Unit 11Z, Alaska

Boreal river-bottom forest and glacially-carved valleys at lower elevations transitioning to subalpine tundra and volcanic upland at mid-elevations, with heavily glaciated alpine peaks exceeding 16,000 ft in the St. Elias and Wrangell ranges. Elevation range roughly 1,300–16,300 ft. Major drainages include the Copper, Chitina, Nabesna, Slana, and Sanford rivers. Wetland/spruce forest in valley bottoms provides prime moose habitat; high alpine ridges and boulder fields hold Dall sheep and mountain goat.

Road access limited to the periphery: Glenn Highway (north/west boundary), Richardson Highway (west), and Edgerton Highway/McCarthy Road to Chitina and McCarthy (south). The 42-mile gravel Nabesna Road off the Glenn Highway penetrates the northeastern interior to Nabesna village. Most productive hunting areas — especially within the Wrangell–St. Elias National Preserve — require floatplane access from Gulkana, Glennallen, or Tok, or multi-day raft floats on the Chitina and Copper rivers. Land ownership is a critical pre-hunt due-diligence item: Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (no sport hunting) and National Preserve (hunting allowed) together cover ~13 million acres overlapping the unit, while Ahtna Inc. Native Corporation holds significant private inholdings (hunting prohibited without permission). Effective public-land hunting percentage for sport hunters is approximately 55–65% of the unit area when Park versus Preserve boundaries and Native Corporation lands are accounted for.

Lower valleys: white and black spruce boreal forest, cottonwood and balsam poplar riparian corridors, willow and alder floodplain thickets (prime moose browse), wet sedge meadows. Mid-slopes: open spruce-birch parkland and shrub tundra. Upper slopes: alpine tundra, grass-sedge heath, rocky fellfields and scree. Above ~5,500 ft: permanent ice and snow. Vegetation transitions strongly influence species distribution — moose and bear concentrate in the willow-alder-sedge bottomlands; sheep and goat occupy rocky alpine terrain above treeline.

Moose are year-round residents of valley-bottom habitat; rut peaks mid-September, drawing bulls into open flats and willow draws. Unit 11 moose population estimated at approximately 2,600 animals — stable at low-to-moderate density due to limited intensive management. The Mentasta caribou herd historically ranged 2,200–3,160 animals through the 1980s; it has been in severe decline since the 1990s and now numbers 300–500 animals concentrated in the Mentasta Mountains within Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve — caribou hunting is closed unit-wide. Dall sheep (estimated 12,000–15,000 animals across the Wrangell Mountain range per NPS 2010-2011 surveys, with the sportable fraction in the Preserve) undertake altitudinal migrations, descending to lower ridgelines in deep snow winters. Brown bear density is moderate, with animals utilizing both river-bottom salmon streams and alpine berry slopes seasonally. Wolf packs track moose throughout the unit.

Caribou: Unit 11 has been CLOSED to caribou hunting since 1989; the Mentasta herd remains too small (300–500 animals) to support any harvest. No state or federal subsistence caribou season is open. Moose: Registration hunt RM291 (Aug 20–Sept 17 for state hunters; through Sept 20 for federally qualified subsistence hunters) covers Unit 11 north of Sanford River. Residents may harvest spike-fork OR 50-inch OR 3+ brow tines; nonresidents restricted to 50-inch OR 3+ brow tines. Nonresident moose hunters must complete the ADF&G Nonresident Moose Hunter Orientation course before hunting. General season harvest ticket moose hunt HT111 covers Unit 11 remainder with same antler rules, same season window (~Aug 20–Sept 20). Dall sheep: General season harvest ticket, Aug 10–Sept 20, one full-curl ram; completion of ADF&G Sheep Hunter Orientation course required; nonresidents must be accompanied by a licensed guide. Brown bear: General season harvest ticket, one bear per regulatory year; spring (April 1–May 31 in portions) and fall seasons available; nonresidents must be accompanied by a licensed Alaska guide or qualifying resident relative. Mountain goat: By drawing permit only in this unit; nonresident guide required. Wolf: Open season, no bag limit for residents; trap/snare regulations apply. Wrangell–St. Elias National Preserve: Hunting is permitted in the Preserve under state regulations; Park is closed to sport hunting. Contact NPS Wrangell–St. Elias at (907) 822-7401 regarding motorized vehicle use restrictions within the Preserve. Ahtna Inc. lands: Private, no trespassing without permission — contact Ahtna at (907) 822-3476. No subsistence preference areas that close the unit to nonresidents for moose, sheep, or bear; however, federally qualified subsistence hunters receive a 3-day extension on RM291.