Unit 23Z, Alaska

Approximately 47,099 square miles of Arctic and sub-Arctic terrain. The Seward Peninsula is characterized by broad convex upland hills and flat divides at 500–2,000 ft elevation, separated by steep river valleys, with rugged glaciated mountains reaching 2,500–4,700 ft. Permafrost underlies the entire region; periglacial ice-wedge polygons are common across lowlands. The Noatak River valley and Kobuk River drainage to the east are major topographic features. Coastal areas along the Chukchi Sea and Kotzebue Sound are low, flat, and marshy. Virtually no road access — terrain is best described as open Arctic tundra transitioning to moist and wet sedge-tussock lowlands, with scattered boreal spruce-birch stands on south-facing slopes in the Kobuk Valley. Elevation ranges 0–6,000 ft.

No roads reach the hunting areas. Primary access is by chartered floatplane or wheel-plane from Kotzebue (the main hub, served by commercial airlines from Anchorage) or from Nome for the southern Seward Peninsula. River float trips on the Noatak, Kobuk, Ambler, Selawik, and Squirrel Rivers are a popular access method; hunters float downstream to intercept migrating caribou. Snowmachine access is feasible in winter and spring. The Noatak Controlled Use Area (a 10-mile-wide corridor along the Noatak River from the Agashashok River to the Nimiuktuk River) prohibits aircraft use for big-game hunting Aug 15–Sept 30 — hunters must be dropped at publicly maintained airports only during that window. Land ownership is a patchwork: ~82% public land (BLM, USFWS, NPS), with significant NANA Regional Corporation and Kikiktagruk Inupiaq Corporation (KIC) Native lands closed to non-shareholders. Federal lands include Noatak National Preserve, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, and BLM lands.

Dominant plant communities are moist and wet sedge-tussock tundra at lower elevations, transitioning to dwarf-shrub heath and alpine fell-field tundra above 1,500 ft. River corridors support stands of willow and alder — critical moose and snowshoe hare habitat. South-facing slopes in the Kobuk Valley contain the most northerly stands of white spruce and paper birch. Coastal lowlands are dominated by sedge-grass meadows and shallow ponds. Growing season is fewer than 2 months; July temperatures average below 50°F. Annual precipitation ~18 inches; snowpack 39–78 inches.

The Western Arctic Caribou Herd (WACH) is the dominant wildlife feature. The herd calves on the Arctic slope and North Slope, migrates south through Unit 23 in fall (Aug–Oct) and north in spring. Traditional migration corridors follow the Noatak River valley and cross the Seward Peninsula. Population peaked at ~490,000 in 2003, fell to ~164,000 by 2022, and was estimated at ~121,000 in 2025 — classified 'critical, declining' by the WACH Working Group. The Board of Game has maintained a 15-caribou bag limit with one-cow restriction as of the 2026–27 regulatory year, but stricter measures are under active consideration. Musk ox occupy the Seward Peninsula (west of and including the Buckland River drainage) and portions north and west of the Kobuk River drainage, and Sheshalik Spit — populations are managed via permit hunts. Moose occur at low densities, concentrated in willow-riparian corridors of major river systems; populations cannot sustain liberal harvests. Brown bears are widespread throughout the unit; black bears present. Dall sheep occur in mountainous terrain in the eastern portions of the unit but season is closed. Wolves: up to 20/year, Aug 1–Apr 30.

SUBSISTENCE PRIORITY: Unit 23 is a heavily subsistence-managed unit. Federal subsistence priority applies on all federal public lands (~32,300 sq mi) under ANILCA. Only federally qualified subsistence users (rural residents of Units 21D west of the Koyukuk/Yukon Rivers, Galena, 22, 23, 24 excluding most Dalton Hwy Corridor, and 26A) may hunt caribou on federal public lands Aug 1–Oct 31 under current federal regulations (WP24-30/31, effective July 1, 2024) unless the WACH population exceeds 200,000. NON-RESIDENT RESTRICTIONS: Non-residents are currently prohibited from hunting caribou on all federal lands in Unit 23 (the dominant land ownership). Brown/grizzly bear: non-residents must be accompanied by a licensed guide. Moose: non-residents have no open season in Unit 23 under current 2026–27 regulations. Musk ox: permit drawing hunts only; skulls require trophy destruction in the field. Non-resident moose hunters statewide must complete a non-resident moose hunting orientation course. Pilots transporting big game parts in Unit 23 must possess a certificate of completion from an ADF&G-approved pilot education course. NATIVE LANDS: NANA Regional Corporation lands are closed to all non-shareholders; KIC lands require separate authorization. Contact Kotzebue ADF&G: (907) 442-3420 or 1-800-478-3420.