In Alaska, the first planning questions are often access, transport and guide requirements—not which unit sounds best. Separate general-season harvest tickets, registration permits and drawing hunts, then budget for the logistics of reaching the area and caring for meat. Residency and species can change the requirements substantially.
Applications, Draw System & Top Units
Alaska at a Glance
Reviewed September 28, 2026- Draw system
- Drawing, registration and general-season opportunities
- Application calendar
- 2026–27 drawing applications closed December 15, 2025
- Planning priority
- Confirm nonresident guide requirements before applying
- Official agency
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Applications and deadlines
The 2026–27 drawing supplement’s online application period ran November 1–December 15, 2025. That cycle is closed. Check the next published supplement for future drawing dates and hunt numbers. Registration and general-season hunts follow different processes; a drawing permit is not required for every Alaska hunt.
Official Alaska application information →
Build the complete cost before you apply
Check the current license, application, permit and stamp requirements for your residency and species. Keep nonrefundable application costs separate from the tag cost and your travel budget. Review the current agency rules and resources before paying.
How the Alaska draw works
Alaska drawing permits use a random selection process. Read the current drawing FAQ and supplement for species-specific application limits and restrictions. Do not confuse drawing hunts with registration hunts or subsistence programs, which have different eligibility and permit rules.
Species to hunt in Alaska
Moose
Choose a hunt area only after checking access, transport capacity and meat-care logistics. Review the area’s legal animal definition and permit requirements before departure.
Caribou
Check the exact herd, area and current restrictions. Confirm access and transport arrangements before treating an available season as a practical trip.
Black bear and brown/grizzly bear
These are different planning and regulatory categories. U.S. nonresidents pursuing brown/grizzly bear must meet the state’s guide or qualifying resident-relative requirements.
Dall sheep
U.S. nonresident sheep hunters must meet guide or qualifying resident-relative requirements. Confirm those arrangements and the hunt area before applying.
Mountain goat
Guide or qualifying resident-relative requirements also apply to U.S. nonresidents hunting mountain goat. Plan for terrain, weather and recovery as well as permit availability.
Deer and other big game
Review the species and unit-specific regulations rather than borrowing dates from another Alaska region. Nonresident aliens have additional guide requirements for big game.
Choose country you can actually hunt
Use Alaska Department of Fish and Game hunt-planning resources to narrow your shortlist. Match the legal boundary and season to your map, verify public access or landowner permission, and check travel restrictions before booking. Compare two or three practical hunts instead of choosing solely from a trophy reputation.
- Access: identify a legal starting point and a backup route.
- Time: include scouting, weather delays and meat recovery in the trip.
- Conditions: check current closures, fire information and agency updates close to departure.
For exact seasons, legal animals, equipment and reporting requirements, use the current Alaska regulations. Historical odds and past harvest reports describe previous hunts; they do not guarantee a future result.
Go Deeper
Build your Alaska hunt plan.
Bring your points, budget and shortlist together before the next application. Explore planning support at HuntQuarters.