Unit 51 (Rio Puerco / El Malpais)
New Mexico Hunting Guide — Elk
Unit 51 covers the Rio Puerco and El Malpais country of west-central New Mexico. Elk tags are allocated through the NMDGF pure random draw, which gives every applicant the same chance each year. Refer to the NMDGF big-game hunt booklet for current hunt codes and quotas.
Build your own PDF hunt guide for Unit 51
Answer a few questions about your tag, your season and your rig, and the Field Intelligence Report builds a print-ready New Mexico Unit 51 guide around your hunt: three ranked spots with morning, afternoon and evening plays, a day-by-day plan, topo maps with every pin numbered, a camp and access plan, the legal and retrieval rules for this unit, shot discipline, a meat-care and pack-out plan, and a pre-trip checklist. Every coordinate sits on land recorded as public.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 51
Unit 51 covers the Rio Puerco and El Malpais country of west-central New Mexico. Elk tags are allocated through the NMDGF pure random draw, which gives every applicant the same chance each year. Refer to the NMDGF big-game hunt booklet for current hunt codes and quotas.
Where to Find Elk in Unit 51
Elk distribution in Unit 51 reflects the mix of public land, private ranches, and E-PLUS properties in west-central New Mexico. Consult the NMDGF GMU map and E-PLUS listings before finalizing a scouting plan.
How to Hunt Elk in Unit 51
Elk Success Rates
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts (n/p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Draw either sex (resident) | 1304 | 3,377 | 38.6% | — |
| Rifle — Draw either sex (nonresident) | 39 | 391 | 10.0% | — |
| Archery — Draw either sex (resident) | 304 | 649 | 46.8% | — |
| Archery — Draw either sex (nonresident) | 20 | 291 | 6.9% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Draw either sex (resident) | 122 | 139 | 87.8% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Draw either sex (nonresident) | 9 | 57 | 15.8% | — |
| Rifle — Draw bull/buck only (resident) | 555 | 1,828 | 30.4% | — |
| Rifle — Draw bull/buck only (nonresident) | 39 | 438 | 8.9% | — |
| Rifle — Draw antlerless (resident) | 753 | 1,115 | 67.5% | — |
Data from 2021 draw results. Each row is one residency pool — read the label before the number. This agency publishes no point thresholds, so the Pts column stays blank and these are pool odds, not what a point total draws.
Open in Draw Odds EngineUnit Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
How are Unit 51 elk tags allocated?
Where do I find official Unit 51 hunt codes and dates?
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Upgrade to Pro — $49/yrSources & Verification
Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.
- NMDGF Hunting — New Mexico Department of Game and Fish · supports: Overview of New Mexico hunting programs, Agency hub for licenses and seasons · accessed 2026-04-17
- NMDGF Hunting by Species — New Mexico Department of Game and Fish · supports: Species-specific management info, Season framework by animal · accessed 2026-04-17
- NMDGF Big Game Hunt Booklet — New Mexico Department of Game and Fish · supports: Hunt codes and GMU boundaries, Tag quotas and season dates · accessed 2026-04-17