Wrangell-St. Elias subsistence permits open July 20 for Units 11 and 12

Subsistence registration permits for hunts inside Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve became available Monday at two locations: the Copper Center Visitor Center, Mile 106.8 Richardson Highway, and the Slana Ranger Station. Both stations are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through September 20. Permits are also available at the Chitina Ranger Station on Saturdays, depending on staffing; call (907) 822-7250 to confirm. Hunters who call (907) 822-7250 one day ahead can have permits printed and ready to sign on arrival.

Permits cover moose in Unit 11 and portions of Unit 12, a goat hunt in Unit 11, the Chisana caribou herd in Unit 12, and sheep hunts for hunters 60 and older in Units 11 and 12. A separate permitting schedule will be issued for McCarthy and Kennecott residents.

The Chisana caribou hunt opens August 10 and closes September 30, or when the quota is reached. The harvest is limited to six bull caribou.

Who Qualifies

Applicants must be federally qualified subsistence users with a primary permanent residence in rural Alaska, and their community must be listed in the federal regulations booklet's customary and traditional use determination column for the intended species and location. Hunters seeking permits for National Park lands must also live in one of the park's 23 resident zone communities. Bring a state resident hunting license, a government-issued photo ID, and proof of physical address.

Access and Special Rules

The National Park Service noted that airplanes may be used to access the National Preserve for the purposes of subsistence harvest of fish and wildlife, but not the National Park. Special rules apply to the use of off-road vehicles in the Black Mountain area and at the end of the Tanada Lake Trail.

There is no federal registration permit for general sheep hunts in Units 11 and 12. Federally qualified hunters may harvest sheep under the federal harvest limit but must hold a state harvest ticket and comply with state reporting and horn sealing requirements.