State Moose and Caribou Hunters Can't Use Their Permits On Federal Subsistence Hunting Areas In Units 13 A and B.

Only Federal Subsistence Hunters Can Harvest Moose and Caribou On Federal Permit Lands In Unit 13 A & B. The State Of Alaska Files Lawsuit.

Photograph of Caribou along the Delta Corridor: by Jeremy Matlock, BLM

The new federal regulation is designed to make local subsistence hunters have less competition from out-of-area hunters. The new regulation says that only federal subsistence hunters can take moose and caribou on federally designated hunting areas in Unit 13 A and B.

The hunting areas are mainly along the upper Richardson Highway and do not apply to the Lower Richardson lands in the Tiekel Block. State hunters can still cross the Federal lands to access state lands on the other side and can also hunt for other species (such as bear) in the Federal Hunting Areas. The main effect of the new regulation will be in the Delta Wild and Scenic River corridor and the Gulkana Wild and scenic River Area as well as in the lands that are posted along the pipeline corridor on the Richardson Highway as you head north of Sourdough towards Delta.

You Can Download A Map To Your Cell Phone 

The affected hunting areas can be found be found on a map that can be downloaded:

Maps: Georeferenced PDF Maps: Alaska: State moose and caribou hunt restricted areas GMU13 A and B 2020-2022 season | Bureau of Land Management

For information on how to download and use geo-referenced pdf maps, follow this website, and click the plus sign next to the tab that says, "How to Use." You can also download these maps through apps like Avenza.

https://www.blm.gov/maps/georeferenced-PDFs

The exact language of the regulation is as follows: The Federal Subsistence Board approved Wildlife Special Action 20-03 with modification, closing some Federal public lands in Units 13A and 13B, to the hunting and harvesting of moose and caribou by non-federally qualified users (State permitted hunters) for the 2020-2022 regulatory cycle, for reasons of public safety and continuation of federal subsistence uses.  Follow this link for the news release on WSA20 -03: https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/news/general/federal-subsistence-board-takes-action-five-wildlife-special-action