Alaska Game Management Unit 20A: harvest, draw hunts, land and map
Unit 20A covers 6,797 square miles, by ADF&G's boundary file, in ADF&G Region III. ADF&G's interim harvest report counts 1,746 moose hunters in Unit 20A in the 2025 regulatory year, of whom 456 took one (26%). 20% of it is federal land in USGS PAD-US, the largest piece Fort Wainwright (15%), and 64% is State of Alaska land. 16 drawing hunts reach into it; they drew 42,111 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.
Bureau of Land ManagementOther federal landState of AlaskaThis unitNeighboring unit lineHighway
| Size | 6,797 square miles (ADF&G) |
|---|---|
| ADF&G region | Region III |
| Moose, 2025 | 456 of 1,746 hunters took one (26%) |
| Dall sheep, 2025 | 63 of 194 hunters took one (32%) |
| Caribou, 2025 | 54 of 102 hunters took one (53%) |
| Federal land (PAD-US) | 20.4% |
| State land (PAD-US) | 63.8% |
| Largest public areas | State Tentatively Approved, Fort Wainwright and State Patented |
| Drawing hunts | 16: DC827, DM770, DS203, DS204, DM769, DC826 and more |
| Communities | Anderson, Nenana, Denali Park, Ferry, Healy and Whitestone |
| Highways | Parks Hwy (49 mi), Anchorage Fairbanks Hwy (5 mi) and AK Rte 3 (5 mi) |
| Neighboring units | 13B, 13E, 20B, 20C, 20D |
How many moose do hunters take in Unit 20A?
Unit 20A drew 1,746 moose hunters in 2025, 4th of the 72 subunits with moose hunters. 456 of them took one (26%); 90% of the hunters were Alaska residents.
| Season | Hunters | Moose taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,740 | 623 | 36% | 1,614 | 120 | 557 | 65 |
| 2021 | 1,751 | 518 | 30% | 1,587 | 163 | 466 | 47 |
| 2022 | 1,574 | 469 | 30% | 1,418 | 155 | 469 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1,534 | 430 | 28% | 1,367 | 167 | 428 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1,640 | 434 | 26% | 1,473 | 167 | 434 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1,746 | 456 | 26% | 1,563 | 183 | 456 | 0 |
How moose hunters in 20A got to the field in 2025, by ADF&G's transportation report: 3 or 4 wheeler 553 hunters (149 successful), boat 383 hunters (66 successful), airplane 347 hunters (115 successful) and offroad vehicle 228 hunters (67 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 20A?
Unit 20A drew 194 sheep hunters in 2025, 2nd of the 34 subunits with sheep hunters. 63 of them took one (32%); 69% of the hunters were Alaska residents. ADF&G's sex table places the 2025 harvest in Alaska Range East (63) (mountain ranges).
| Season | Hunters | Dall sheep taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 251 | 66 | 26% | 188 | 63 | 66 | 0 |
| 2021 | 191 | 49 | 26% | 144 | 47 | 49 | 0 |
| 2022 | 156 | 39 | 25% | 109 | 47 | 39 | 0 |
| 2023 | 157 | 43 | 27% | 115 | 42 | 43 | 0 |
| 2024 | 190 | 46 | 24% | 140 | 50 | 46 | 0 |
| 2025 | 194 | 63 | 32% | 133 | 53 | 63 | 0 |
How sheep hunters in 20A got to the field in 2025, by ADF&G's transportation report: airplane 75 hunters (37 successful), highway vehicle 45 hunters (9 successful), 3 or 4 wheeler 43 hunters (11 successful) and offroad vehicle 10 hunters (1 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.
How many caribou do hunters take in Unit 20A?
Unit 20A drew 102 caribou hunters in 2025, 14th of the 53 subunits with caribou hunters. 54 of them took one (53%); 77% of the hunters were Alaska residents. ADF&G's sex table places the 2025 harvest in Delta (54) (herds).
| Season | Hunters | Caribou taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 121 | 60 | 50% | 103 | 18 | 56 | 4 |
| 2021 | 113 | 74 | 65% | 82 | 31 | 73 | 1 |
| 2022 | 107 | 71 | 66% | 82 | 25 | 71 | 0 |
| 2023 | 100 | 59 | 59% | 70 | 30 | 59 | 0 |
| 2024 | 102 | 57 | 56% | 68 | 34 | 57 | 0 |
| 2025 | 102 | 54 | 53% | 79 | 23 | 53 | 1 |
How caribou hunters in 20A got to the field in 2025, by ADF&G's transportation report: airplane 44 hunters (28 successful), 3 or 4 wheeler 26 hunters (12 successful), offroad vehicle 14 hunters (6 successful) and highway vehicle 10 hunters (4 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 20A?
Every ADF&G drawing hunt whose area includes Unit 20A, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC827 | caribou | Unit 20A, Central Alaska Range (Residents Only) | 15,550 | 149 | 1% | ||
| DM770 | moose | Unit 20A, Western Mtns. (Residents Only) | 5,088 | 40 | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| DS203 | sheep | Unit 20D, 13B, and 20A, Delta Controlled Use Area (Residents Only) | 4,607 | 42 | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| DS204 | sheep | Unit 20D, 13B, and 20A, Delta Controlled Use Area (Residents Only) | 3,737 | 34 | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| DM769 | moose | Unit 20A, Central Tanana Flats (Residents Only) | 2,655 | 225 | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| DC826 | caribou | Unit 20A, Central Alaska Range (Nonresidents Nonguided Only) | 2,353 | 13 | 1% | ||
| DM768 | moose | Unit 20A, Western Tanana Flats (Residents Only) | 1,626 | 25 | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| DM772 | moose | Unit 20A, East Central Tanana Flats and Mtns. (Residents Only) | 1,323 | 225 | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| DC828 | caribou | Unit 20A, Central Alaska Range (Nonresidents Guided Only) | 1,224 | 13 | 1% | ||
| DM771 | moose | Unit 20A, Central Mtns. (Residents Only) | 1,051 | 65 | 6% | 4% | 6% |
| DM773 | moose | Unit 20A, Eastern Tanana Flats and Mtns. (Residents Only) | 1,038 | 20 | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| DM774 | moose | Unit 20A, Yanert CUA (Residents Only) | 873 | 30 | 3% | 4% | 4% |
| DM766 | moose | Unit 20A, Wood River CUA, East Central (Certified Muzzleloader Hunters Only) | 469 | 65 | 14% | 19% | 22% |
| DS003 | sheep | Unit 20D, 13B, and 20A, Delta Controlled Use Area (Nonresidents guided by resident relatives Only) | 381 | 1 | under 1% | under 1% | under 1% |
| DS205 | sheep | Unit 20D, 13B, and 20A, Delta Controlled Use Area (Nonresidents Guided Only) | 84 | 4 | 5% | 17% | 58% |
| DS207 | sheep | Unit 20D, 13B, and 20A, Delta Controlled Use Area (Nonresidents Guided Only) | 52 | 3 | 6% |
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 20A?
USGS PAD-US maps 84.2% of Unit 20A as public or tribal land. By manager:
| Manager | Acres | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| State of Alaska | 2,752,904 | 63.8% |
| Other federal land | 658,037 | 15.2% |
| Bureau of Land Management | 224,958 | 5.2% |
| Not in PAD-US | 680,039 | 15.8% |
Named areas inside 20A: State Tentatively Approved (2,247,624 acres, 52.1%), Fort Wainwright (646,683 acres, 15%), State Patented (453,198 acres, 10.5%), BLM Glennallen Field Office (212,304 acres, 4.9%) and State Land Disposals - Other Than Municipal (45,704 acres, 1.1%).
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 20A have special restrictions?
- Delta Controlled Use Area (controlled use area): Closed to the use of any motorized vehicle or pack animal for big game hunting, including the transportation of big game hunters, their hunting gear, or parts of big game from August 5 through August 25; however, this provision does not prohibit motorized access, or transportation of game, on the Richardson Highway, or the use of aircraft to and from the Charlie Boyd airstrip (63° 29' 30N. lat., 144° 50' 45"W. long.)...
- Wood River Controlled Use Area (controlled use area): The area is closed to the use of any motorized vehicle except aircraft for big game hunting, including the transportation of big game hunters, their hunting gear, or parts of big game, from August 1 through September 30; however, this provision does not prohibit motorized access via, or transportation of game on, the Parks Highway; or the transportation into the area of game meat that has been processed for human con...
- Yanert Controlled Use Area (controlled use area): The area is closed to the use of any motorized vehicle, except aircraft, for big game hunting, including the transportation of big game hunters, their hunting gear, or parts of big game; however, this provision does not prohibit motorized access, or transportation of game, on the Parks Highway, or the transportation into the area of game meat that has been processed for human consumption.
- Ferry Trail Management Area (management area): Caribou hunting by permit only
- Healy-Lignite Management Area (management area): Open to hunting by bow and arrow only;
Source: ADF&G areas with restrictions, GMU 20. Read the full boundary there before hunting near one.
What communities and roads are in Unit 20A?
Census places inside 20A: Anderson, Nenana, Denali Park, Ferry, Healy and Whitestone. Highways in the unit: Parks Hwy (49 miles), Anchorage Fairbanks Hwy (5 miles) and AK Rte 3 (5 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 20A?
ADF&G's interim harvest report counts 456 moose reported from Unit 20A in the 2025 regulatory year, by 1,746 hunters. From 2020 to 2025 the yearly count of successful hunters ran from 430 (2023) to 623 (2020).
Who manages the land in Unit 20A?
USGS PAD-US maps 20.4% of Unit 20A as federal land and 63.8% as State of Alaska land; the largest named areas are State Tentatively Approved (52%), Fort Wainwright (15%) and State Patented (11%). The rest is land PAD-US does not list, mostly private and Alaska Native corporation land.
What drawing hunts are in Unit 20A?
DC827 (caribou, 15,550 applications in 2025), DM770 (moose, 5,088 applications in 2025), DS203 (sheep, 4,607 applications in 2025), DS204 (sheep, 3,737 applications in 2025), DM769 (moose, 2,655 applications in 2025), DC826 (caribou, 2,353 applications in 2025), DM768 (moose, 1,626 applications in 2025) and DM772 (moose, 1,323 applications in 2025), and 8 more, by ADF&G's results of the 2025 drawing.
Do nonresidents need a guide in Unit 20A?
For Dall sheep, hunted in Unit 20A, 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 20A?
Yes. ADF&G lists Delta Controlled Use Area, Wood River Controlled Use Area, Yanert Controlled Use Area, Ferry Trail Management Area and Healy-Lignite Management Area in Unit 20A.
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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 20 Unit 13B Unit 13E Unit 20B Unit 20C Unit 20D