New Mexico Elk — GMU 55
New Mexico GMU 55 covers 1,247,215 acres and lies 30 miles west of Raton. 11% of it is public land, mostly national forest (8%) and state land (2%). In 2025, 1,014 people hunted elk here and took 907 — 37% of them killed something.
Your chance of drawing here
Every elk license type on offer in GMU 55, 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-
ELK-1-428 Unit 54/55: Colin Neblett WMA only — mature bull — Any Legal — Oct. 17-21 0 tags · 0 applicants · Standard— Not open to nonresidents
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ELK-1-428 Unit 54/55: Colin Neblett WMA only — mature bull — Any Legal — Oct. 17-21 0 tags · 0 applicants · Outfitter— Not open to nonresidents
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ELK-1-429 Unit 54/55: Colin Neblett WMA only — mature bull — Any Legal — Oct. 24-28 0 tags · 0 applicants · Standard— Not open to nonresidents
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ELK-1-429 Unit 54/55: Colin Neblett WMA only — mature bull — Any Legal — Oct. 24-28 0 tags · 0 applicants · Outfitter— Not open to nonresidents
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ELK-1-430 Unit 54/55: Colin Neblett WMA only — antlerless — Any Legal — Nov. 7-11 0 tags · 0 applicants · Standard— Not open to nonresidents
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ELK-1-430 Unit 54/55: Colin Neblett WMA only — antlerless — Any Legal — Nov. 7-11 0 tags · 0 applicants · Outfitter— Not open to nonresidents
| Hunt | Your odds | Points needed | Tags / applicants | License | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELK-1-428 ↗ Unit 54/55: Colin Neblett WMA only — mature bull — Any Legal — Oct. 17-21 | Not open to nonresidents | — | 0 / 0 | Standard | Oct 17–21, 2026 |
| ELK-1-428 ↗ Unit 54/55: Colin Neblett WMA only — mature bull — Any Legal — Oct. 17-21 | Not open to nonresidents | — | 0 / 0 | Outfitter | Oct 17–21, 2026 |
| ELK-1-429 ↗ Unit 54/55: Colin Neblett WMA only — mature bull — Any Legal — Oct. 24-28 | Not open to nonresidents | — | 0 / 0 | Standard | Oct 24–28, 2026 |
| ELK-1-429 ↗ Unit 54/55: Colin Neblett WMA only — mature bull — Any Legal — Oct. 24-28 | Not open to nonresidents | — | 0 / 0 | Outfitter | Oct 24–28, 2026 |
| ELK-1-430 ↗ Unit 54/55: Colin Neblett WMA only — antlerless — Any Legal — Nov. 7-11 | Not open to nonresidents | — | 0 / 0 | Standard | Nov 7–11, 2026 |
| ELK-1-430 ↗ Unit 54/55: Colin Neblett WMA only — antlerless — Any Legal — Nov. 7-11 | Not open to nonresidents | — | 0 / 0 | Outfitter | Nov 7–11, 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.
- 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 99,706 ac · 8%
- State land 29,794 ac · 2%
- National Wildlife Refuge 3,589 ac · 0%
- Bureau of Reclamation 1,771 ac · 0%
- Tribal 74 ac · 0%
- Private or other non-public land 1,112,279 ac · 89%
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 | 1,014 | 907 | 37% |
| 2024 | 1,020 | 915 | 39% |
| 2023 | 950 | 902 | 36% |
| 2022 | 966 | 861 | 67% |
| 2021 | 993 | 835 | 62% |
What people carried (2025 harvest)
- Rifle 65 · 100% · 184 hunters, 35% success
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