New Mexico Elk — GMU 52
New Mexico GMU 52 covers 268,846 acres and lies 32 miles west of Questa and 45 miles north-west of Taos. 95% of it is public land, mostly national forest (78%) and BLM (15%). In 2025, 1,458 people hunted elk here and took 488 — 40% of them killed something. The 2026 draw put up 23 tags here for 142 first-choice applicants.
Your chance of drawing here
Every elk license type on offer in GMU 52, 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-
6% Long shot 0% as 2nd choice
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10% Long shot 3% as 2nd choice
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5% Long shot 2% as 2nd choice
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10% Long shot 13% as 2nd choice
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ELK-1-209 Unit 52 youth only — antlerless — Any Legal - NM — Nov. 14-18 0 tags · 0 applicants · Standard— Not open to nonresidents
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ELK-1-209 Unit 52 youth only — antlerless — Any Legal - NM — Nov. 14-18 1 tags · 1 applicants · Outfitter100% Undersubscribed
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ELK-1-210 Unit 52 mobility impaired only — antlerless — Any Legal - NM — Nov. 21-25 0 tags · 0 applicants · Standard— Not open to nonresidents
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ELK-1-210 Unit 52 mobility impaired only — antlerless — Any Legal - NM — Nov. 21-25 1 tags · 0 applicants · Outfitter100% No first-choice applicants
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— Not open to nonresidents
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100% Undersubscribed
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— Not open to nonresidents
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100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
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7% Long shot <1% as 2nd choice
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33% Long shot 4% as 2nd choice
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3% Long shot 2% as 2nd choice
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21% Long shot 3% as 2nd choice
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ELK-3-204 Unit 52 mobility impaired only — mature bull — Muzzle - Mobility — Oct. 10-14 3 tags · 1 applicants · Standard100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
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ELK-3-204 Unit 52 mobility impaired only — mature bull — Muzzle - Mobility — Oct. 10-14 5 tags · 1 applicants · Outfitter100% Undersubscribed
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6% Long shot 1% as 2nd choice
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27% Long shot 0% as 2nd choice
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— Not open to nonresidents
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100% No first-choice applicants
| Hunt | Your odds | As 2nd choice | Points needed | Tags / applicants | License | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELK-1-207 ↗ Unit 52 — mature bull — Any Legal — Oct. 17-21 Rifle | 6% Long shot | 0% | — | 13 / 184 | Standard | Oct 17–21, 2026 |
| ELK-1-207 ↗ Unit 52 — mature bull — Any Legal — Oct. 17-21 Rifle | 10% Long shot | 3% | — | 23 / 142 | Outfitter | Oct 17–21, 2026 |
| ELK-1-208 ↗ Unit 52 — mature bull — Any Legal — Oct. 24-28 Rifle | 5% Long shot | 2% | — | 13 / 93 | Standard | Oct 24–28, 2026 |
| ELK-1-208 ↗ Unit 52 — mature bull — Any Legal — Oct. 24-28 Rifle | 10% Long shot | 13% | — | 23 / 49 | Outfitter | Oct 24–28, 2026 |
| ELK-1-209 ↗ Unit 52 youth only — antlerless — Any Legal - NM — Nov. 14-18 Rifle | Not open to nonresidents | — | — | 0 / 0 | Standard | Nov 14–18, 2026 |
| ELK-1-209 ↗ Unit 52 youth only — antlerless — Any Legal - NM — Nov. 14-18 Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | — | — | 1 / 1 undersubscribed | Outfitter | Nov 14–18, 2026 |
| ELK-1-210 ↗ Unit 52 mobility impaired only — antlerless — Any Legal - NM — Nov. 21-25 Rifle | Not open to nonresidents | — | — | 0 / 0 | Standard | Nov 21–25, 2026 |
| ELK-1-210 ↗ Unit 52 mobility impaired only — antlerless — Any Legal - NM — Nov. 21-25 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 1 / 0 | Outfitter | Nov 21–25, 2026 |
| ELK-1-211 ↗ Unit 52 — antlerless — Any Legal - NM — Nov. 21-25 Rifle | Not open to nonresidents | — | — | 0 / 0 | Standard | Nov 21–25, 2026 |
| ELK-1-211 ↗ Unit 52 — antlerless — Any Legal - NM — Nov. 21-25 Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | — | — | 2 / 2 undersubscribed | Outfitter | Nov 21–25, 2026 |
| ELK-1-212 ↗ Unit 52 — antlerless — Any Legal - NM — Dec. 5-9 Rifle | Not open to nonresidents | — | — | 0 / 0 | Standard | Dec 5–9, 2026 |
| ELK-1-212 ↗ Unit 52 — antlerless — Any Legal - NM — Dec. 5-9 Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 0% | — | 3 / 3 undersubscribed | Outfitter | Dec 5–9, 2026 |
| ELK-2-202 ↗ Unit 52 — either sex — Bow — Sept. 1-14 Archery | 7% Long shot | <1% | — | 13 / 107 | Standard | Sep 1–14, 2026 |
| ELK-2-202 ↗ Unit 52 — either sex — Bow — Sept. 1-14 Archery | 33% Long shot | 4% | — | 23 / 39 | Outfitter | Sep 1–14, 2026 |
| ELK-2-203 ↗ Unit 52 — either sex — Bow — Sept. 15-24 Archery | 3% Long shot | 2% | — | 13 / 142 | Standard | Sep 15–24, 2026 |
| ELK-2-203 ↗ Unit 52 — either sex — Bow — Sept. 15-24 Archery | 21% Long shot | 3% | — | 23 / 84 | Outfitter | Sep 15–24, 2026 |
| ELK-3-204 ↗ Unit 52 mobility impaired only — mature bull — Muzzle - Mobility — Oct. 10-14 Muzzleloader | 100% Undersubscribed | 0% | — | 3 / 1 undersubscribed | Standard | Oct 10–14, 2026 |
| ELK-3-204 ↗ Unit 52 mobility impaired only — mature bull — Muzzle - Mobility — Oct. 10-14 Muzzleloader | 100% Undersubscribed | — | — | 5 / 1 undersubscribed | Outfitter | Oct 10–14, 2026 |
| ELK-3-205 ↗ Unit 52 — mature bull — Muzzle — Oct. 10-14 Muzzleloader | 6% Long shot | 1% | — | 7 / 88 | Standard | Oct 10–14, 2026 |
| ELK-3-205 ↗ Unit 52 — mature bull — Muzzle — Oct. 10-14 Muzzleloader | 27% Long shot | 0% | — | 12 / 41 | Outfitter | Oct 10–14, 2026 |
| ELK-3-206 ↗ Unit 52 — antlerless — Muzzle - NM — Oct. 10-14 Muzzleloader | Not open to nonresidents | — | — | 0 / 0 | Standard | Oct 10–14, 2026 |
| ELK-3-206 ↗ Unit 52 — antlerless — Muzzle - NM — Oct. 10-14 Muzzleloader | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 2 / 0 | Outfitter | Oct 10–14, 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 | $867 | $107 | $877 |
| Outfitter license | $867 | $107 | $877 |
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 209,657 ac · 78%
- BLM 39,929 ac · 15%
- State trust land 3,650 ac · 1%
- State land 857 ac · 0%
- Tribal 1 ac · 0%
- Private or other non-public land 14,751 ac · 5%
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 | 1,458 | 488 | 40% |
| 2024 | 1,498 | 515 | 41% |
| 2023 | 1,449 | 425 | 34% |
| 2022 | 1,426 | 475 | 32% |
| 2021 | 1,453 | 362 | 24% |
What people carried (2025 harvest)
- Rifle 237 · 66% · 539 hunters, 44% success
- Archery 85 · 24% · 232 hunters, 37% success
- Muzzleloader 37 · 10% · 97 hunters, 38% success
What the agency says about the area
GMU 52: Beginning at the intersection of US 64 and the east boundary of the Tierra Amarilla grant and running north along the eastern boundary of the grant to the Colorado-New Mexico state line, then east along the state line to its intersection with US 285, then south along US 285 to its junction with US 64 at Tres Piedras, then west along US 64 to its intersection with the east boundary 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 Elk Harvest Report
Harvest: 2024-2025 Elk Harvest Report