Alaska Hunting License: Cost, Online Purchase & Locking Tags (2026)

Alaska operates on a July 1 through June 30 license year. The Resident Hunting License costs $45; the Non-Resident Hunting License is $160. Alaska residents receive free harvest tickets for most big game species — moose, caribou, deer, Dall sheep, mountain goat, black bear, and wolf. The only resident big game tag that carries a fee is brown/grizzly bear ($25). Non-residents must purchase species-specific non-transferable locking-tags before hunting: moose $800, brown/grizzly bear $1,000, Dall sheep $850, caribou $650, Sitka blacktail deer $300, black bear $450. These NR tag fees are among the highest in North America and apply per animal.

Alaska is one of the very few states in the US that does NOT require hunter education to purchase a hunting license. Voluntary hunter education courses are available and recommended, but there is no mandatory certification. Bowhunter education is required for archery-only designated hunt areas in certain game management units. Non-resident aliens (foreign nationals) must pay $630 for a base license and are required to hire a licensed Alaska guide for all big game hunting. US citizen non-residents must hire a guide for brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, and mountain goat, but can hunt moose, caribou, and deer without a guide.

Alaska's Combination Hunt/Fish/Trap license ($105 resident) bundles hunting, sport fishing, and trapping into a single purchase — a strong value for residents who pursue multiple activities. Senior residents 60+ pay $10 for hunting privileges. Resident youth under 18 hunt free. Disabled veterans with 50%+ service-connected disability pay $5. Active duty military stationed in Alaska pay the $45 resident rate regardless of home state. All NR hunters must purchase physical locking-tags before taking any big game animal; hunting before purchasing is a violation subject to forfeit of harvest.

Alaska-Yukon moose are managed through GMU-specific seasons and antler rules. The moose season runs September 1–30 in many units, with some archery-only units opening earlier. Antler restrictions vary by Game Management Unit (GMU): a common standard requires a 50-inch spread or a bull with 3 or more brow tines on one antler. NR moose tags cost $800 plus the $160 base license. No guide is required for US citizen non-residents hunting moose. Many NR moose hunters use aircraft or boat access, so meat care and transport logistics are a central part of trip planning.

Caribou hunting in Alaska varies dramatically by herd. The Western Arctic herd (approximately 200,000 animals) allows up to 5 caribou per hunter in certain units — some of the most liberal big game bag limits anywhere in North America. The Porcupine herd and smaller interior herds may have more restrictive limits depending on population status. Caribou seasons span August through March depending on the unit. NR caribou tags cost $650. Caribou hunts are frequently combined with moose hunts in remote Alaska bush camps. Dall sheep ($850 NR tag, full-curl rams only) are found in the Alaska Range, Brooks Range, Wrangell Mountains, and Chugach Range — physically demanding backcountry hunts with NR guide costs typically $15,000–$25,000.

Alaska's Sitka blacktail deer population is concentrated in the Southeast panhandle and Kodiak Archipelago. The deer season runs August 1–December 31 in most Southeast units. In Kodiak, bag limits of 4–6 deer per season are common — generous by any standard. NR deer tags cost $300. Kodiak deer hunting combined with brown bear or mountain goat can make for exceptional combination hunts. The Kodiak brown bear population — a separate, highly sought subspecies — requires a guide for non-residents and a $1,000 NR tag. Skull and hide must be sealed by ADF&G within 30 days of harvest.

Alaska brown/grizzly bears represent the apex of North American big game hunting. The $1,000 NR locking-tag is the most expensive single-species tag in the US. Spring season runs April 15–May 31; fall season September 1–October 31. Brown bears can be hunted with rifle or bow. NR hunters must hire a licensed Alaska guide — guided brown bear hunts typically run $15,000–$30,000 for a 10-day hunt. Some coastal GMUs (particularly on the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak) are world-famous for Boone & Crockett record bears with skull measurements exceeding 26 inches. In some units, only one brown bear may be harvested per 4-year period even for residents.

Alaska operates a dual wildlife management system established by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). Rural Alaska residents — primarily Alaska Native and other subsistence-dependent communities — have federal priority for subsistence hunting on federal public lands. Subsistence seasons are typically longer and bag limits higher than sportsmen's seasons for the same species. State management applies on state land; federal management (with subsistence priority) applies on federal land including national parks, wildlife refuges, and national forests. This can create complex jurisdictional situations where season dates and rules differ depending on land status.

Alaska's wolf hunting season runs August 1–April 30 with liberal limits (typically 5–10 per unit, no limit in some units). NR wolf tags cost $60. Trapping wolves is also legal. Small game including ptarmigan and grouse opens August 10 with a daily bag limit of 10 ptarmigan or 10 grouse. Alaska's waterfowl seasons begin September 1. Draw hunts for bison (Delta and Farewell herds) and muskox (Nunivak Island, Seward Peninsula) represent once-in-a-lifetime opportunities — NR bison tags are $900, muskox $1,100. Alaska provides the most remote and wilderness-intensive hunting experience available in the United States.