Wrangell’s moose season opened last week. The one-month window runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.
Those hunting on Wrangell, neighboring islands and the mainland are permitted to harvest one bull this fall. There are no regulation changes from last hunting season, and Frank Robbins, Petersburg-Wrangell area biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, said he has not seen any notable changes to the health of the central Southeast herd.
Last year’s Petersburg-Wrangell area harvest was a record 141 moose, exceeding the previous high of 132 in 2021. Over the past five years, the average harvest has been 127 moose, Robbins said. He expects this year’s tally will be similar to 2024.
To be legal for hunting, a moose bull must either have spike fork antlers or 50-inch antlers. Bulls boasting antlers with either three brow tines on one side or two brow tines on both sides are also eligible for harvest. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game provides diagrams explaining harvest legality at http://hunt.alaska.gov. The department encourages all hunters to get a head-on view of any moose before they shoot.
All hunting is by permit only and hunters are required to always carry their state hunting license and permit. Robbins said it’s important that hunters also acquire a permit for area RM038, which encompasses the islands and mainland around Wrangell. The permit is free and can be found online at Fish and Game.
Nonresidents must pay an additional $800 for a moose tag in addition to higher hunting license fees.
The month-long window is the same for both residents and nonresidents as well as for bow hunters and rifle hunters.
Fish and Game urges moose hunters to be safe and to remember that “the most important thing to keep in mind is that moose are huge.”
The department estimates that most successful hunters will have between 400 and 700 pounds of meat to harvest, so it is important to establish an easily accessible location for hunting and bringing the meat back out.
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