This year's Unit 18 September subsistence moose hunt on the Kanektok River will be open to all qualified state subsistence hunters, even inside the federally managed wildlife refuge lands.
The Federal Subsistence Board voted to take the special action last week. The board expanded the boundaries of the portion of the Unit 18 hunt area around the Kanektok River to match the existing state hunt area. At the same time, it lifted federal rules limiting the hunt to local rural residents. That means that the hunt will operate under state rules beginning Sept. 1 and ending Sept. 30, with hunting open to all Alaskans regardless of where they live.
The board delegated its authority to reinstate federal rules to the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge Manager if there are conservation problems or social needs raised by excessive hunting pressure during September’s moose opening. In a press release, the board noted that the temporary change “unifies State and Federal regulations.”
The Federal Subsistence Board will meet again in April to consider making these changes to the subsistence moose hunt in Unit 18 permanent.
The post has been corrected to specify the Kanektok River as the area that's open to all qualified subsistence hunters.