Alaska Game Management Unit 15A: harvest, draw hunts, land and map
Unit 15A covers 1,883 square miles, by ADF&G's boundary file, in ADF&G Region II. ADF&G's interim harvest report counts 644 moose hunters in Unit 15A in the 2025 regulatory year, of whom 76 took one (12%). 52% of it is federal land in USGS PAD-US, the largest piece Kenai National Wildlife Refuge (51%), and 3% is State of Alaska land. 1 drawing hunt reaches into it; it drew 2,468 applications in ADF&G's 2025 drawing.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: ADF&G interim harvest reports, regulatory years 2020 to 2025. Drawing: ADF&G's 2023 to 2025 results. Land: USGS PAD-US 4.1.
National wildlife refuge (FWS)State of AlaskaThis unitNeighboring unit lineHighway
| Size | 1,883 square miles (ADF&G) |
|---|---|
| ADF&G region | Region II |
| Moose, 2025 | 76 of 644 hunters took one (12%) |
| Dall sheep, 2025 | 0 of 4 hunters took one (0%) |
| Federal land (PAD-US) | 51.5% |
| State land (PAD-US) | 2.9% |
| Largest public areas | Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and State Land Disposals - Municipal Purposes |
| Drawing hunts | 1: DS150 |
| Communities | Kenai, Soldotna, Nikiski, Point Possession, Ridgeway and Salamatof and 1 more |
| Highways | Sterling Hwy (40 mi), Hwy 1 (40 mi) and F-21 (3 mi) |
| Neighboring units | 7, 14A, 14C, 15B, 16B |
How many moose do hunters take in Unit 15A?
Unit 15A drew 644 moose hunters in 2025, 14th of the 72 subunits with moose hunters. 76 of them took one (12%); 98% of the hunters were Alaska residents.
| Season | Hunters | Moose taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 597 | 66 | 11% | 594 | 3 | 66 | 0 |
| 2021 | 512 | 62 | 12% | 493 | 3 | 62 | 0 |
| 2022 | 631 | 42 | 7% | 625 | 6 | 41 | 1 |
| 2023 | 582 | 37 | 6% | 578 | 2 | 37 | 0 |
| 2024 | 592 | 43 | 7% | 588 | 2 | 43 | 0 |
| 2025 | 644 | 76 | 12% | 634 | 6 | 75 | 0 |
How moose hunters in 15A got to the field in 2025, by ADF&G's transportation report: highway vehicle 372 hunters (38 successful), 3 or 4 wheeler 90 hunters (15 successful), offroad vehicle 56 hunters (9 successful) and boat 41 hunters (4 successful).
Source: ADF&G Harvest General Reports, moose, reports 330 (success by residency), 130 (sex of the harvest) and 390 (transportation), regulatory years 2020 to 2025. A regulatory year runs July 1 to June 30. ADF&G labels these reports interim: late hunt reports can still change them.
How many Dall sheep do hunters take in Unit 15A?
Unit 15A drew 4 sheep hunters in 2025, 28th of the 34 subunits with sheep hunters. 0 of them took one (0%); 100% of the hunters were Alaska residents.
| Season | Hunters | Dall sheep taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2024 | 3 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2025 | 4 | 0 | 0% | 4 | 0 |
How sheep hunters in 15A got to the field in 2025, by ADF&G's transportation report: highway vehicle 3 hunters (0 successful) and boat 1 hunters (0 successful).
Source: ADF&G Harvest General Reports, sheep, reports 330 (success by residency), 130 (sex of the harvest) and 390 (transportation), regulatory years 2020 to 2025. A regulatory year runs July 1 to June 30. ADF&G labels these reports interim: late hunt reports can still change them.
What drawing hunts reach Unit 15A?
Every ADF&G drawing hunt whose area includes Unit 15A, with ADF&G's results of its last three drawings. "% drawn" is ADF&G's own figure; one hunter can send several applications.
| Hunt | Species | Hunt area | Applications, 2025 | Permits, 2025 | % drawn, 2025 | % drawn, 2024 | % drawn, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DS150 | sheep | Unit 7; and 15A, Round Mountain Full curl only | 2,468 | 1 | under 1% |
Source: ADF&G Drawing Permit Hunt Supplements, "Results of the Permit Hunt Drawing" for 2023, 2024, 2025. Hunt areas: ADF&G's hunting maps list of drawing hunts.
Who manages the land in Unit 15A?
USGS PAD-US maps 54.3% of Unit 15A as public or tribal land. By manager:
| Manager | Acres | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge (FWS) | 618,069 | 51.3% |
| State of Alaska | 34,716 | 2.9% |
| Bureau of Land Management | 1,061 | 0.1% |
| National forest (USFS) | 699 | 0.1% |
| Not in PAD-US | 550,690 | 45.7% |
Named areas inside 15A: Kenai National Wildlife Refuge (618,069 acres, 51.3%) and State Land Disposals - Municipal Purposes (25,909 acres, 2.1%).
Source: USGS PAD-US 4.1, fee land by manager, measured inside ADF&G's boundary by FilledTag.
Federal law sets what each kind of land allows. A national preserve in Alaska is run like a national park except that sport hunting, subsistence hunting and trapping are allowed (16 U.S.C. 3201); national park and monument land is closed to sport hunting. On federal public land, rural Alaska residents can also hunt under federal subsistence rules, and the Federal Subsistence Board can close federal land to other hunters for a species. Land PAD-US does not map is mostly private, including Alaska Native corporation land, and needs the owner's permission.
Which areas of Unit 15A have special restrictions?
- Kenai Moose Research Center Closed Area (areas closed to hunting): Closed to hunting
- Moose River Closed Area (areas closed to hunting): Closed to the taking of waterfowl
- Kenai Controlled Use Area (controlled use area): Closed to use of aircraft for hunting moose, including the transportation of a moose hunters, their hunting gear, or parts of moose; however, this provision does not apply after 12:01 a.m., September 11, and does not apply to the transportation of a moose hunters, their hunting gear, or parts of moose by aircraft to or from a publicly owned airport
- Skilak Loop Wildlife Management Area (management area): Closed to hunting and trapping, except that moose may be taken by permit only and small game may be taken by falconry or bow and arrow only from October 1 through March 1. Youth hunters 17 years old or younger may hunt small game with standard .22 caliber rimfire firearm, crossbow, or shotgun only, from August 10 through March 31. Youth hunters must be accompanied by a licensed hunter 21 years old or older who has su...
- Unit 15A, Kenai Moose Research Center Closed Area (management area): Closed to trapping
Source: ADF&G areas with restrictions, GMU 15. Read the full boundary there before hunting near one.
What communities and roads are in Unit 15A?
Census places inside 15A: Kenai, Soldotna, Nikiski, Point Possession, Ridgeway, Salamatof and Sterling. Highways in the unit: Sterling Hwy (40 miles), Hwy 1 (40 miles) and F-21 (3 miles).
Communities and highways: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line and Gazetteer 2024.
Do nonresidents need a guide in Alaska?
For three species, yes. ADF&G's 2026-2027 drawing supplement: "Nonresidents who are citizens of the United States are required to be personally accompanied in the field by an Alaska-licensed guide OR an Alaska resident relative 19 years of age or older within the second-degree of kindred when hunting brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, or mountain goat." Nonresidents who are not U.S. citizens need a licensed guide for those and for every other big game species, by ADF&G's guide requirements. Moose, caribou, black bear, bison, muskox, elk and deer need no guide for a nonresident U.S. citizen.
Questions hunters ask
How many moose are taken in Unit 15A?
ADF&G's interim harvest report counts 76 moose reported from Unit 15A in the 2025 regulatory year, by 644 hunters. From 2020 to 2025 the yearly count of successful hunters ran from 37 (2023) to 76 (2025).
Who manages the land in Unit 15A?
USGS PAD-US maps 51.5% of Unit 15A as federal land and 2.9% as State of Alaska land; the largest named areas are Kenai National Wildlife Refuge (51%) and State Land Disposals - Municipal Purposes (2%). The rest is land PAD-US does not list, mostly private and Alaska Native corporation land.
What drawing hunts are in Unit 15A?
DS150 (sheep, 2,468 applications in 2025), by ADF&G's results of the 2025 drawing.
Do nonresidents need a guide in Unit 15A?
For Dall sheep, hunted in Unit 15A, yes: ADF&G requires nonresidents to be accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide or an Alaska resident relative 19 or older within the second degree of kindred for brown bear, Dall sheep and mountain goat. Nonresidents who are not U.S. citizens need a guide for all big game.
Are there closed or controlled use areas in Unit 15A?
Yes. ADF&G lists Kenai Moose Research Center Closed Area, Moose River Closed Area, Kenai Controlled Use Area, Skilak Loop Wildlife Management Area and Unit 15A, Kenai Moose Research Center Closed Area in Unit 15A.
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, hunters and success: ADF&G Harvest General Reports, interim, regulatory years 2020 to 2025; each table checked against ADF&G's printed totals.
- Drawing results: ADF&G 2026-2027 Drawing Permit Hunt Supplement and the two before it. Restrictions: ADF&G areas with restrictions.
- Boundary: ADF&G Game Management Subunits. Land: USGS PAD-US. Communities and highways: U.S. Census Bureau.
FilledTag is not part of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. ADF&G's regulations and emergency orders are the final word.
Alaska hunting Unit 15 Unit 7 Unit 14A Unit 14C Unit 15B Unit 16B