Alaska Game Management Unit 18: harvest, draw hunts, land and map
Unit 18 covers 45,454 square miles, by ADF&G's boundary file, in ADF&G Region V. ADF&G's interim harvest report counts 2,050 moose hunters in Unit 18 in the 2025 regulatory year, of whom 1,335 took one (65%). 72% of it is federal land in USGS PAD-US, the largest piece Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge (63%), and 1% is State of Alaska land. 3 drawing hunts reach into it; they drew 9,599 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)Bureau of Land ManagementState of AlaskaThis unitNeighboring unit lineHighway
| Size | 45,454 square miles (ADF&G) |
|---|---|
| ADF&G region | Region V |
| Moose, 2025 | 1,335 of 2,050 hunters took one (65%) |
| Muskox, 2025 | 34 of 34 hunters took one (100%) |
| Caribou, 2025 | 0 of 1 hunters took one (0%) |
| Federal land (PAD-US) | 72.1% |
| State land (PAD-US) | 1% |
| Largest public areas | Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge and BLM Anchorage Field Office |
| Drawing hunts | 3: DX003, DX001, DM612 |
| Communities | Akiak, Alakanuk, Bethel, Chefornak, Chevak and Eek and 33 more |
| Highways | None: access is by air, water or trail |
| Neighboring units | 17A, 17B, 19A, 19B, 21E, 22A |
How many moose do hunters take in Unit 18?
Unit 18 drew 2,050 moose hunters in 2025, 3rd of the 72 subunits with moose hunters. 1,335 of them took one (65%); 75% of the hunters were Alaska residents.
| Season | Hunters | Moose taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,055 | 873 | 42% | 1,862 | 157 | 740 | 130 |
| 2021 | 1,737 | 880 | 51% | 1,459 | 244 | 743 | 131 |
| 2022 | 1,818 | 983 | 54% | 1,517 | 281 | 832 | 146 |
| 2023 | 2,109 | 1,085 | 51% | 1,715 | 386 | 921 | 159 |
| 2024 | 2,161 | 1,213 | 56% | 1,732 | 426 | 1,045 | 166 |
| 2025 | 2,050 | 1,335 | 65% | 1,531 | 506 | 1,146 | 187 |
How moose hunters in 18 got to the field in 2025, by ADF&G's transportation report: boat 1,344 hunters (811 successful), airplane 312 hunters (263 successful), snowmachine 260 hunters (205 successful) and 3 or 4 wheeler 31 hunters (25 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 muskoxen do hunters take in Unit 18?
Unit 18 drew 34 muskox hunters in 2025, 1st of the 9 subunits with muskox hunters. 34 of them took one (100%); 100% of the hunters were Alaska residents.
| Season | Hunters | Muskox taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 41 | 41 | 100% | 36 | 5 | ||
| 2021 | 36 | 36 | 100% | 35 | 1 | ||
| 2022 | 49 | 48 | 98% | 47 | 2 | ||
| 2023 | 39 | 39 | 100% | 35 | 4 | ||
| 2024 | 28 | 27 | 96% | 25 | 3 | ||
| 2025 | 34 | 34 | 100% | 34 | 0 |
Source: ADF&G Harvest General Reports, muskox, 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 caribou do hunters take in Unit 18?
Unit 18 drew 1 caribou hunters in 2025, 50th of the 53 subunits with caribou hunters. 0 of them took one (0%); 0% of the hunters were Alaska residents.
| Season | Hunters | Caribou taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 79 | 12 | 15% | 63 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 | 1 | 33% | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 1 | ||
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 1 |
How caribou hunters in 18 got to the field in 2025, by ADF&G's transportation report: airplane 1 hunters (0 successful).
Source: ADF&G Harvest General Reports, caribou, 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 18?
Every ADF&G drawing hunt whose area includes Unit 18, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DX003 | muskox | Unit 18, Nunivak Island | 7,274 | 40 | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| DX001 | muskox | Unit 18, Nunivak Island | 1,740 | 5 | under 1% | 1% | 1% |
| DM612 | moose | Unit 18, Zone 1 (Residents Only) | 585 | 100 | 17% |
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 18?
USGS PAD-US maps 73.1% of Unit 18 as public or tribal land. By manager:
| Manager | Acres | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge (FWS) | 20,164,715 | 69.3% |
| Bureau of Land Management | 820,539 | 2.8% |
| State of Alaska | 280,135 | 1% |
| Not in PAD-US | 7,823,511 | 26.9% |
Named areas inside 18: Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge (18,430,710 acres, 63.4%), Togiak National Wildlife Refuge (1,650,180 acres, 5.7%), BLM Anchorage Field Office (820,812 acres, 2.8%) and State Patented (279,030 acres, 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 18 have special restrictions?
- Kalskag Controlled Use Area (controlled use area): Closed to the use of aircraft for hunting big game, including the transportation of big game hunters, their hunting gear, or parts of big game; however, this provision does not apply to the transportation of big game hunters, their hunting gear, or parts of big game by aircraft between publicly owned airports
Source: ADF&G areas with restrictions, GMU 18. Read the full boundary there before hunting near one.
What communities and roads are in Unit 18?
Census places inside 18: Akiak, Alakanuk, Bethel, Chefornak, Chevak, Eek, Emmonak, Goodnews Bay, Hooper Bay, Kotlik, Kwethluk, Marshall, Mekoryuk and Mountain Village and 25 more. No state or federal highway crosses it, so hunters reach it by plane, boat, snowmachine or on foot.
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 18?
ADF&G's interim harvest report counts 1,335 moose reported from Unit 18 in the 2025 regulatory year, by 2,050 hunters. From 2020 to 2025 the yearly count of successful hunters ran from 873 (2020) to 1,335 (2025).
Who manages the land in Unit 18?
USGS PAD-US maps 72.1% of Unit 18 as federal land and 1% as State of Alaska land; the largest named areas are Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge (63%), Togiak National Wildlife Refuge (6%) and BLM Anchorage Field Office (3%). The rest is land PAD-US does not list, mostly private and Alaska Native corporation land.
What drawing hunts are in Unit 18?
DX003 (muskox, 7,274 applications in 2025), DX001 (muskox, 1,740 applications in 2025) and DM612 (moose, 585 applications in 2025), by ADF&G's results of the 2025 drawing.
Do nonresidents need a guide in Unit 18?
Only for brown bear, Dall sheep and mountain goat: 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 18?
Yes. ADF&G lists Kalskag Controlled Use Area in Unit 18.
Get an Alaska hunt plan when they open
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Use the map while you wait for your plan.
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.
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