Hunting Seasons

Most Alaska state and federal land, military land, state and federal parks, and state refuges are open to hunting, with the exception of national parks and monuments. Hunters should obtain permission before hunting on private lands or on regional native corporation lands. While the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) organizes hunting grounds into 26 Game Management Units (GMUs), the main hunting regions follow the main geographic/climate regions in Alaska:

North Slope/Arctic
Hunt for: Moose, caribou, bison, wolves, muskox, ptarmigan, some bear populations

Southeast Alaska
Hunt for: Sitka black-tailed deer, brown bear, black bear, mountain goat, wolves, some moose

Western Alaska
Hunt for: Moose, caribou, bison, wolves, muskox, waterfowl, some bear populations

Interior Alaska
Hunt for: Moose, caribou, bison, Dall sheep, wolves, waterfowl, some bear populations

Southcentral Alaska
Hunt for: Kodiak Island deer, bear, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, mountain goat, wolves, wolverine, waterfowl

A detailed map for each GMU is available here:
http://wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=regulations.hunting

Alaska Hunting Season Notes:

September in Alaska means open season on moose, the most popular big game animal. Caribou season begins in August. Most hunting occurs in August and September, though some game is hunted in spring and fall, and a few are hunted in winter. Sitka black-tailed deer season extends through December 31.

When to hunt sometimes comes down to personal preference. For example, Kodiak Island brown bears are hunted in either spring - when days are longer - or fall - when the bear's coat is illustrious but the days shorter.

Hunting certain animals in certain areas is a rare privilege. In the Tok Management Area, some 2,500 hunters apply for Dall sheep permits each year, but only 100 or so are awarded.

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