Rod Arno -Public Policy Director -Alaska Outdoor Council
A bunch of Alaska is open to over 200 proposals this winter to change current
hunting/trapping regulations north of the Alaska Range, southwest to the Togiak
NWR and north to the Beaufort Sea. There are spotted areas of contiguous state
public lands scattered throughout these GMUs dominated by federal ownership.
State lands are non-Federally Qualified Subsistence Users best chance of
continuing to be successful hunters. Remember the Feds can and have closed
federal lands to hunting by all but locals in GMUs across the state.
The Alaska Board of Game (BOG) will be deliberating on proposals in Kotzebue
January 26-29, 2024 that could;
Open muskox hunts to residents only for communities closest to the hunt in
GMU18,
Change the Tier II muskox hunt in GMU22 and the trophy destruction requirement
Close or lengthen nonresident moose hunts in subunits of GMU22,
Allow city,Native Corporation, tribe to set CUA dates for Anaktuvuk Pass.
Close GMU23 to nonresident caribou hunters.
Close parts or all of GMU21, 22, 23, 24, and 26A to nonresident caribou hunters
There are around 40 proposals for the Western Arctic/Western Area, check and see
if any changes would affect your hunting plans for at least the next 3 years.
March 15-22, 2024 the BOG will be meeting and deliberate on proposals in GMUs
with enough state land that the BOG can adopt regulations to implement
predator/prey management. Therefore a good portion of the harvest of wild game
comes out of the Interior and Eastern Region.
The BOG will be taking action on over 150 proposals in Fairbanks, some of these
my affect your hunting plans for now and in the future;
Many proposals if approved would reduce predation on game animals that have a
high use by folks like us as a food source.
Start the process of having Dall sheep ram by drawing permit only in GMU 12, 19,
and 20. And allow the BOG to set allocation between user groups.
Allow numerous sheep hunts for nonresidents to go to drawing permit only.
Close all nonresident Dall sheep hunts in GMU 19.
Reduce and eliminate nonresident moose hunting in GMU 20B
Turn the moose hunt in GMU 20A, B,C,F and 25C into a registration permit hunt.
Eliminate the 8 year old or greater criteria for harvesting Dall sheep rams.
The framers of Alaska’s State Constitution put the burden on users of wild game to
keep letting the Alaska Board of Game members know what you want from them
regarding the most beneficial use of game;
Alaska State Constitution Article 8, Section 4
“Fish, forests, wildlife, grasslands, and all other replenishable resources
belonging to this State shall be utilized, developed and maintained on the
sustained yield principle, subject to preference among beneficial uses.”
If you want to keep providing a wild source of meat for yourself, family and
friends from the public resource wild game best you let the BOG members know
by submitting written and oral comment plus join one of many outdoor clubs that
make up the Alaska Outdoor Council. If you don’t tell the board your preference to
hunt and feed folks wild game you may loose opportunity to hunt on even on state
lands.
The AOC will be submitting comments to the BOG on specific proposals, let AOC
know of proposals you strongly support or oppose that are consistent with AOC
bylaws and policies. Proposals to comment on and how to submit written
comments is available on the ADF&G website Alaska Board of Game.