2026 — 2027 Season
Primary Zone · Special Zone · Secondary Zone · Unit-Wide · Ranch-Only · No Draw Required
Ready to Hunt New Mexico?
send us an email: info@thehuntnfishnetwork.com
New Mexico's Elk Private Land Use System — known as EPLUS — is one of the most accessible and flexible landowner tag programs in the entire West. Unlike Colorado, New Mexico has no minimum acreage requirement, no preference point system, and third-party brokers can legally buy and resell authorizations. Any qualifying private landowner with elk habitat can participate, and the authorizations they receive can be legally sold, bartered, or traded directly to hunters. The state is divided into three elk management zones — Primary, Special, and Secondary — each with different rules for how authorizations are issued and what land hunters can legally access. Unit-wide authorizations in the Primary Zone allow hunters to access public land, multiple ranches, and other private land with written permission across an entire Game Management Unit, while ranch-only authorizations restrict hunting to the specific registered ranch. Whether you are chasing a trophy bull elk in one of New Mexico's premier Primary Zone units or looking for a more affordable Secondary Zone ranch-only hunt, HuntNFishNetwork connects you directly with New Mexico landowners selling EPLUS authorizations across the state's top elk country — no draw required, no preference points needed.
New Mexico divides the state into three elk management zones — the zone determines how authorizations are issued and what land you can legally hunt
Where NMDOW focuses its elk management efforts. Authorizations distributed through acreage-based formula. Properties must exhibit regular elk use and pass habitat evaluation. Application period runs September through January 5 annually. Authorizations typically issued late May and available to hunters in June. Both unit-wide and ranch-only authorizations available. All enrolled ranches automatically receive Annual Agreement in December to continue participation.
Source: wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/hunting/maps/eplus/ — Only zone where unit-wide authorizations are available.
Covers GMUs 55A and GMU 54 west of State Road 199. No specific elk management goals but license control is desirable due to local herd importance. Authorizations negotiated directly between landowner and NMDOW Raton office (575) 445-2311. Elk use only needs to be occasional. No set deadline but applications received after June are not guaranteed before season. Only ranch-only authorizations available — no unit-wide in Special Zone. Enrolled ranches automatically receive Annual Agreement in April.
Source: wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/hunting/maps/eplus/ — Unit-wide NOT available in Special Zone. Applications after June not guaranteed before season.
Areas outside PMZ and SPZ with no specific elk management goals. Private-land elk licenses available over-the-counter in unlimited numbers with Ranch Code from a registered landowner plus written permission. NMDOW does not publish a list of Secondary Zone ranches — hunters must find participating landowners on their own. All Secondary Zone licenses are ranch-only but transferable to other private lands in same zone and GMU with written permission. Not valid on public land or in PMZ or SPZ.
Source: wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/hunting/maps/eplus/ — NMDOW does not publish Secondary Zone landowner lists. Not valid on public land or in PMZ or SPZ.
Unit-wide (Primary Zone ONLY): valid for any legally accessible public lands, unit-wide private ranches, and other private land with written permission in the same GMU. Unit-wide ranches must allow free hunter access including scouting up to two days before hunt. Hunters not required to notify landowner before entering. Ranch-only: restricted to specific registered ranch boundaries only — no public land. Exception: Secondary Zone, Special Zone, and GMUs 4 and 5A ranch-only hunters may hunt other private lands in same zone and GMU with written permission.
Source: wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/hunting/maps/eplus/ — Unit-wide available in Primary Zone ONLY. Ranch-only exceptions apply in Secondary Zone, Special Zone, and GMUs 4 and 5A.
New Mexico is the only major western elk state with no preference point system — every applicant has equal draw odds each year regardless of history. EPLUS authorizations bypass the public draw entirely. Hunters may NOT hold both a private-land elk license and a public-draw elk license in the same license year and may NOT exchange a public-draw license for a private-land license. Hunters unsuccessful in the public draw can pursue EPLUS private-land authorizations for that same season.
Source: NMDOW official rules — Cannot hold both public draw and EPLUS private-land elk license in same year. No preference point system in New Mexico.
Harvest reporting is mandatory for ALL licensed elk hunters. Deadline is February 15. Late reports subject to $8 fee. Hunters who do not report are ineligible the following year for ALL special entry hunt applications, population management authorizations, and private-land authorizations. Report online at onlinesales.wildlife.state.nm.us or call 1-888-248-6866. Keep all tag and license documentation until harvest report is confirmed.
Source: wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/hunting/maps/eplus/ — February 15 deadline. $8 late fee. Non-reporters ineligible following year for all special entry and private-land applications.
Step by step — how to buy a New Mexico EPLUS authorization through HuntNFishNetwork
Contact us with your target zone, GMU, authorization type preference (unit-wide or ranch-only), season, and budget. Primary Zone authorizations are typically distributed to landowners in late May and available to hunters starting in June. Contact us in the spring to get on our notification list. Email info@thehuntnfishnetwork.com with your details.
EPLUS authorizations can be legally bartered, sold, or traded — including through third-party brokers. Once you have your authorization number and hunt code (PMZ/SPZ) or Ranch Code (Secondary Zone), confirm the authorization type, GMU, hunt code, and season before completing any purchase. Verify the authorization or Ranch Code is valid for the current license year.
Use your authorization number and hunt code (PMZ/SPZ) or Ranch Code (Secondary Zone) to purchase your private-land elk license at any NMDOW office, license vendor, online at onlinesales.wildlife.state.nm.us, or by telephone at 1-888-248-6866. Online and telephone purchases must be made at least 14 days before hunt start date. An authorization is not an elk license — you must convert it before hunting.
Unit-wide (PMZ only): may hunt any legally accessible public lands, unit-wide ranches, and other private land with written permission in same GMU. May scout unit-wide ranches up to two days before hunt — no need to notify landowner. Ranch-only: restricted to registered ranch boundaries only. No camping on unit-wide ranches. Secondary Zone and GMUs 4 and 5A ranch-only hunters may hunt other private lands in same zone and GMU with written permission.
Harvest reporting is mandatory for all licensed elk hunters. Deadline is February 15. Late reports subject to $8 fee. Failure to report results in ineligibility the following year for all special entry applications and private-land authorizations. Report at onlinesales.wildlife.state.nm.us or call 1-888-248-6866.
Primary Zone: application period September through January 5 — or renew Annual Agreement received in December. Authorizations issued late May. Special Zone: contact Raton NMDOW office (575) 445-2311 — apply before June. Secondary Zone: renew Ranch Code in Online Licensing System each license year. Contact info@thehuntnfishnetwork.com with your zone, GMU, authorization type, and season.
Verified from official NMDOW license fee schedule — paid when converting your authorization to a license, separate from authorization price
| License type | Resident | Non-resident |
|---|---|---|
| Antlerless | $79 | $582 |
| Mature bull or either-sex | $109 | $782 |
| Quality antlerless | $79 | $1,007 |
| Quality mature bull or either-sex | $109 | $1,007 |
| Junior/Senior elk license | $79 | Not issued to non-residents |
Ready to hunt New Mexico this season?
No preference points. No minimum acreage. No draw required. HuntNFishNetwork connects hunters directly with New Mexico landowners selling EPLUS authorizations — unit-wide and ranch-only — across the state's top Primary Zone hunting units.
Everything hunters and landowners need to know about New Mexico EPLUS landowner elk tags — verified from official NMDOW sources
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