Bear hunting season in Alaska 2026 does not follow one calendar. Some units never close for black bear, while others open for brown bears only in certain months or only by permit. The state’s rules run on a regulatory year, so what you can legally take depends on the unit, your residency, and which bear you are after.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) publishes the rules that apply to you. According to ADF&G, the 2026-2027 hunting regulations are effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. This article walks you through each rule category in the order you will need it. Check the unit page for your exact hunt before you go.
Bear Hunting Season Dates in Alaska 2026
Alaska’s bear seasons are set unit by unit, so there is no single statewide opener. According to ADF&G, Unit 12 has no closed season for black bear, with a three-bear limit. Brown bear in the same unit runs August 10 to June 30 for residents.
Other units are tighter. In Unit 6, ADF&G lists black bear in 6A and 6B opening August 20 and September 1 respectively through June 30, while 6D black bear is by permit from September 10 to June 10.
| Unit | Black Bear | Brown/Grizzly Bear |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 6A | Aug 20-Jun 30, one bear | Sept 1-Jun 10, one bear every regulatory year |
| Unit 12 | No closed season, three bears | Aug 10-Jun 30 (residents), two bears every regulatory year |
| Unit 13 | No closed season, three bears (five in 13D) | Aug 10-Jun 15 (13E), two bears every regulatory year |
| Unit 24 | No closed season, three bears | Varies by subunit, July 25 or Aug 10 through June 30 |
Read the unit table before you commit to a hunt. Dates above come from ADF&G’s 2026-2027 unit pages, and some units carry extra restrictions or closed areas.
Bear Season by Weapon and Method in Alaska: Archery, Muzzleloader and Firearm
Alaska does not split general bear seasons into separate archery, muzzleloader, and firearm windows the way many states do. The unit season applies, and you choose a legal method within it. That means a bowhunter and a rifle hunter in Unit 12 share the same dates.
Method restrictions come from the unit. For example, ADF&G says black bears may not be taken from a boat in Unit 6D. Some areas, such as Denali State Park, add weapon limits and bar bear hunting over bait.
Spring Bear Season in Alaska
Spring is a real hunting window here, and in many units it is just the tail end of a long general season. ADF&G lists Unit 6 brown bear permit hunts that run April 1 to May 25 in the spring portion, and Unit 1 brown bear spring hunts that open March 15 and run to May 31 by permit.
Some spring brown bear hunts alternate by year. ADF&G’s Unit 9 page says certain brown bear hunts are open only in fall of odd-numbered years and spring of even-numbered years. Since 2026 is an even year, spring hunts in those areas fall in 2026.
Pro Tip: Many permit hunts open for application well before the season. Look up the permit number for your hunt on hunt.alaska.gov and note the date it becomes available.
Bear Hunting Zones, Units and Management Areas in Alaska
Alaska is divided into numbered Game Management Units (GMUs), and every bear rule hangs off the unit number. Each unit has its own page in the ADF&G regulations covering seasons, bag limits, and special instructions.
Many units also contain restricted areas. ADF&G notes the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary in Unit 9 is closed to all hunting, and the surrounding refuge is closed to taking brown bear. Unit 1 has areas closed to taking any bear. Controlled use areas, like the Tok Management Area in Unit 12, add their own transport and access rules.
Bear Hunting License, Tag and Permit Requirements in Alaska
You need a valid Alaska hunting license to hunt bears, and some hunts need a permit or locking tag on top of it. According to ADF&G, big game locking-tags are part of the bear rules, though some brown bear hunts say no resident locking-tag is required, including in Unit 13.
Permits come in several types. The unit pages use codes such as RB for registration brown bear hunts, DB for drawing brown bear hunts, and RL for black bear permit hunts. Many are available online at hunt.alaska.gov or in person at listed ADF&G offices.
- Resident brown bear subsistence hunts use a registration permit.
- Some black bear hunts, like 6D, require a permit.
- Nonresidents using an Alaska-licensed guide in some Unit 4 hunts must obtain a registration permit.
Bear Permit Draws and Lotteries in Alaska
Alaska uses drawing permits for limited-entry bear hunts, and the permit number begins with DB for brown bear or DL for black bear drawings. HuntingSeason.com’s listing, drawn from ADF&G data, shows nonresident drawing hunts in Unit 2 for black bear without a guide and a drawing hunt DB077 for brown bear in Unit 1.
Not every permit is a lottery. Many are first-come registration permits that you pick up online or at an office. Look at the permit code for your hunt: a DB or DL code means a draw, while RB or RL means registration.
Nonresident Bear Hunting in Alaska
Here is the answer to the question in the title. According to ADF&G’s unit pages, nonresident hunters must be accompanied by a guide to hunt brown/grizzly bear. This line appears repeatedly across the units, including Unit 24 and Unit 26.
Black bear is different. Nonresidents can hunt black bear without a guide in most units, and a few units are open to nonresidents only or limit nonresident bag limits. Unit 1 lists a one-bear limit for nonresidents versus two for residents.
Pro Tip: If you plan a nonresident brown bear trip, book your registered guide first. Many permits and hunt structures are tied to guided hunting.
Bear Bag Limit and Harvest Quota in Alaska
Bag limits vary widely by unit and species. For brown bears, ADF&G says limits are either one bear every four regulatory years or one bear every regulatory year, depending on where you hunt. Unit 13, for example, lists two bears every regulatory year for residents.
The four-year rule has a cross-over provision. If you kill a bear in a one-every-four-years area, you cannot take a bear in another four-year area until the period ends, but ADF&G’s regulations describe how that interacts with one-every-year areas. A wounded brown bear counts toward your limit for the regulatory year, as stated in the Unit 6 regulations.
| Bear Type | Typical Bag Limit Range | Where It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| Black bear | One to five bears | Depends on unit and residency |
| Brown/grizzly bear | One every four years to two every year | Depends on unit and permit |
Baiting Rules for Bear Hunting in Alaska
Baiting black bears is legal in designated areas, but you must follow registration and equipment rules. ADF&G’s regulations include a list of areas open for bear baiting with dates, plus requirements for bait station equipment like barrels, tree stands, and game cameras.
Baiting is not allowed everywhere. ADF&G states that hunting bears over bait is prohibited in the Denali State Park portion of Unit 13. Brown bears cannot generally be taken at a bait station. The state’s regulations also address taking a wolf at a bear bait station during an open wolf season.
Important Note: Bait station rules include registration, labeling, and removal requirements that vary by area. Read the baiting section of the ADF&G bear regulations before setting any station.
Hunting Bears with Hounds in Alaska
Alaska’s published bear regulations focus on baiting, salvage, and sealing, and they do not describe a hound hunting season for bears. If you plan to use dogs, confirm the method against the current ADF&G regulations and the specific unit page before you hunt.
Legal Weapons and Methods for Bear Hunting in Alaska
Rifles, handguns, bows, and muzzleloaders are all used by Alaska bear hunters, with unit rules adding limits. Method restrictions in the unit pages cover vehicles and boats. In Unit 4, for instance, ADF&G restricts the use of motorized land vehicles for brown bear hunting, including transporting hunters and gear.
Some areas ban motorized transport during bear hunting windows. The Unit 26 and Unit 13 pages describe seasonal restrictions on motorized vehicles for hunting, with exceptions for certain highway access and species.
Legal Bears and Protected Bears in Alaska
Alaska allows the take of black bears and brown/grizzly bears in open areas, but protected situations exist. According to ADF&G, Unit 1 prohibits taking a white-colored black bear in Units 1C and 1D, and limits take of blue or glacier bears to one of the two-bear limit.
Closed areas protect all bears. Parts of Unit 1 are closed to taking any bear, including near Anan Creek Lagoon. The McNeil River sanctuary is closed to all hunting.
Youth and Special Bear Hunts in Alaska
The ADF&G bear regulations do not list a separate youth bear season. Special hunts here are mainly the subsistence registration permits for residents. For example, ADF&G lists Unit 24 resident registration hunts, available in Galena, Fairbanks, and McGrath beginning July 8.
Youth hunters still follow the general unit season and need the right license and tags. Anyone age 16 or older needs a hunting license.
Where to Hunt Bear in Alaska: Public and Private Land
Much of Alaska’s bear country is state or federal land open to hunting, but each ownership type has rules. Some areas carry federal restrictions. The Unit 26 page flags that federal restrictions may apply and refers hunters to the federal section of the regulations.
Know your boundaries. Sanctuaries, game refuges, and parks can close to hunting or to bear hunting specifically. Private land, including Native corporation land, requires landowner permission and may have its own access permits.
Best Time to Hunt Bear in Alaska
Fall and spring both produce bears. According to ADF&G’s where and when to hunt guidance summarized in search results, bears may be taken in either fall or spring in some locations. Many hunters favor spring, when bears leave dens and feed on fresh green-up, and late summer into fall, when bears feed heavily before denning.
One outfitter guide says most hunting happens between August and October when conditions are most favorable. Treat that as general advice, not a rule, since your unit’s season sets the real window.
Bear Hunting Hours, Sunday Hunting and Blaze Orange in Alaska
Alaska has no Sunday hunting ban for bears and no statewide blaze orange requirement published in the bear regulations. Seasons run on calendar dates through the week, and weekend hunting follows the same unit dates.
Check the bear and general sections of the ADF&G regulations for any shooting-hour or aircraft-related restrictions that apply to your hunt. Same-day-airborne and transport rules are common traps in remote units.
Tagging, Check-In and Reporting a Bear in Alaska
Alaska requires you to prove sex and, for brown bears, to have the animal sealed. ADF&G’s unit pages say evidence of sex must remain naturally attached to the hide for bears. ADF&G’s general rules call for the hide with claws attached and the skull of a brown/grizzly bear to be presented for sealing.
Salvage rules apply to black bears too. ADF&G’s regulations include black bear salvage requirements and a requirement to write your hunting license number on certain items. Nonresident brown bear hunters should expect the sealing officer to ask questions about the hunt.
- Keep evidence of sex naturally attached to the hide.
- Keep the hide with claws and the skull of a brown bear together.
- Take them to an ADF&G sealing officer.
- Follow black bear salvage rules for meat and hide.
Bear Hunting Season in Alaska 2026: Frequently Asked Questions
When Does Bear Season Open in Alaska?
It depends on the unit. Several units have no closed season for black bear, and others open August 10, August 20, September 1, or September 15. Check your unit page in the ADF&G regulations.
Do Nonresidents Need a Guide for Black Bear?
The guide requirement in the unit pages applies to brown/grizzly bear. Nonresident black bear hunters are generally not required to use a guide, but unit rules vary.
How Many Bears Can You Take?
Limits range by unit and species. Brown bear limits are one every four regulatory years or one every regulatory year in most units, with some units allowing two per regulatory year for residents. Black bear limits run higher in many interior units.
Can You Bait Bears in Alaska?
Black bear baiting is allowed in designated areas with registration and equipment rules. It is prohibited in places like Denali State Park.
Do You Need to Seal a Bear?
Brown/grizzly bear hides with claws attached and the skull must be sealed by an ADF&G officer. Black bear salvage and evidence-of-sex rules also apply.
For other Alaska hunts, see our guides to turkey hunting season in Alaska, rabbit hunting season in Alaska, and rifle deer season in Alaska.