National Forest 299,938 ac · 31%
- State trust land 259,955 ac · 27%
- BLM 137,005 ac · 14%
- State land 8,210 ac · 1%
- Department of Defense 1,599 ac · 0%
- Private or other non-public land 260,862 ac · 27%
Source: BLM_Surface_Management_2023 (BLM New Mexico State Office Surface Management Agency layer)
How the hunting has gone
What New Mexico Department of Game and Fish publishes for this area after each season — harvest statistics for everyone who hunted it, not draw odds and not a forecast.
| Season | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,655 | 500 | 30% |
| 2024 | 1,631 | 503 | 31% |
| 2023 | 1,578 | 488 | 31% |
| 2022 | 1,489 | 447 | 29% |
| 2021 | 1,528 | 421 | 28% |
What people carried (2025 harvest)
- Muzzleloader 10 · 7% · 61 hunters, 16% success
- Rifle 75 · 55% · 274 hunters, 27% success
- Archery 52 · 38% · 116 hunters, 45% success
What the agency says about the area
GMU 24: Beginning at the junction of NM 26 and US 180 north of Deming and running northwest along US 180 to its intersection with the Gila River south of Cliff, then northeast along the Gila River to its junction with Sapillo Creek, then east along Sapillo Creek to NM 35, then east and south on NM 35 to its junction with FR 152, then northeast along FR 152 to its junction with the Grant-Sierra...
Source: NM Game Management Units (NMDGF_Game_Management_Units_I_E__v2_WFL1), layer 0
Boundary: NM Game Management Units (NMDGF_Game_Management_Units_I_E__v2_WFL1), layer 0
Harvest: 2025-2026 Deer Harvest Report
Harvest: 2024-2025 Deer Harvest Report
Harvest: 2023-2024 Deer Harvest Report