Summer is coming to a close, the kids are back in school, and September has arrived. That can mean only one thing, the moose hunting season is upon us.
This year’s moose season for central Southeast – near Wrangell, Petersburg, and Kake – kicks off Sept. 15 and will run until Oct. 15. So hunters will have exactly one month to bag their moose.
Wrangell State Wildlife Trooper Alisha Seward says hunters should make sure they get the right permit.
So first off, they want to get an RM 038 permit that covers unit three and 1b for most people going up the Stikine River.
Unit 3 encompasses the area islands south of Admiralty and north of Prince of Wales, like Kupreanof, Kuiu, Mitkof, and Wrangell Islands. Unit 1B includes some of the mainland.
All hunters are required to watch a video called “Is This Moose Legal?” beforehand. Out-of-state hunters must also complete an official nonresident moose hunter orientation and carry proof of completion with them in the field. Both are available on the Fish and Game website.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game limits this hunt to one bull per hunter. There are also specific restrictions based on the antler size.
For a legal bull, you’re looking at a spike or fork, 50 inches, two by two brow tines on each side, or at least three brow tines on one side.
Each hunter is responsible for verifying whether the bull is of legal size before attempting to take it.
Seward says law enforcement understands that mistakes can happen, and that if you’ve misidentified the size of a moose, it’s best to let them know up front.
Successful hunters must punch their card immediately and report their kill within five days.
To do so, they have to complete a hunt report, which can be done online, and present the jaw and antlers to the appropriate authorities.
In Petersburg, these can be taken to the Fish and Game office, but in Wrangell they have to go to the U.S. Forest Service since there is no Fish and Game office in town.
Obviously we want people to go out there, have fun, have a blast. It’s moose hunting. People love this time of year. The only thing I’d say is that if you make a mistake or something, give me a shout, and we can deal with it.]
Unsuccessful hunters must also report their efforts within 15 days of the season’s close.
