New Mexico Deer — GMU 26
New Mexico GMU 26 covers 1,474,352 acres and lies 40 miles south of Lordsburg and 54 miles west of Columbus. 79% of it is public land, mostly state trust land (40%) and BLM (39%). In 2025, 280 people hunted deer here and took 59 — 21% of them killed something. The 2026 draw put up 8 tags here for 5 first-choice applicants.
Your chance of drawing here
Every deer license type on offer in GMU 26, 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-
13% Long shot 22% as 2nd choice
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100% Undersubscribed
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100% Likely draw 29% as 2nd choice
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100% Undersubscribed
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DER-1-275 Unit 26 — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Any Legal — Dec. 5-13 2 tags · 6 applicants · Standard0% Long shot 17% as 2nd choice
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DER-1-275 Unit 26 — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Any Legal — Dec. 5-13 2 tags · 0 applicants · Outfitter100% No first-choice applicants 67% as 2nd choice
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100% No first-choice applicants
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— Not open to nonresidents
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33% Long shot 0% as 2nd choice
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100% Likely draw
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100% No first-choice applicants 0% as 2nd choice
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100% Undersubscribed
| Hunt | Your odds | As 2nd choice | Points needed | Tags / applicants | License | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DER-1-270 ↗ Unit 26 — fork-antlered deer — Any Legal — Nov. 7-11 Rifle | 13% Long shot | 22% | — | 6 / 15 | Standard | Nov 7–11, 2026 |
| DER-1-270 ↗ Unit 26 — fork-antlered deer — Any Legal — Nov. 7-11 Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | — | — | 8 / 5 undersubscribed | Outfitter | Nov 7–11, 2026 |
| DER-1-271 ↗ Unit 26 — fork-antlered deer — Any Legal — Nov. 14-18 Rifle | 100% Likely draw | 29% | — | 8 / 5 | Standard | Nov 14–18, 2026 |
| DER-1-271 ↗ Unit 26 — fork-antlered deer — Any Legal — Nov. 14-18 Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | — | — | 5 / 4 undersubscribed | Outfitter | Nov 14–18, 2026 |
| DER-1-275 ↗ Unit 26 — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Any Legal — Dec. 5-13 Rifle | 0% Long shot | 17% | — | 2 / 6 | Standard | Dec 5–13, 2026 |
| DER-1-275 ↗ Unit 26 — fork-antlered white-tailed deer — Any Legal — Dec. 5-13 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | 67% | — | 2 / 0 | Outfitter | Dec 5–13, 2026 |
| DER-2-272 ↗ Unit 26 — fork-antlered deer — Bow — Sept. 1-24 Archery | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 2 / 0 | Standard | Sep 1–24, 2026 |
| DER-2-272 ↗ Unit 26 — fork-antlered deer — Bow — Sept. 1-24 Archery | Not open to nonresidents | — | — | 0 / 0 | Outfitter | Sep 1–24, 2026 |
| DER-2-273 ↗ Unit 26 — fork-antlered deer — Bow — Jan. 1-15, ‘27 Archery | 33% Long shot | 0% | — | 1 / 3 | Standard | Jan 1–15, 2027 |
| DER-2-273 ↗ Unit 26 — fork-antlered deer — Bow — Jan. 1-15, ‘27 Archery | 100% Likely draw | — | — | 1 / 1 | Outfitter | Jan 1–15, 2027 |
| DER-3-274 ↗ Unit 26 — fork-antlered deer — Muzzle — Oct. 31-Nov.4 Muzzleloader | 100% No first-choice applicants | 0% | — | 2 / 0 | Standard | Oct 31 – Nov 4, 2026 |
| DER-3-274 ↗ Unit 26 — fork-antlered deer — Muzzle — Oct. 31-Nov.4 Muzzleloader | 100% Undersubscribed | — | — | 1 / 1 undersubscribed | 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
- State trust land 587,569 ac · 40%
- BLM 568,148 ac · 39%
- State land 1,729 ac · 0%
- National Forest 0 ac · 0%
- Private or other non-public land 316,905 ac · 21%
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 | 280 | 59 | 21% |
| 2024 | 291 | 90 | 31% |
| 2023 | 288 | 86 | 30% |
| 2022 | 280 | 64 | 23% |
| 2021 | 282 | 67 | 24% |
What people carried (2025 harvest)
- Muzzleloader 5 · 9% · 48 hunters, 10% success
- Rifle 46 · 79% · 173 hunters, 27% success
- Archery 7 · 12% · 44 hunters, 16% success
What the agency says about the area
GMU 26: Beginning at Paskle Gate Beginning at Paskle Gate on the US/MEX boundary, near International Boundary Marker No. International Boundary Marker No. 69, then north on the private dirt road 69, then north on the private dirt road from Paskle Gate to its intersection from Paskle Gate to its intersection with NM 338 approximately 100 yards with NM 338 approximately 100 yards west of...
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