*Guide Required* Dall sheep hunting in Alaska seems to be carrying around more drama with it than we are used to in recent years. Hunters should keep in mind that most surveys are done post-season in the winter whereas most winter-kill events happened in late winter/early spring before the season began. This often creates impossible situations for outfitters to know the effect of winter kill on their huntable populations until it’s too late and their August sheep season is scheduled and everyone is booked. Recent seasons were nothing short of a mess for most outfitters in the Alaska Range and other central Alaska mountain ranges. Dozens of guided hunters have reported to Huntin’ Fool that they did not see any legal rams on their hunts and their outfitters had success rates well below average. As you visit with outfitters about booking your own hunt, keep in mind that success is never guaranteed and outfitters may have been blindsided by the past 2 seasons.
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Dall sheep hunts continue to be managed through a mixture of draw, registration, and general season hunts. The vast majority of these hunts start on August 10th and run through September 20th during the general season. The exceptions to this are the resident-only youth season August 1-5 and the two archery-only hunts running September and into October. Specific units and subunits may be broken down into as many as three different season dates and hunt options within that particular region of the draw to spread out pressure on the population. See the new tables to understand true harvest success rates and the non-resident vs. resident hunting pressure. New this year, we have included a table of popular general season units that receive most of the non-resident hunting pressure. Reference this table as you shop for available hunts from various outfitters. Be informed and ask better questions from your potential guide-outfitter. All draw hunts available to guided non-resident hunters are also included in the following table for your reference. Remember that Alaska currently limits non-residents to one ram every four regulatory years for all Dall sheep hunts statewide.
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Dall Sheep season runs from August 10th to September 20th.
The common mindset many hunters accustom themselves to is that a draw hunt will ensure higher success rates or better trophy potential when compared to a general season hunt. This is not necessarily true for Dall sheep in Alaska. Much like the mountain goat and moose hunts, draw hunts often occur to limit the number of hunters accessing a particular unit, not to produce larger trophies. Alaska only has one designated Dall sheep trophy managed unit. The Tok Management Area (TMA) that lies within units 12, 20D, and 13C was established in 1974 to provide Dall sheep hunters with an opportunity to harvest mature trophy class rams. Prior to the winter of 2019/2020, the TMA seemed to be doing well and hunter satisfaction was high. The hunt season of 2020 showed its ugly side and most tag holders reported very few ram sightings. Tag quotas have been cut for this Tok area.
The Chugach Mountains found in units 13 and 14 are still on the radar of most hunters chasing a chance at a higher scoring ram. These two units are famous for their heavy, deep curl horn characteristics. Be advised that the Chugach Mountains are steep, nasty, and one of the toughest mountain ranges in the state.
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Each season, a top end ram can be harvested almost anywhere in the state. If your goal is just to harvest a legal ram with a great experience, there are more than enough opportunities with established guides all over Alaska without the need to draw a permit. Be advised that whether you draw a Dall sheep permit or you decide to go on an open harvest hunt, hunts with quality outfitters are pushing $22,000-$30,000 or more.
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Alaska’s application deadline is 5 p.m. (akst) on December 15, 2023.
Our online/print magazine has everything in one location: Application info, draw details and odds, fees, hunter requirements, point structure, age restrictions, youth information, weapon restrictions, other tag opportunities, hunt planning and much more. If you would like access to all of our research join today!
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| UP-FRONT FEES | |
| Annual Hunting License | $160 |
| Application Fee (each choice) | $5 |
| LOCKING-TAG FEES (Purchase Before Hunt) | |
| Dall Sheep Tag (Guide Required) | $850 |
| Brown/Grizzly Bear Tag (Guide Required) | $1,000 |
| Moose Tag | $800 |
| Caribou Tag | $650 |
| Black Bear Tag | $450 |
| Wolf Tag | $60 |
| Wolverine Tag | $350 |
Alaska Dall Sheep Hunting Articles from Huntin' Fool Magazine
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