Ridgeline Raven
New Mexico

All states › New Mexico

New Mexico GMU Finder

Answer six questions and get New Mexico game management units ranked by habitat fit, 2026–27 draw hunt dates, public land and NMDOW harvest history.

How the New Mexico finder works

NMDOW reports big game harvest by hunt code, and each hunt belongs to a game management unit. This tool scores all 70 GMUs for the species you pick using NMDOW harvest reports (deer, elk, pronghorn, oryx, ibex and Barbary sheep through 2025–26, turkey by GMU for 2021–2025, and bear and cougar by management zone), USGS land-cover and elevation data, and the share of public land such as national forest, BLM and state trust land.

Season fit uses each GMU's own draw hunts from the 2026–2027 Hunting Rules & Info: hunt codes, weapons and dates for deer, elk, pronghorn, oryx, ibex and Barbary sheep, bear zone seasons, turkey open areas, bighorn hunt areas and the statewide cougar season. Birds and waterfowl are ranked by county with NMDOW's small game harvest reports and the 2026–27 Migratory Game Bird Supplement.

Species covered

  • Mule deer
  • White-tailed deer
  • Elk
  • Pronghorn antelope
  • Bighorn sheep
  • Oryx (gemsbok)
  • Persian ibex
  • Barbary sheep (aoudad)
  • Javelina
  • Black bear
  • Mountain lion
  • Wild turkey

Upland birds (ranked by county)

  • Ring-necked pheasant
  • Forest grouse
  • Quail

Waterfowl and migratory birds (ranked by county)

  • Ducks
  • Canada and dark geese
  • Snow and Ross's geese
  • Mourning dove
  • Sandhill crane

About every species on the species page →

Data sources

New Mexico hunting FAQ

Which New Mexico units have the most elk harvest?

GMU 34 (Sacramento Mountains), GMU 4, GMU 36, GMU 15 and GMU 55A lead NMDOW's 2021–2025 elk harvest. Nearly every New Mexico elk license is drawn by hunt code.

Where can I hunt oryx in New Mexico?

On-range oryx hunts are on White Sands Missile Range (GMU 19) and McGregor Range (GMU 28), with escorts and access rules. Off-range hunts run monthly from June to March on public land, mostly in the units around the ranges.

Can I buy a Barbary sheep license over the counter?

Yes. Barbary sheep licenses are over the counter statewide except the draw areas (GMUs 28, 29, 30, 32, 36 and 37), where hunts are drawn. Most harvest is in the Guadalupe and Sacramento country of GMUs 29, 30 and 32.

Can I hunt bears and cougars with dogs in New Mexico?

Yes, during any-legal-weapon bear seasons (not the September bow-only hunt or on WMAs) and for cougar, which is open April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 with zone harvest limits.

New Mexico harvest leaders

The game management units with the highest average reported harvest for each species. High totals often reflect large areas and many hunters; the tool above also weighs harvest per square mile, hunter success, habitat and access.

Mule deer (2022–2025 average)

  1. GMU 2B GMU 2B: 697 per year, 42% success
  2. GMU 30 GMU 30: 626 per year, 25% success
  3. GMU 31 GMU 31: 507 per year, 37% success
  4. GMU 24 GMU 24: 444 per year, 32% success
  5. GMU 32 GMU 32: 425 per year, 31% success

White-tailed deer (2022–2025 average)

  1. GMU 23 GMU 23: 74 per year, 22% success
  2. GMU 24 GMU 24: 70 per year, 28% success
  3. GMU 22 GMU 22: 41 per year, 32% success
  4. GMU 27 GMU 27: 36 per year, 28% success
  5. GMU 42 GMU 42: 26 per year, 48% success

Elk (2021–2025 average)

  1. GMU 34 GMU 34: 1,663 per year, 48% success
  2. GMU 4 GMU 4: 1,232 per year, 60% success
  3. GMU 36 GMU 36: 936 per year, 55% success
  4. GMU 15 GMU 15: 736 per year, 30% success
  5. GMU 55A GMU 55A: 714 per year, 55% success

Pronghorn antelope (2022–2025 average)

  1. GMU 56 GMU 56: 469 per year, 72% success
  2. GMU 32 GMU 32: 368 per year, 75% success
  3. GMU 59 GMU 59: 355 per year, 72% success
  4. GMU 31 GMU 31: 329 per year, 79% success
  5. GMU 40 GMU 40: 312 per year, 77% success

Oryx (gemsbok) (2021–2025 average)

  1. GMU 19 GMU 19: 790 per year, 82% success
  2. GMU 28 GMU 28: 69 per year, 75% success

Persian ibex (2021–2025 average)

  1. GMU 25 GMU 25: 27 per year, 13% success

Barbary sheep (aoudad) (2022–2025 average)

  1. GMU 32 GMU 32: 339 per year, 24% success
  2. GMU 30 GMU 30: 232 per year, 34% success
  3. GMU 29 GMU 29: 93 per year, 34% success
  4. GMU 37 GMU 37: 92 per year, 24% success
  5. GMU 36 GMU 36: 55 per year, 24% success

Black bear (2018–2022 average)

  1. GMU 7 GMU 7: 48 per year
  2. GMU 34 GMU 34: 30 per year
  3. GMU 45 GMU 45: 26 per year
  4. GMU 46 GMU 46: 22 per year
  5. GMU 13 GMU 13: 21 per year

Mountain lion (2018–2022 average)

  1. GMU 21B GMU 21B: 15 per year
  2. GMU 7 GMU 7: 14 per year
  3. GMU 43 GMU 43: 14 per year
  4. GMU 23 GMU 23: 12 per year
  5. GMU 13 GMU 13: 11 per year

Wild turkey (2021–2025 average)

  1. GMU 34 GMU 34: 412 per year, 25% success
  2. GMU 36 GMU 36: 156 per year, 32% success
  3. GMU 45 GMU 45: 139 per year, 22% success
  4. GMU 15 GMU 15: 116 per year, 23% success
  5. GMU 24 GMU 24: 91 per year, 26% success

Ducks (USFWS 10-year average)

  1. Socorro County: 12,606 per year
  2. Valencia County: 5,299 per year
  3. Sierra County: 4,646 per year
  4. San Juan County: 3,735 per year
  5. Eddy County: 1,625 per year

Canada and dark geese (USFWS 10-year average)

  1. San Juan County: 2,787 per year
  2. Socorro County: 870 per year
  3. San Miguel County: 605 per year
  4. Chaves County: 532 per year
  5. De Baca County: 490 per year