New Mexico Hunting Seasons 2025: Dates, License&Regulations

Ready to prepare for an unforgettable adventure in the New Mexico Hunting Season? New Mexico’s diverse terrain and thriving elk populations have made it a popular destination for hunters statewide.

In this guide, we will provide important dates, rules, and licensing information for big game and small game hunting seasons for different game species. Keep updated!

New Mexico Deer&Elk Seasons

In 2025 – 2026, the deer and elk season schedules have some changes in the season dates and hunting units. Here are the details to check before going on a trip:

Elk Seasons and Zones

Primary Management Zone Seasons
Seasons	Dates	Units
Bow-Only Hunts	Sept. 1 – 14	2, 4, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6C, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16A, 16B/22, 16C, 16D, 16E, 17, 21A, 21B, 23, 24, 34, 36, 45, 48, 49 and 50–53
	Sept. 15 – 24
Muzzleloader, Crossbow and Bow Hunts	Oct. 11 – 15	2, 6A, 6C, 7, 10, 16E, 36, 23, 24, 45, 48, 52 and 53
	Oct. 18 – 22	34
	Oct. 18 – Dec. 31	9, 13, 15, 17 (muzzle-loading rifles only)
Any Legal Sporting Arm Hunts	Oct. 1 – Dec.31	4, 21B
	Oct. 11 – Dec.31	5A, 5B, 12, 16B/22, 21A, 49, 50 and 51
	Oct. 18 – Dec. 31	2, 10, 6A, 6C, 7, 16A, 16C, 16D, 36, 45, 48, 52 and 53
	Oct. 18 – Jan. 31	36 (Antlerless only)
	Oct. 25 – Dec. 31	16E, 23, 24 and 34
	Oct. 25 – Feb. 11	34 (Antlerless only)

Youth–Only Season
Seasons	Dates	Units
Any Legal Sporting Arm Hunts	Oct. 11 – 15	16C, 16E, 23, 24 and 34
Muzzleloader, Bow or Crossbow Hunts	Oct. 5–9	13, 15 and 17

Mobility–impaired Season
Seasons	Dates	Units
Any Legal Sporting Arm Hunts	Oct. 11 – 15	16A, 16D and 34
Muzzleloader, Bow or Crossbow Hunts	Oct. 11 – 15	9

Special and Secondary Management Zones
Seasons	Dates	Units
Bow-only hunts	Sept. 1 – 24	/
Any Legal Sporting Arm Hunts	Oct. 1 – Dec. 31(any five consecutive days)	/
Antlerless Only	Oct. 1 – Feb. 5, 2026	34
Antlerless Only	Oct. 1 – Jan. 29, 2026	36

📅Resource: Elk Seasons Printable Calendar.

Deer Hunting Seasons and Zones

Private-Land Deer Hunting Seasons
Seasons	Dates	Zones
Bow	September 1 – 24	Unit 8
	January 1 – 15, 2026	Unit 8
	September 1 – 24	Unit 46, 54, 55A & B
Muzzle	September 27 – October 3	All Zones
Any Legal	October 18 – 22	Unit 8, 46, 54, 55A & B
	October 25 – 29	Unit 46, 54, 55A & B
	October 25 – 29	Unit 46
	November 26 – 30	Units 54, 55A & B
Youth Only	November 22 – 30	All Zones

Deer Draw Hunt Seasons
Seasons	Dates	Zones
Premium Statewide Hunt (Any Legal)	September 1 – January 31, 2026	All Units
Bow	September 1 – 24	Units 2A, 2B, 7, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 4, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6C, 10, 12, 42, 43, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 51B, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59, 23, 24, 27, 57
	January 1 – 15	Units 2A, 2B, 23, 24, 27, 2C, 8, 19
	January 16 – 31	Units 23, 24, 27
Muzzle	September 27 – October 3	Units 2A, 2B, 2C, 5A, 5B, 7, 9, 10, 14, 41, 42, 45, 47, 48, 56, 57, 58, 59
	October 4 – 8	Units 6A & 6C
	November 1 – 5	Units 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
	December 6 – 10	Unit 19
	October 18 – 22	Units 29, 30, 31, 32
	October 25 – 29	Units 33, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 43
	November 22 – 30	Unit 33
	November 8 – 12	Unit 34
Any Legal	November 1 – 5	Units 31, 33, 40, 32, 34, 42, 45, 48, 52, 53, 55 Urraca WMA, 56, 57, 58 & 59
	October 25 – 29	Units 2B, 4, 10, 14, 55 E.S. Barker WMA, 29, 30, 42, 47, 49, 50, 51B, 54, 55 Colin Neblett WMA, 55 Urraca WMA, 56, 57, 58 & 59
	November 8 – 12	Units 2C, 9, 12, 43, 13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 21, 23, 24, 27, 25, 36, 37, 38, 39, 26, 29, 30,
	November 11 – 17	Unit 5A
	November 28 – 30	Unit 19
	December 6 – 24	Unit 21
	December 6 – 14	Units 23, 24, 27
	November 8 – 16	Unit 23 (Burrow Mountain Only)
	December 20 – 21	Unit 28
	January 16 – 31, 2026	Unit 32
	November 22 – 30	Unit 41
	December 13 – 17	Unit 41, 58 & 59
	November 26 – 30	Unit 42

📅Resource: Deer Seasons Printable Calendar.

How To Apply For Draw Hunt In New Mexico?

The New Mexico Department offers chances for big game like deer and elk hunting on public lands with Draw Licenses, as well as on private properties.

The deadline to apply for draw licenses is March 20.

Non-residents cannot participate in certain hunts held on WMAs or any antlerless elk draw licenses.

Each draw application receives a random sequence number in the automated system, which is then used to match the choices on the application with available licenses or permits according to the quotas provided.

Successful applicants will receive an elk draw license/tag by mail, or they can choose the E-Tag option. The license provides details such as hunt code, unit description, sporting-arm type, season dates, and bag limit. Tags come with instructions for proper tagging.

The draw license fee is: residents $7 and non-residents $13.

New Mexico not only offers great opportunities for hunting big game, but also for other game species. Try not to limit yourself to elk hunting, and check the hunting seasons for other prey as follows.

New Mexico Waterfowl Seasons

The waterfowl seasons are more complicated as it is divided into different species from different flyways.

Species	Zones	Dates	Limits
Ducks, American Coot	Central Flyway North	Oct. 11 – Jan. 14, 2026	6 daily; 18 in total
	Central Flyway South	Oct. 28 – Jan. 31, 2026	6 daily; 18 in total
	Pacific Flyway	Oct. 19 – Jan. 31, 2026	7 daily; 21 in total
Teal	Central Flyway	Sept. 13 – 21	6 daily; 18 in total
Gallinules, Sora and Virginia Rail	Central Flyway	Sept. 13 – Nov. 21	Gallinules: 1 daily; 3 in total Sora and Virginia Rail: 10 daily; 20 in total
Sora and Virginia Rail	Pacific Flyway	Sept. 13 – Nov. 21	25 daily; 75 in total
Snipe		Oct. 11 – Jan. 25, 2026	8 daily; 24 in total
	Pacific Flyway	Oct. 17 – Jan. 31, 2026
Dark Goose, Light Goose	Central Flyway	Oct. 17 – Jan. 31, 2026	Dark Goose: 5 daily; 15 in total Light Goose: 50 daily; no possession limits
	Pacific Flyway North	Sept. 27 – Oct. 12 Nov. 2 – Jan. 31, 2026	Canada and Brant: 5 daily; 15 in total Whitefronted: 10 daily; 30 in total Light Goose: 20 daily; 60 in total
	Pacific Flyway South	Oct. 17 – Jan. 31, 2026
MRGV Dark Goose	Central Flyway	Dec. 19 – Jan. 31, 2026	2 daily; 2 in total
Light Goose Conservation Order	Central Flyway	Feb. 1 – Mar. 10, 2026	No Limits
Scaup	Pacific Flyway	Oct. 19 – Jan. 12, 2026	2 daily; 6 in total
Youth Waterfowl	Central Flyway North	Oct. 4 – 5	Same as above regular seasons
	Central Flyway South	Oct. 25 – 26
	Pacific Flyway	Oct. 11 – 12

*For Youth Waterfowl seasons, youth hunters can only take ducks, coots, and gallinules in the Pacific Flyway; and only ducks and coots in the Central Flyway.

New Mexico Upland Game Seasons

Species	Date	Area	Bag Limit
Quail	Nov. 15 – Feb. 15, 2026	Statewide	15 per day / 30 in possession
Grouse	Sept. 1 – Dec. 31	Statewide	3 per day  / 6 in possession
Squirrel, Fox	Sept. 1 – Dec. 31	Statewide	8 per day / 16 in possession
Pheasant	Dec. 11 – 14	Statewide	3 males per day / 6 in possession
Eurasian Collared-Dove	April 1 – March 31, 2026	Statewide	Unlimited

📅Resource: Upland Game Seasons Printable Calendar.

New Mexico Turkey Seasons and Bag Limits

Spring Over-the-Counter (OTC) License Hunts: April 15–May 15 (two bearded turkeys)

Youth-Only Spring OTC License Hunt: April 11-13 (two bearded turkeys)

Turkey Draw Permit Seasons:

Units	Season Dates	Bag Limits
Units 2B & 2C Carson National Forest	Apr. 15 – May 15	1 bearded turkey
Unit 2A (Areas east of Hwy. 550 and north of NM Hwy. 173)	Apr. 15 – May 15(Youth Only)	1 bearded turkey
Unit 6B Valles Caldera National Preserve1	Apr. 15 – Apr. 30	1 bearded turkey
Unit 8	Apr. 15 – May 15	2 bearded turkeys
Unit 9 Marquez/LBar WMA Only	Apr. 15 – May 15 (NM Resident Only)	1 bearded turkey
Units 26 & 27 (Gould’s Turkey)	May 1 – May 30	1 bearded turkey
Unit 55A Valle Vidal	East: Apr. 15 – May 15	1 bearded turkey
	West: Apr. 15 – Apr. 30	1 bearded turkey
Fall OTC License Hunts	Sept. 1–30 (bow only)	Any one turkey
	Nov. 1–30 (shotgun, bow, or crossbow)

📅Resource: Turkey Seasons Printable Calendar.

New Mexico Migratory Bird Seasons

Species	Areas	Dates	Limits
Dove	North	Sept. 1 – Nov. 29	15 daily and 45 in possession
	South	Sept. 1 – Oct. 28 Dec. 1 – Jan. 1, 2026
Band-tailed Pigeon	Statewide	Sept. 1–14	2 daily and 6 in possession
	Southwest	Oct. 1–14
Sandhill Crane	Eastern	Oct. 25– Jan. 22, 2026 (Eastern)	3 daily and 6 in possession
	Estancia	Nov. 1–4 Nov. 6–9
	Southwestern	Nov. 1–9 Jan. 3–4, 2026 (Estancia)
	Middle Rio Grande Valley	Nov. 15–16
		Nov. 29–30
		Dec. 13–14
		Jan. 3–4, 2026
		Jan. 10–11, 2026
		Nov. 22 (Youth Only)	3 in total

Here are some common rules you should know:

• Permit Required: Hunters need different types of permits to hunt migratory birds, such as the Free Band-tailed Pigeon Permit, Light Goose Conservation Order Permit, Sandhill Crane Permit, etc.
• Ammo: Only use USFWS-approved nontoxic shot.
• Hunting Hours (Migratory Birds): Legal shooting time is from ½ hour before sunrise until sunset.
• No Shooting from Vehicles/Boats: It’s illegal to fire at protected species while in or on a motor vehicle or boat.
• Allowed Methods: You can use decoys, blinds, and dogs when hunting migratory game birds.
• Illegal Methods: Baiting is strictly prohibited.
• Banded Birds: If you harvest a banded bird, you must report it.
• Sandhill Crane Hunts: You’ll need to apply for a drawing online or by phone. The deadline is August 13, 2025.
• Youth Hunts: Hunters must be 17 or younger and fully licensed. They don’t need a special permit, but they must be accompanied by an older, licensed hunter.

New Mexico Furbearers Seasons

Species	Date	Area
Badger, bobcat, fox, ringtail and weasel	November 1 – March 15, 2026	Statewide
Beaver and muskrat	April 1 – April 30
	November 1 – March 31, 2026
Nutria	April 1 – March 31, 2026
Raccoon – all legal methods	April 1 – May 15, 2026
	September 1 – March 31, 2026
Raccoon-restricted methods  (cage traps, foot-encapsulating traps and hunting)	May 16 – August 31

*No open seasons for the following furbearer animals: mink, river otter, black-footed ferret, marten, Mexican wolf, lynx or coatimundi.

📅Resource: Furbearer Seasons Printable Calendar.

New Mexico Big Game Seasons

Bear Seasons

Over-the-Counter Seasons
Zones	Dates	Sporting Arm	Dog Use
Zone 1 Units 4–7, 51, 52	Sept. 1–24	Bow Only	Not Allowed
	Sept. 25–Nov. 15	Any Legal	Allowed
Zone 2 Unit 2	Sept. 1–24	Bow Only	Not Allowed
	Sept. 25–Nov. 15	Any Legal	Allowed
Zone 3 Units 49, 50, 53	Aug. 16–31	Any Legal	Allowed
	Sept. 1–24	Bow Only	Not Allowed
	Sept. 25–Nov. 15	Any Legal	Allowed
Zone 4 Units 45, 46, 48	Aug. 16–31	Any Legal	Allowed
	Sept. 1–24	Bow Only	Not Allowed
	Sept. 25–Nov. 30	Any Legal	Allowed
Zone 5 Units 54, 55, 57	Aug. 16–31	Any Legal	Allowed
	Sept. 1–24	Bow Only	Not Allowed
	Sept. 25–Nov. 15	Any Legal	Allowed
Zone 6 Units 39–43, 47, 56, 58, 59	Aug. 16–31	Any Legal	Allowed
	Sept. 1–24	Bow Only	Not Allowed
	Sept. 25–Nov. 15	Any Legal	Allowed
Zone 8 Unit 8	Sept. 1–24	Bow Only	Not Allowed
	Oct. 15–Nov. 15	Any Legal	Allowed
Zone 9 Units 9, 10	Aug. 16–31	Any Legal	Allowed
	Sept. 1–24	Bow Only	Not Allowed
	Sept. 25–Nov. 15	Any Legal	Allowed
Zone 10 Units 12, 13, 15–18, 20–24, 26, 27	Sept. 1–24	Bow Only	Not Allowed
	Sept. 25–Dec. 15	Any Legal	Allowed
Zone 11 Units 37, 38	Aug. 16–31	Any Legal	Allowed
	Sept. 1–24	Bow Only	Not Allowed
	Sept. 25–Nov. 30	Any Legal	Allowed
Zone 12 Unit 34	Aug. 16-31	Any Legal	Allowed
	Sept. 1–24	Bow Only	Not Allowed
	Sept. 25–Dec. 15	Any Legal	Allowed
Zone 13 Unit 36	Aug. 16-31	Any Legal	Allowed
	Sept. 1–24	Bow Only	Not Allowed
	Sept. 25–Nov. 30	Any Legal	Allowed
Zone 14 Unit 14	Sept. 1–24	Bow Only	Not Allowed
	Oct. 15–Nov. 15	Any Legal	Allowed

Draw Permits Seasons
Zones	Dates	Sporting Arm	Limits
Unit 2	Aug. 1–31	Any Legal	Youth Only
Unit 4 Sargent WMA Only	Aug. 1–31	Any Legal	Residents Only
Unit 4 Humphries WMA Only	Aug. 1–31	Any Legal	Residents Only
Unit 9 Marquez/LBar WMA Only	Aug. 1–31	Any Legal	Residents Only
Units 54 and 55A Urraca, E.S. Barker, and Colin Neblett WMAs, and Valle Vidal	Aug. 1–31	Any Legal	/
Unit 55A Valle Vidal Only	Apr. 15–May 20	Any Legal	/
Unit 57 Sugarite Canyon State Park Only	Aug. 1–31	Bow Only	/

*Except for the bear hunting licenses, hunters also need to apply for a bear draw permit to hunt in the specific season. The deadline is Feb. 12, 2025. Each hunter may only take one bear per year.

Cougar Seasons

Date: April 1, 2025–March 31, 2026

Bag Limits: Two cougars

The season may close earlier if the harvest numbers have reached 90% of the total limit. So, before planning your hunt, you should check the quotas and see if your preferred zone is still open for hunting.

Pronghorn Seasons

Seasons	Dates	Zones	Limits
Bow	Aug. 5 – 13	Unit 4	MB
	Aug. 9 – 17	Unit 14, 41, 42, 46, 47, 48, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59	MB
Any Legal	Aug. 23 – 25	Unit 14, 41, 46, 47, 48, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59	MB
	Sep. 27 – 29	Unit 14, 41, 42, 46, 47, 48, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59	MB
	Oct. 4 – 6	Unit 42, 46, 47, 48, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59	MB
Any Legal  –  Mobility Impaired Only	Sep. 27 – 29	Unit 41, 47, 56, 58, 59	MB
Any Legal  –  Youth Only	Aug. 23 – 25	Unit 41, 42, 46, 47, 48, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59	ES
Muzzle	Aug. 23 – 25	Unit 4	MB
Muzzle  –  Youth Only	Aug. 2 – 4	Unit 4	ES

*The legal Pronghorn you can hunt is as follows:

• MB: A pronghorn with at least one horn longer than its ears.
• ES: Either sex (any one pronghorn).

📅Resource: Pronghorn Seasons Printable Calendar.

New Mexico Hunting Licenses

These are the licenses that you can directly buy over the counter:

License Types	Resident Costs	Non-resident Costs
Game-Hunting License	$15	$65
Temporary Game-Hunting License (4 days)	Not Issued	$33
Junior Game-Hunting License	$10	$15
Senior or Handicapped Game-Hunting License	$15	Not Issued
Private-Land Only Deer License – Standard	$34	$270
Private-Land Only Deer License – Quality	$34	$355
Private-Land Only Deer License – Junior/Senior	$22	Not Issued
Private-Land Only Pronghorn License	$53	$270
Turkey License (Spring and/or Fall Season)	$25	$100
Bear License	$47	$260
Cougar License (Spring and/or Fall Season)	$43	$290
Nongame Hunting License	Not Issued	$65
Trapper License	$20	$345
Junior Trapper License	$9	Not Issued
Habitat Stamp	$10	$10
Harvest Information Program (HIP) Number	$0	$0
Federal Duck Stamp	$29	$29

For drawing licenses and permits that you need to apply for, the fees are different:

License Types	Resident Costs	Non-resident Costs
Standard Elk License
Antlerless Elk License	$60	Not Issued
Mature Bull License	$90	$548
Either Sex Elk License	$90	$548
Quality or High-Demand Elk License(Antlerless)	$60	Not Issued
Quality or High-Demand Elk License(Mature Bull)	$90	$773
Quality or High-Demand Elk License(Either Sex)	$90	$773
Junior/Senior Elk License	$58	Not Issued
Deer License Standard	$41	$283
Deer License Quality	$41	$368
Deer License High Demand	$41	$368
Deer License Junior/Senior	$29	Not Issued
Pronghorn License	$60	$283
Bear Permit (application fee only)	$7	$13
Turkey Permit (application fee only)	$7	$13

Notes:

• There will be a $9 landowner administrative fee for hunting in the Primary and Special Management Zones.
• Every hunter must have a valid license and permit if needed.
• To hunt big game, hunters need a Game-Hunting License.
• Big-game hunters must have a carcass tag for each species unless choosing the E-Tag option.
• Hunters under 17 must have a Hunter Education or ‘‘mentor youth’’ number.
• Hunters and trappers on private lands need written permission from the landowner.

To buy hunting licenses or permits, please visit the official online licensing system, create a customer account, and then you can choose to buy the license you plan to hunt.

Conclusion

As we finish our discussion on New Mexico Hunting Seasons, we trust you are ready to be well prepared for the early season in this remarkable state.

New Mexico offers top-notch elk populations, and various hunting opportunities on both public and private lands, making it a prime destination for hunters.

Be sure to review and abide by the rules and regulations established by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish to ensure a responsible and sustainable hunting experience.