Alaska has a single application period each year for all of their draw type hunts. The fall 2026 and spring 2027 application period will close December 15, 2025 at 5 p.m. (AKST). Draw hunts require a hunter to hold a valid annual hunting license and submit the non-refundable application fees. Only online applications will be accepted. You must apply online with either a MasterCard, Discover, Visa, or American Express.

All choices on the application are considered individual draw chances. You may purchase the same hunt choice up to six times or select up to six different hunts. All Dall sheep, mountain goat, and brown/grizzly bear draws require guide-client agreements to be completed prior to applying for the draws. This means that applicants must have a contract in place to hire a particular outfitter prior to applying for draw hunts specific to the selected outfitter’s guide use area. This guide-client agreement is also required for some moose, caribou, and bear hunts as specified in the supplement. Non-residents are required by law to be personally accompanied in the field by a licensed guide or be accompanied in the field by a qualified resident relative who is second degree of kindred and over 19 years of age when hunting brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, or mountain goat.

Examples of second-degree kindred include a father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, spouse, grandparent, grandchild, brother/sister-in-law, son/daughter-in-law, father/mother-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepsister, stepbrother, stepson, or stepdaughter. Non-residents who are not U.S. citizens must be personally accompanied in the field by a licensed guide when hunting any species of big game in Alaska.

All draw odds listed in the following tables are simple draw odds that are calculated by dividing the number of permits available by the number of individual applications. Applicants may apply for the same hunt choice on their application up to six times. The Alaska permit drawing system allows each hunt choice an equal chance in the draw. That means you could have up to six times better odds than what is listed by purchasing six chances for the same hunt choice for each species. This is highly recommended for all applicants. 

All draw odds listed in the following tables are simple draw odds that are calculated by dividing the number of permits available by the number of individual applications. Applicants may apply for the same hunt choice on their application up to six times. The Alaska permit drawing system allows each hunt choice an equal chance in the draw. That means you could have up to six times better odds than what is listed by purchasing six chances for the same hunt choice for each species. This is highly recommended for all applicants. 

Any big game locking tag may be used for a species of equal or lesser value. You must have a harvest ticket or permit for the lesser species to be able to use the tag on that animal. For example, if you purchase a $1,000 brown bear locking tag but do not take a brown bear and take a caribou instead if the season is open, you may use the brown bear locking tag on the caribou because the caribou has a lesser locking-tag value. You may not use a locking tag for an animal of a species you have already taken, unless the bag limit for that species is greater than one. Harvest tickets are not required with the “tagging down” for wolf or wolverine.

Hunters are required to be at least 10 years of age by the starting date of the hunting season to obtain a permit. If you were born after January 1, 1986, you are required to have taken a hunter education class. Be aware that youth-only hunts are only available to resident youth or youth accompanied by an Alaska resident relative. Youth under 10 years of age may take big game on behalf of a licensed hunter at least 18 years of age, and they must be under the direct supervision of that hunter. The supervising adult hunter is responsible for ensuring all legal requirements are met, and must comply with big game locking-tag requirements, if applicable, and validate required harvest tickets or permits.