Fish and game adds new hunting regulations

With hunting seasons just starting across the state of Alaska, hunters should be prepared for two new hunting requirements that will go into effect for non-resident moose hunters and both resident and non-resident goat hunters this year.

Hunters that fall into those two categories will be required to participate in an educational course on animal identification, trip planning and best meat care practices, and successfully complete the accompanying quiz before heading into the field. The new regulations were adopted at a March Board of Game meeting to help better educate hunters and prepare them to get the most out of their experience.

Non-resident moose hunters will be required to successfully pass the moose orientation quiz and carry proof of completion in the field. This new regulation is required for any non-resident hunters, to include those accompanying resident family members, booked through hunting guides and outfitters and those that plan to do their own do-it-yourself moose hunt.

The course and accompanying quiz cover best practices for meat care, identifying legal moose and what gear to carry into the field. Concerns were brought to the Board of Game that some nonresident hunters were not prepared for the difficulties that come with a successful moose hunt. The provided information is intended to educate those hunters and better prepare them to get the most from their experiences. Proof of quiz completion is required to be carried in the field during the hunt, either in paper copy or digitally.

“There’s always a concern that non-residents are not aware of what it takes to go moose hunting in Alaska,” ADFG Regulations Coordinator Natalie Weber said. “From the beginning with being prepared with what to have with you in the field, and then especially after you shoot a moose… Our moose are a lot bigger than a lot of the whitetail deer, or what have you, that non-residents are used to.”

All mountain goat hunters, both residents and non-residents, will be required to pass a mountain goat identification quiz this season. This includes those using a registered guide or outfitter or accompanying a resident family member.

The course places an emphasis on harvesting billies rather than nannies and explains why it is beneficial for goat populations long term. The course covers horn and body size characteristics of billies and nannies, as well as behavioral differences that will help hunters determine on whether a goat is a billy or a nanny. It also covers best practices on field judging in the mountains where goats live. Proof of successful completion of the quiz must be carried in the field on every hunt, in paper copy or digitally.

“Nannies have a greater impact on the trajectory of the population than the billies do, so if we really want to help folks make sure that they have the biggest hunting opportunity, that they can maximize that hunting opportunity for the future, we need to help them understand why it’s important to take those billies and how to judge the difference between the two,” Weber said.

ADFG has received mostly positive feedback on the new requirements so far, Weber said. Most hunters are happy to conduct best harvesting practices to ensure huntable populations into the future. The only negative feedback has been from some guides and outfitters that host non-resident, alien (out of country) hunters that have difficulty taking the course and quiz where English is not their first language. Weber said she anticipates some adjustments from the Board of Game in the future to accommodate those issues.

Courses and quizzes for moose and goat hunters can be found at hunt.alaska.gov Weber suggested that hunters that have successfully completed the course in the past take the quiz every year as a refresher. Any hunters that have further questions should contact their local ADFG office.