States / AK / Unit 24A

Unit 24A, Alaska

Game found here

cariboumooseDall sheepgrizzly bearblack bearwolfwolverine

—See on map →0 questions

Unit info

Game species: caribou, moose, Dall sheep, grizzly bear, black bear, wolf, wolverine
Group: N/A
Area: 4,143 mi²
Public land: 87%

wolf — season & harvest

Tag type: No locking-tag required. Hides must be sealed.
Reported harvest: Not available for 24A specifically.
Archery season: Legal during general season.
General season: Open to residents and non-residents (Unit 24), Aug 1–Apr 30, 10 wolves.
Muzzleloader season: Legal during general season.

Hunting notes

Incidental take during other hunts; dedicated pursuit by snowmachine in winter. Hides must be sealed within 30 days.

Draw odds for wolfaren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

Moose — season & harvest

Reported harvest: 41

Draw odds for Moosearen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

moose — season & harvest

Tag type: Harvest Ticket (HT) in most areas. Drawing permits (DM-series) in portions near Kanuti CUA. Some registration permits.
Reported harvest: Not available unit-specific. Unit 24 supports a relatively high moose population. Koyukuk River moose management plan in place.
Archery season: Within DHCMA portion of 24A: bow-and-arrow only for both residents and non-residents, Aug 1–Sept 30 by permit.
General season: 24A (DHCMA portion): Residents — 1 bull by bow and arrow only, by permit, Aug 1–Sept 30. Non-residents — 1 bull (50-inch or 4+ brow tines) by bow and arrow only, by permit, Aug 1–Sept 30. 24A remainder: Residents — 1 bull, HT, Sept 1–Sept 25 (drawing hunts also available); Non-residents — 1 bull (50-inch or 4+ brow tines), HT. Dec hunt via RM833 Dec 15–Apr 15 also listed for some 24 subunits.
Muzzleloader season: No separate muzzleloader-only season listed.

Hunting notes

Bowhunters and rifle hunters both active. Float rivers (Middle Fork Koyukuk, Jim River) and key riparian corridors. Bulls in rut late August through September. Use of aircraft to access hunting areas is restricted in controlled use zones — verify DHCMA rules. Meat must remain on bone before Oct 1.

Draw odds for moosearen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

Caribou — season & harvest

Reported harvest: 33

Draw odds for Caribouaren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

caribou — season & harvest

Tag type: Harvest Ticket (HT) for most hunts; Registration Permit RB601 for remainder of 24A (residents only, 10 caribou bag). Non-residents: HT.
Reported harvest: Not available for 24A specifically; Western Arctic Herd total harvest reduced due to population decline — subsistence limit reduced to 15/year in affected units (2024).
Archery season: No separate archery-only season listed; archery legal during general season.
General season: Residents (24A south of Kanuti River): 1 caribou, HT, Aug 10–Mar 31. Residents (24A remainder): RB601 registration, 10 caribou, July 1–Apr 30; OR HT, 2 bulls, Aug 1–Sept 30; OR HT Aug 10–Mar 31. Non-residents (24A): 1 caribou HT Aug 10–Mar 31; 1 bull HT Aug 10–Sept 30. Calves may not be taken. Evidence of sex must remain attached when limited to one sex.
Muzzleloader season: No separate muzzleloader season listed; muzzleloader legal during general season.

Hunting notes

Spot-and-stalk along river valleys and tundra benches during fall migration. Glass wide from elevated terrain. Intercept migrating animals at river crossings. Primary window is August–September when bulls are accessible before freeze-up. Meat salvage rules strict — bones must remain in meat prior to Oct 1.

Draw odds for caribouaren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

wolverine — season & harvest

Tag type: No locking-tag required.
Reported harvest: Not available for 24A specifically.
Archery season: Legal during general season.
General season: Unit 24: residents and non-residents, Sept 1–Mar 31, 1 wolverine.
Muzzleloader season: Legal during general season.

Hunting notes

Trapping and incidental hunting. Set traps near carcass sites. Hide sealing required within 30 days.

Draw odds for wolverinearen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

Brown Bear — season & harvest

Reported harvest: 11

Draw odds for Brown Beararen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

black_bear — season & harvest

Tag type: No resident locking-tag required. Non-residents must hire AK-licensed guide.
Reported harvest: Not available for 24A specifically.
Archery season: Legal during general season.
General season: Unit 24: residents and non-residents, no closed season, 3 bears. Specific 24A/B/C/D sub-limits apply — see unit regs.
Muzzleloader season: Legal during general season.

Hunting notes

Opportunistic; active in spring near rivers and berry fields in fall. No closed season.

Draw odds for black_beararen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

dall_sheep — season & harvest

Tag type: Harvest Ticket (HT) — general season. Non-residents must have AK-licensed guide or qualifying resident companion. Ram horns must be sealed within 30 days.
Reported harvest: Population estimated at ~25% of 2012 survey levels as of 2022 surveys. Active GPS collar research ongoing as of 2025. Statewide decline 40–70% from ~2010 highs.
Archery season: No separate archery-only season; archery legal during general season.
General season: 24A (DHCMA): Youth hunt Aug 1–Aug 5 (1 full-curl ram, every 4 years for non-residents). General: 1 full-curl ram, HT, Aug 10–Sept 20 (every 4 regulatory years for non-residents). 24A remainder: same structure — youth Aug 1–5, general HT Aug 10–Sept 20. NOTE: Federal land Dall sheep closure in 24A (all users) was in effect 2022–2024; current status on BLM/NPS lands requires verification with managing agencies.
Muzzleloader season: No separate muzzleloader season.

Hunting notes

Alpine spot-and-stalk on Brooks Range ridgelines above treeline. Full-curl ram required. Physically demanding approach — steep glaciated terrain. Floatplane or multi-day backpack approach required. VERIFY federal land closure status before planning any hunt — federal closures have been in effect repeatedly since 2022 due to population crash.

Draw odds for dall_sheeparen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

grizzly_bear — season & harvest

Tag type: Permit required (available Galena, Fairbanks, McGrath, beginning July 8). Non-residents must hire AK-licensed guide.
Reported harvest: Not available for 24A specifically.
Archery season: Legal during general season.
General season: Residents: 1 bear/regulatory year by permit, July 25–June 30. Non-residents: 1 bear/regulatory year, Aug 10–June 30. Subsistence hunt also available under same bag limit for residents.
Muzzleloader season: Legal during general season.

Hunting notes

Spot-and-stalk in open tundra and berry patches. Active in river drainages. Bears protect camp areas — bear fences recommended. Evidence of sex must remain attached to hide.

Draw odds for grizzly_beararen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

Season & harvest data is published for wolf, Moose, moose, Caribou, caribou, wolverine, Brown Bear, black_bear, dall_sheep, grizzly_bear so far. Dall sheep, grizzly bear, black bear also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.

About this unit

AI-compiled · sourced

Unit 24A encompasses the headwaters of the Koyukuk River in the central Brooks Range foothills — the Middle Fork Koyukuk, South Fork Koyukuk, Jim River, and Fish Creek drainages — a remote roadless wilderness with the Dalton Highway forming the eastern boundary. Caribou (primarily from herds mixing through the Koyukuk corridor) and moose are the primary big-game species, while Dall sheep historically occupied the alpine zones but face a long-running population decline with hunting closures on federal lands. Access is predominantly by floatplane from Bettles or Fairbanks, with the Dalton Highway providing a corridor to the eastern fringe; portions of the unit fall within Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve where subsistence and preserve rules apply.

Terrain & elevation

Central Brooks Range foothills and alpine zone, elevation 650–7,000 ft. The unit spans a transition from boreal taiga (black spruce, birch, willow) in the lower drainages to open tundra and alpine ridges at higher elevations. Major river valleys include the Middle Fork Koyukuk (origin at confluence of Bettles and Dietrich Rivers), South Fork Koyukuk, Jim River, and Fish Creek. Terrain alternates between braided glacial river flats, marshy tussock tundra, and steep mountain slopes. The Great Kobuk Sand Dunes are NOT in this unit — Unit 24A is a Koyukuk watershed unit, not Kobuk Valley. The Dalton Highway and Trans-Alaska Pipeline corridor (DHCMA) bisect the eastern margin.

Access & public land

Primary access: floatplane from Bettles (scheduled service from Fairbanks) or from Coldfoot on the Dalton Highway. The Dalton Highway runs through/along the eastern edge of the unit, giving road access to the DHCMA corridor. Interior drainages require floatplane or packraft. Boat travel on the Koyukuk main stem connects downriver villages (Allakaket, Hughes). Winter travel by snowmachine is common. Public lands comprise roughly 87% of the unit. Federal lands include portions of Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, BLM-managed lands within the Dalton Highway Corridor Management Area (DHCMA), and other BLM lands. Gates of the Arctic National Park: sport hunting prohibited — subsistence only by rural qualified residents. Gates of the Arctic National Preserve: sport hunting permitted under state regulations.

Vegetation & habitat

Lower elevations: black spruce boreal forest, birch, alder, willow, tussock sedge tundra, and wet meadows along river floodplains. Mid-elevations: transition to open shrub tundra with dwarf birch, Labrador tea, and cottongrass. Alpine zones: rocky fell-fields, lichen mats, and scree above treeline. The area lies at the boundary between interior boreal forest and arctic tundra, giving it a mix of habitat types that support both moose (lowland riparian) and sheep (alpine) in the same unit.

Wildlife movement

Caribou from multiple herds — primarily the Western Arctic Caribou Herd (WACH) and mixing animals from adjacent herd ranges — move through Unit 24 drainages during fall and spring migrations. The WACH has declined significantly from a peak of ~490,000 (2003) to ~164,000 (2022) and ~121,000 (2025 estimate, 'Critical and Declining' status). Migration timing has shifted later (historically late August, now often November) and fewer animals cross the Koyukuk corridor than in previous decades. Moose are resident year-round across boreal lowlands and riparian zones. Dall sheep historically occupied alpine ridges of the central Brooks Range within 24A but population surveys show 70–75% declines from 2012 highs, prompting repeated closures on federal lands.

Notes

SUBSISTENCE PRIORITY: Unit 24A contains federally designated subsistence priority areas. Rural residents hold priority for subsistence hunting of all species under both state and federal frameworks. Non-rural residents and non-residents are subordinate when populations are limited. DHCMA RESTRICTIONS: Portions of Unit 24A within the Dalton Highway Corridor Management Area (DHCMA) carry additional restrictions — see ADF&G regulations pg. 104. AIRCRAFT RESTRICTIONS: The Koyukuk Controlled Use Area (portions of Unit 24) is closed to aircraft use for moose hunting; check station reporting required on the Koyukuk River. The Kanuti Controlled Use Area in Unit 24B (adjacent) similarly prohibits aircraft for moose. NON-RESIDENT MOOSE: Non-residents must take a bull with 50-inch antler spread OR 4+ brow tines on one side; Nonresident Moose Hunter Orientation course completion required, proof carried in field. NON-RESIDENT DALL SHEEP: Must be accompanied by an AK-licensed guide or AK resident 19+ within second degree of kindred. Ram horns from Unit 24A must be sealed within 30 days of kill. DALL SHEEP FEDERAL CLOSURE HISTORY: Federal public lands in Unit 24A were closed to Dall sheep hunting by ALL users for 2022–2024 due to severe population declines (population estimated at ~25% of 2012 survey levels). Closure driven by extended winters and rain-on-snow events. As of 2026–2027 state regulations, sheep hunting reopened with harvest ticket (HT) on state lands, but federal land status should be verified with BLM and NPS before hunting. GRIZZLY BEAR: Residents — one bear/year, season July 25–June 30, by permit available in Galena, Fairbanks, McGrath beginning July 8. Non-residents — one bear/year, Aug 10–June 30. MUSKOX: No open season in Unit 24A.

Sources

Species guides

caribou →moose →Dall sheep →grizzly bear →black bear →

Questions, tips & discussion

Ask anything about Unit 24A— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.

Nothing posted yet about Unit 24A.

Be the first — ask a question (“Best public access on the north end?”) or share a tip (“Glass the burn scars off the main ridge at first light”).

Boundaries: ADFG official Game Management Units. Community info last updated 24d ago.