This is New Mexico's published 2026-27 season, the whole state at once. A pin reads its game management unit off the map and cuts this to the seasons, arms and limits that apply there.

New Mexico deer seasons

2026-27

1 antlered deer per licence year. One deer a licence year, and one deer licence. It is unlawful to "kill more than one of the following: elk, pronghorn, Barbary sheep, bighorn sheep, ibex, javelina, oryx, bear or deer during any license year, except as permitted by rule", and equally unlawful to "apply for, buy or use more than one license for any species per license year". What class of deer that one may be is set by the bag limit on your hunt code: fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer, or antlerless deer. Rules and Info, printed pp. 21 and 53.

Bow Deer
Bow onlyPrinted in 5 columns — check which covers your game management unit.
1-24 September nearly everywhere, and a second bow hunt in January in most of the state.
1 September to 24 September, 1 January 2027 to 15 January 2027
Sep 1–24Antlered only
Jan 1–15Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
1 September to 24 September
Sep 1–24Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
1 January 2027 to 15 January 2027
Jan 1–15Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
1 September to 24 September, 1 January 2027 to 15 January 2027, 16 January 2027 to 31 January 2027
Sep 1–24Antlered only
Jan 1–15Antlered only
Jan 16–31Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
1 September to 24 September, 1 November to 30 November
Sep 1–24Antlered only
Nov 1–30Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
- A DER-2 hunt code is bow only. A crossbow is not legal on it — the booklet allows a crossbow on the DER-3 muzzleloader codes, not on the bow codes.
- The January bow hunt, 1-15 January 2027, runs in most units and is the last deer hunting of the licence year; in Units 27 and 33 a second block runs 16-31 January.
- Public-land deer licences are drawn. The 2026 big game draw closed at 5 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time on 18 March 2026. Rules and Info, printed p. 53.
- The hunt code says everything: "DER" is deer, the middle digit is the sporting arm — 1 any legal big-game sporting arm, 2 bow only, 3 muzzleloader, crossbow or bow only — and the last three digits fix the dates, the area, the fee type and the bag limit. Printed p. 21.
- Legal shooting hours for big game are half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, unless otherwise noted. Printed p. 9.
Muzzleloader Deer
Muzzleloader, crossbow or bowPrinted in 8 columns — check which covers your game management unit.
Late September into October in most units, but the dates move unit by unit more than any other season here.
31 October to 4 November
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
24 October to 28 October
Oct 24–28Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
27 September to 3 October
Sep 27 – Oct 3Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
3 October to 7 October
Oct 3–7Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
5 December to 9 December
Dec 5–9Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
24 October to 28 October
Oct 24–28Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
7 November to 11 November
Nov 7–11Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
27 September to 3 October
Sep 27 – Oct 3Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
- A DER-3 hunt code is "muzzleloader, crossbow or bow only" — so a bowhunter or a crossbow hunter may legally hunt the muzzleloader dates. This is the opposite of the rule in most states.
- A handful of hunt codes are marked "restricted muzzleloader only": open sights, black powder or an equivalent propellant, and a full-bore-diameter bullet or patched round ball. In-line ignition, scopes and smokeless powder are prohibited on those.
- Public-land deer licences are drawn. The 2026 big game draw closed at 5 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time on 18 March 2026. Rules and Info, printed p. 53.
- The hunt code says everything: "DER" is deer, the middle digit is the sporting arm — 1 any legal big-game sporting arm, 2 bow only, 3 muzzleloader, crossbow or bow only — and the last three digits fix the dates, the area, the fee type and the bag limit. Printed p. 21.
- Legal shooting hours for big game are half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, unless otherwise noted. Printed p. 9.
Any Legal Sporting Arm Deer
Any legal big-game sporting armPrinted in 27 columns — check which covers your game management unit.
The main season, and the one that moves most: five-day hunts stacked through late October and November, unit by unit.
7 November to 11 November, 14 November to 18 November — the second run is the mobility-impaired hunt
Nov 7–11Antlered only
Nov 14–18Antlered only
Nov 14–18Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
7 November to 11 November, 21 November to 25 November
Nov 7–11Antlered only
Nov 21–25Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
7 November to 11 November, 14 November to 18 November
Nov 7–11Antlered only
Nov 14–18Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
24 October to 28 October, 31 October to 4 November
Oct 24–28Antlered only
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
7 November to 11 November, 14 November to 18 November, 5 December to 13 December
Nov 7–11Antlered only
Nov 14–18Antlered only
Dec 5–13Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
31 October to 4 November, 7 November to 11 November
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
Nov 7–11Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
24 October to 28 October, 31 October to 4 November, 25 November to 29 November
Oct 24–28Antlered only
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
Nov 25–29Either sex
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
24 October to 28 October, 31 October to 4 November, 12 December to 16 December
Oct 24–28Antlered only
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
Dec 12–16Either sex
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
10 October to 14 October, 7 November to 11 November
Oct 10–14Antlered only
Nov 7–11Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
24 October to 28 October, 31 October to 4 November, 7 November to 11 November
Oct 24–28Antlered only
Oct 24–28Antlered only
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
Nov 7–11Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
7 November to 11 November
Nov 7–11Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
24 October to 28 October
Oct 24–28Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
8 January 2027 to 10 January 2027, 22 January 2027 to 24 January 2027
Jan 8–10Antlered only
Jan 22–24Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
7 November to 11 November, 14 November to 18 November, 21 November to 25 November, 5 December to 13 December, and 7 November to 15 November in the Burro Mountain Area
Nov 7–11Antlered only
Nov 7–15Antlered only
Nov 14–18Antlered only
Nov 21–25Antlered only
Dec 5–13Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
7 November to 11 November, 14 November to 18 November, 21 November to 25 November, 5 December to 13 December
Nov 7–11Antlered only
Nov 14–18Antlered only
Nov 21–25Antlered only
Dec 5–13Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
19 December to 20 December, and the same two days for the military hunt
Dec 19–20Antlered only
Dec 19–20Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
31 October to 4 November, 14 November to 18 November
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
Nov 14–18Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
31 October to 4 November
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
24 October to 28 October, 31 October to 4 November, 7 November to 11 November
Oct 24–28Antlered only
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
Nov 7–11Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
14 November to 18 November
Nov 14–18Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
31 October to 4 November, 14 November to 18 November, 16 January 2027 to 31 January 2027
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
Nov 14–18Antlered only
Jan 16–31Antlerless only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
31 October to 4 November, 14 November to 18 November, 21 November to 25 November
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
Nov 14–18Antlered only
Nov 21–25Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
24 October to 28 October, 31 October to 4 November, 14 November to 18 November
Oct 24–28Antlered only
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
Nov 14–18Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
31 October to 4 November, 7 November to 11 November
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
Nov 7–11Antlered only
Nov 7–11Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
24 October to 28 October, 31 October to 4 November, 25 November to 29 November — with the WMA-only hunts on the same days
Oct 24–28Antlered only
Oct 24–28Antlered only
Oct 24–28Antlered only
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
Nov 25–29Either sex
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
10 November to 16 November
Nov 10–16Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
17 October to 21 October
Oct 17–21Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
- A DER-1 hunt code takes any legal big-game sporting arm — rifle, handgun, muzzleloader, crossbow or bow.
- Most of these hunts are five days long. Several units run three or four of them back to back through November on different licences, so a unit being open today says nothing about whether your own hunt code is.
- A few codes are restricted to a named place or hunter: mobility-impaired only, military only, or a single wildlife management area such as Urraca, Huey or E S Barker. Those restrictions are carried on the block.
- Public-land deer licences are drawn. The 2026 big game draw closed at 5 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time on 18 March 2026. Rules and Info, printed p. 53.
- The hunt code says everything: "DER" is deer, the middle digit is the sporting arm — 1 any legal big-game sporting arm, 2 bow only, 3 muzzleloader, crossbow or bow only — and the last three digits fix the dates, the area, the fee type and the bag limit. Printed p. 21.
- To hunt private land only, a hunter buys a Private-Land Only Deer Licence over the counter and picks the hunt code matching the unit, bag limit, arm and dates they want. It is not valid on any public land. In Units 2A, 2B, 2C, 4 and 5A a private-land hunter must instead get an authorisation code from the landowner and apply through the regular draw. Printed p. 53.
- Legal shooting hours for big game are half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, unless otherwise noted. Printed p. 9.
Youth Bow Deer
Bow onlyPrinted in 2 columns — check which covers your game management unit.
The youth-only bow hunt codes, which run on the same September and January dates as the adult ones.
1 September to 24 September, 1 January 2027 to 15 January 2027
Sep 1–24Antlered only
Jan 1–15Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
21 November to 29 November
Nov 21–29Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
- A youth-only hunt code is drawn in the same draw as an adult one, and a youth may also apply for and draw an ordinary code.
- Public-land deer licences are drawn. The 2026 big game draw closed at 5 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time on 18 March 2026. Rules and Info, printed p. 53.
- The hunt code says everything: "DER" is deer, the middle digit is the sporting arm — 1 any legal big-game sporting arm, 2 bow only, 3 muzzleloader, crossbow or bow only — and the last three digits fix the dates, the area, the fee type and the bag limit. Printed p. 21.
- Legal shooting hours for big game are half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, unless otherwise noted. Printed p. 9.
Youth Muzzleloader Deer
Muzzleloader, crossbow or bowPrinted in 4 columns — check which covers your game management unit.
The youth-only muzzleloader codes — few, and in three units they are the only deer hunt a youth can draw.
21 November to 29 November
Nov 21–29Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
27 September to 3 October
Sep 27 – Oct 3Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
21 November to 29 November, 26 December to 1 January 2027
Nov 21–29Either sex
Dec 26 – Jan 1Antlerless only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
24 October to 28 October
Oct 24–28Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
- Like every DER-3 code these are open to a crossbow or a bow as well as a muzzleloader.
- The Huey WMA youth muzzleloader hunts in Unit 33 are New Mexico residents only, and they are the only either-sex and antlerless deer codes in that unit.
- Public-land deer licences are drawn. The 2026 big game draw closed at 5 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time on 18 March 2026. Rules and Info, printed p. 53.
- The hunt code says everything: "DER" is deer, the middle digit is the sporting arm — 1 any legal big-game sporting arm, 2 bow only, 3 muzzleloader, crossbow or bow only — and the last three digits fix the dates, the area, the fee type and the bag limit. Printed p. 21.
- Legal shooting hours for big game are half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, unless otherwise noted. Printed p. 9.
Youth Any Legal Sporting Arm Deer
Any legal big-game sporting armPrinted in 8 columns — check which covers your game management unit.
The youth-only firearm codes. Several run in late November, after the adult hunts have closed.
21 November to 29 November
Nov 21–29Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
21 November to 29 November, 5 December to 9 December
Nov 21–29Antlered only
Dec 5–9Either sex
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
26 September to 4 October, 21 November to 29 November
Sep 26 – Oct 4Antlered only
Nov 21–29Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
24 October to 28 October, 21 November to 29 November
Oct 24–28Antlered only
Nov 21–29Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
16 December to 31 December
Dec 16–31Antlerless only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
31 October to 4 November
Oct 31 – Nov 4Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
24 October to 28 October, 25 November to 29 November
Oct 24–28Antlered only
Nov 25–29Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
21 November to 29 November, and the same days on ES Barker WMA
Nov 21–29Antlered only
Nov 21–29Antlered only
One deer, of the class your hunt code names — fork-antlered deer, fork-antlered mule deer, fork-antlered white-tailed deer, either-sex white-tailed deer or antlerless deer.
- The 21-29 November youth hunt is nine days, nearly twice the length of the five-day adult hunts it follows, and it runs in more than a dozen units.
- Public-land deer licences are drawn. The 2026 big game draw closed at 5 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time on 18 March 2026. Rules and Info, printed p. 53.
- The hunt code says everything: "DER" is deer, the middle digit is the sporting arm — 1 any legal big-game sporting arm, 2 bow only, 3 muzzleloader, crossbow or bow only — and the last three digits fix the dates, the area, the fee type and the bag limit. Printed p. 21.
- Legal shooting hours for big game are half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, unless otherwise noted. Printed p. 9.

New This Season

What changed since last year, and is therefore easiest to get wrong.

Licence fees have changed for 2026-27.
Chronic wasting disease rules now apply in Unit 29 as well as Units 19, 28 and 34.
Non-resident shed antler hunters must now buy a $200 Shed Hunting Licence.
New Mexico residents on SNAP get a 25 per cent discount on NMDOW licences.
The electronic tag option is available for any big-game or turkey hunt; the app must be deleted and reinstalled each licence year, and the animal must still be physically tagged.

Legal Arms

2026-2027 New Mexico Hunting Rules & Information weapon specifications, as the digest prints them.

Bow only (DER-2 codes)

Printed p. 21

A bow, on a DER-2 hunt code or on any DER-1 or DER-3 code.

A crossbow on a DER-2 code — the crossbow allowance is on the DER-3 muzzleloader codes.

Muzzleloader, crossbow or bow (DER-3 codes)

Printed pp. 21 and 125

A muzzleloader, a crossbow or a bow — all three are legal on a DER-3 code.
On a code marked "restricted muzzleloader only": open sights, black powder or an equivalent propellant, and a full-bore-diameter bullet or patched round ball.

On a restricted-muzzleloader code: in-line ignition, scopes and smokeless powder.
A centerfire rifle on any DER-3 code.

Any legal big-game sporting arm (DER-1 codes)

Printed pp. 21 and 125

Any legal big-game sporting arm — rifle, handgun, muzzleloader, crossbow or bow.
A centerfire shotgun or muzzle-loading shotgun no larger than 10 gauge.

A sporting arm on a hunt code that names a narrower class, which is most of them.

Hunting Hours and Orange

What the state defines as legal light, and what has to be worn in it.

Legal Shooting Hours

Printed p. 9

"Legal shooting hours for big game, furbearers, upland game and turkey are from one half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset, unless otherwise noted." Migratory game birds close at sunset instead. The booklet prints no table, so the times here are computed for the pin.

Fluorescent Orange

Printed pp. 22 and 24

New Mexico requires no blaze orange of a deer hunter on ordinary ground — "Though not required elsewhere by law, NMDOW strongly encourages hunters to wear blaze orange." Where it is required it is required firmly: 144 square inches minimum on any military reservation, a blaze orange vest on Ft. Bliss including McGregor Range in Unit 28, and 244 square inches on any firearm hunt on Valles Caldera National Preserve.

Sundays

No day-of-week closure appears in the 2026-2027 rules booklet

New Mexico closes no day of the week to hunting. A hunt code that is open is open on Sunday.

Standing Rules

The parts of the digest that are true every day of the season.

Reading a hunt code

Printed p. 21

"The hunt code printed on your license indicates the species, legal sporting arms, dates, area, fee type and bag limit for the license issued."

In DER-1-101: DER is deer; the 1 is the sporting arm — 1 any legal big-game arm, 2 bow only, 3 muzzleloader, crossbow or bow only; and 101 fixes the dates, the area, the fee type and the bag limit.

S is a standard hunt, Q a quality hunt and HD a high-demand hunt. The letter changes what a non-resident pays, not what is legal.
Bag limits: FAD fork-antlered deer, FAMD fork-antlered mule deer, FAWTD fork-antlered white-tailed deer, ESWTD either-sex white-tailed deer, A antlerless deer.

Where a draw licence lets you hunt

Printed p. 55

"Draw licenses authorize the hunter to hunt on any open public land within the specified unit or hunt area and on any private land in that unit with written permission from the landowner of the property. However, hunters with public-land only licenses in Unit 5A are not permitted to hunt on any private lands, even with written permission."

"Military reservations, national parks and monuments, state parks and monuments, recreation areas, national wildlife refuges, state WMAs and other locations may be closed or restrict hunting. All state WMAs are closed unless officially designated open to hunting."

One licence, one deer

Printed pp. 21 and 6

Killing more than one deer during any licence year, except as permitted by rule.
Applying for, buying or using more than one deer licence per licence year.
Hunting or trapping on private land without written permission.
Hunting outside legal shooting hours.
Using a Wi-Fi or satellite camera to hunt or scout remotely for big game.
Shining a spotlight into areas where big game or livestock may be present while in possession of a sporting arm.

Tagging and Reporting

The clock that starts the moment the deer is down.

Printed pp. 6 and 10

Every deer must be reported by the deadline printed on p. 10 for the species, whether or not you hunted.

Every deer licence holder must file a harvest report even if they never went out.
Report online, by telephone, or in person at an NMDOW office.
Keep the confirmation number. Failing to report rejects all your draw applications the following year.

Chronic Wasting Disease

Background, and the rules that apply if you carry a carcass out of a management area.

Printed p. 28

Chronic wasting disease rules apply in Units 19, 28, 29 and 34, with Unit 29 added for 2026-27. Nothing from a designated control area inside those units may leave the unit whole.

No deer or elk or part of one taken from a designated control area may be transported out of the unit, except as one of the listed exceptions.
Exceptions: meat cut and wrapped, quarters or portions with no head or spinal column, boned-out meat, hides with no head, a clean skull plate soaked in one part bleach to two parts water, bare antlers, ivories, and finished taxidermy mounts.
A whole animal or head may go to a processor or taxidermist inside the unit, but not out of the unit or the state.
Proof of sex must stay with the animal until it reaches where it will be eaten or stored.
To enter the CWD testing incentive draw, the head must be presented for testing inside the unit it was taken in, unfrozen, within 48 hours.

Where This App Is Coarser Than the Digest

Said plainly, because an absence is easy to read as a permission.

Licence quotas are not carried. The booklet prints how many licences each hunt code has; that is a draw statistic, not a field fact, and the app has nothing useful to do with it.
The Premium Statewide Deer Hunt — one licence, DER-1-700, any legal arm, 1 September to 31 January statewide — is not modelled as a season. One licence in the whole state would draw a season bar across every unit for a hunt essentially nobody holds.
Sub-unit boundaries are not drawn. Several hunt codes run only in part of a unit — the WSMR portion of 19, the Burro Mountain area of 23, the Fort Bayard management area of 24, Sugarite Canyon State Park in 57, McGregor Range in 28, and a dozen named wildlife management areas. Those codes are carried against the whole unit with the restriction stated on the block, so a pin near one of those lines may be shown a hunt that does not run on that exact ground.
The rut date is an estimate. NMDOW publishes no peak breeding date; the second half of November is where the department stacks its firearm hunts, and that is the reasoning, not a published figure.
Mobility-impaired-only and military-only hunt codes are carried in the ordinary firearm season with the restriction on the block, rather than as seasons of their own.

Useful Numbers

The agency, when the app cannot answer it.

NMDOW information centre: 1-888-248-6866, or [email protected].
Northwest area office: Albuquerque, 505-222-4710 — the office that issues private-land authorisation codes for Units 2A, 2B, 2C, 4 and 5A.
Licences and draw: wildlife.dgf.nm.gov

Transcribed from the published 2026-27 New Mexico digest. Where this app and the digest disagree, the digest is the law. Read the New Mexico Department of Wildlife digest.