Moose Hunting in Unit 23 by Local Residents
Kobuk River, Noatak and Selawik Areas: What You Need to Know
Alaska residents have three moose hunts to choose from in Game Management Unit 23, which includes the Northwest Arctic Borough and Point Hope. The table below summarizes the three options for the Kobuk, Noatak and Selawik River drainages. Some other parts of Unit 23, including Pt. Hope, have slightly different regulations.
Due to a region-wide decline in moose numbers, all hunts are for bull moose only.
- The state registration hunt (RM 880) applies to most lands in Unit 23 and provides the best hunting opportunity for most people. To participate in the state registration hunt you must pick up a permit in person in Unit 23 between June 1 and July 15.
- The federal subsistence hunt is only open on federal public lands in Unit 23, and hunters must live in Unit 23. If you didn’t register for the RM880 during June-July, you can still hunt in the federal hunt with a state harvest ticket.
- The state general hunt is the most restrictive of the three hunts, with shorter dates and larger antler requirements.
This is only a brief summary of key regulations. Please familiarize yourself with all regulations, including methods, salvage, etc. Call our office or ADF&G if you have questions.
In All Hunts
- To qualify as an Alaska resident, you must have lived in Alaska for the preceding 12 months.
- To qualify as a Unit 23 resident, you must have lived in Alaska for the preceding 12 months and make your permanent home in Unit 23 (no minimum time required).
- Hunters age 18 and older must have a hunting license.
- Reporting the results of your hunt is required, as described on the permit.
- Regardless of which hunt you participate in, each hunter may take no more than one moose per year (exception would be if you have a proxy hunt or designated hunter permit).
| FAQs | State Registration Hunt (RM 880) | State General Hunt | Federal Subsistence Hunt |
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| Who can hunt? | All Alaska Residents | All Alaska Residents | Only residents of Unit 23 (Northwest Arctic Borough and Point Hope) |
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When can I hunt
and
what can I hunt for? | Aug. 1 - Dec. 31
One antlered (bull) moose.
No cows or calves may be taken. | Sept. 1 - Sept. 20
One bull moose with at least 50-inch antlers or 4 (or more) brow tines on at least one side. | Aug. 1 - Dec. 31
One antlered (bull) moose.
No cows or calves may be taken. |
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| Where can I hunt? | State lands, most federal lands* and private or Native-owned lands you have permission to use. | State lands, most federal lands* and private or Native-owned lands you have permission to use. | Only on federal public lands (not state, borough, private or Native-owned lands). |
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| Before hunting: | You must pick up a free RM 880 permit in person between June 1 and July 15 from license vendors in Unit 23. | You must pick up a free moose harvest ticket from a license vendor at any time before hunting. | You must have either a state moose harvest ticket or an RM 880 permit before hunting. |
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| After hunting: | Meat taken before Oct. 1 must remain on the bone of the legs and ribs until removed from the field. Evidence of sex must remain attached until the moose is processed for consumption (to show that a bull was taken). Report the results of your hunt according to the directions on your permit. | Meat taken before Oct. 1 must remain on the bone of the legs and ribs until removed from the field. Evidence of sex must remain attached until the moose is processed for consumption (to show that a bull was taken). Report the results of your hunt according to the directions on your permit. | Evidence of sex must remain attached until the moose is processed for consumption (to show that a bull was taken). Report the results of your hunt on your harvest ticket or permit. |
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* On Cape Krusenstern National Monument and Kobuk Valley National Park, you must follow Federal regulations (only residents of the NANA region may hunt in these two park units).
Federal public lands are those managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service, or the Bureau of Land Management.
This fact sheet is a summary produced by Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, in consultation with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Kotzebue office. Contact either of us for more information or clarification.
Last updated August 2024
