Alaska Game Management Unit 20D: harvest, draw hunts, land and map
Unit 20D covers 5,642 square miles, by ADF&G's boundary file, in ADF&G Region III. ADF&G's interim harvest report counts 1,044 moose hunters in Unit 20D in the 2025 regulatory year, of whom 176 took one (17%). 5% of it is federal land in USGS PAD-US, the largest piece BLM Eastern Interior Field Office (4%), and 78% is State of Alaska land. 12 drawing hunts reach into it; they drew 50,774 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 ManagementState of AlaskaThis unitNeighboring unit lineHighway
| Size | 5,642 square miles (ADF&G) |
|---|---|
| ADF&G region | Region III |
| Moose, 2025 | 176 of 1,044 hunters took one (17%) |
| Caribou, 2025 | 40 of 201 hunters took one (20%) |
| Dall sheep, 2025 | 14 of 52 hunters took one (27%) |
| Bison, 2025 | 28 of 32 hunters took one (88%) |
| Federal land (PAD-US) | 4.9% |
| State land (PAD-US) | 77.8% |
| Largest public areas | State Tentatively Approved, Tanana Valley State Forest and State Patented |
| Drawing hunts | 12: DI403, DS203, DS102, DS204, DM790, DS206 and more |
| Communities | Delta Junction, Big Delta, Deltana, Dot Lake, Dot Lake Village and Dry Creek and 2 more |
| Highways | State Hwy 2 (101 mi), Alaska Hwy (75 mi), Richardson Hwy (69 mi) and AK Rte 4 (41 mi) |
| Neighboring units | 12, 13B, 13C, 20A, 20B, 20E |
How many moose do hunters take in Unit 20D?
Unit 20D drew 1,044 moose hunters in 2025, 7th of the 72 subunits with moose hunters. 176 of them took one (17%); 91% of the hunters were Alaska residents.
| Season | Hunters | Moose taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 924 | 227 | 25% | 855 | 63 | 204 | 21 |
| 2021 | 874 | 234 | 27% | 794 | 79 | 205 | 28 |
| 2022 | 874 | 157 | 18% | 790 | 84 | 157 | 0 |
| 2023 | 769 | 119 | 15% | 692 | 74 | 118 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1,108 | 170 | 15% | 1,018 | 90 | 158 | 12 |
| 2025 | 1,044 | 176 | 17% | 955 | 89 | 168 | 8 |
How moose hunters in 20D got to the field in 2025, by ADF&G's transportation report: 3 or 4 wheeler 406 hunters (82 successful), highway vehicle 237 hunters (34 successful), boat 197 hunters (28 successful) and offroad vehicle 109 hunters (19 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 caribou do hunters take in Unit 20D?
Unit 20D drew 201 caribou hunters in 2025, 7th of the 53 subunits with caribou hunters. 40 of them took one (20%); 85% of the hunters were Alaska residents. ADF&G's sex table places the 2025 harvest in Macomb (23) and Forty Mile (17) (herds).
| Season | Hunters | Caribou taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 285 | 70 | 25% | 273 | 12 | 63 | 7 |
| 2021 | 263 | 82 | 31% | 219 | 44 | 78 | 4 |
| 2022 | 266 | 50 | 19% | 239 | 27 | 47 | 0 |
| 2023 | 171 | 35 | 20% | 134 | 37 | 30 | 5 |
| 2024 | 203 | 42 | 21% | 183 | 20 | 38 | 2 |
| 2025 | 201 | 40 | 20% | 171 | 30 | 40 | 0 |
How caribou hunters in 20D got to the field in 2025, by ADF&G's transportation report: highway vehicle 63 hunters (6 successful), 3 or 4 wheeler 50 hunters (12 successful), airplane 29 hunters (17 successful) and boat 28 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.
How many Dall sheep do hunters take in Unit 20D?
Unit 20D drew 52 sheep hunters in 2025, 11th of the 34 subunits with sheep hunters. 14 of them took one (27%); 88% of the hunters were Alaska residents. ADF&G's sex table places the 2025 harvest in Alaska Range East (14) (mountain ranges).
| Season | Hunters | Dall sheep taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 119 | 35 | 29% | 116 | 3 | 35 | 0 |
| 2021 | 100 | 20 | 20% | 97 | 3 | 20 | 0 |
| 2022 | 60 | 14 | 23% | 57 | 3 | 14 | 0 |
| 2023 | 53 | 18 | 34% | 50 | 3 | 18 | 0 |
| 2024 | 53 | 16 | 30% | 48 | 5 | 16 | 0 |
| 2025 | 52 | 14 | 27% | 46 | 6 | 14 | 0 |
How sheep hunters in 20D got to the field in 2025, by ADF&G's transportation report: airplane 17 hunters (9 successful), highway vehicle 17 hunters (2 successful), 3 or 4 wheeler 8 hunters (2 successful) and offroad vehicle 5 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 bison do hunters take in Unit 20D?
Unit 20D drew 32 bison hunters in 2025, 1st of the 3 subunits with bison hunters. 28 of them took one (88%); 94% of the hunters were Alaska residents.
| Season | Hunters | Bison taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 101 | 75 | 74% | 100 | 1 | ||
| 2021 | 100 | 97 | 97% | 96 | 4 | ||
| 2022 | 92 | 62 | 67% | 83 | 9 | ||
| 2023 | 57 | 48 | 84% | 56 | 1 | ||
| 2024 | 80 | 51 | 64% | 75 | 5 | ||
| 2025 | 32 | 28 | 88% | 30 | 2 |
Source: ADF&G Harvest General Reports, bison, 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 20D?
Every ADF&G drawing hunt whose area includes Unit 20D, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DI403 | bison | Unit 20D, Delta | 33,276 | 30 | under 1% | under 1% | under 1% |
| DS203 | sheep | Unit 20D, 13B, and 20A, Delta Controlled Use Area (Residents Only) | 4,607 | 42 | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| DS102 | sheep | Unit 12, 13C, and 20D, Tok Management Area | 4,324 | 10 | under 1% | under 1% | under 1% |
| DS204 | sheep | Unit 20D, 13B, and 20A, Delta Controlled Use Area (Residents Only) | 3,737 | 34 | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| DM790 | moose | Unit 20D, Delta Junction Management Area | 3,594 | 20 | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| DS206 | sheep | Unit 20D, that portion north of the Alaska Highway; 20E within the Middle Fork (Middle Fork North Fork) Fortymile River drainage north and west of the north bank upstream from and including the Joseph Creek drainage | 498 | 2 | under 1% | under 1% | under 1% |
| 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% |
| DM795 | moose | Unit 20D, Delta Junction Management Area (Qualified Disabled Veterans and Qualified Disabled Active Duty Military Only) | 221 | 6 | 3% | 5% | 4% |
| 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% | ||
| DI404 | bison | Unit 20D, Delta | 1% | ||||
| DM791 | moose | Unit 20D, Southwest | 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 20D?
USGS PAD-US maps 82.8% of Unit 20D as public or tribal land. By manager:
| Manager | Acres | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| State of Alaska | 2,810,827 | 77.8% |
| Bureau of Land Management | 170,604 | 4.7% |
| Other federal land | 6,844 | 0.2% |
| Not in PAD-US | 622,245 | 17.2% |
Named areas inside 20D: State Tentatively Approved (1,636,102 acres, 45.3%), Tanana Valley State Forest (595,859 acres, 16.5%), State Patented (347,356 acres, 9.6%), State Land Disposals - Other Than Municipal (139,781 acres, 3.9%), BLM Eastern Interior Field Office (130,868 acres, 3.6%), Delta Junction Bison Range Area (86,785 acres, 2.4%) and BLM Glennallen Field Office (39,761 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 20D 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.)...
- Bison Range Controlled Use Area (controlled use area): The area is closed to motorized vehicles for hunting from July 1 - September 30, including the transportation of hunters, hunting gear, or parts of game in the area; the area consists of two field hunting areas within the Delta Junction Bison Range in Unit 20(D)
- Macomb Plateau Controlled Use Area (controlled use area): The area is closed to the use of any motorized vehicle for hunting, including the transportation of hunters, their hunting gear, or parts of game, from August 10 through September 30, except for a floatplane on Fish Lake and motorized vehicles, including aircraft, to, from, and on the Dry Creek Airstrip at mile 1379 of the Alaska Highway; however, this provision does not apply to the transportation into the area of g...
- Tok Management Area (management area): Open to sheep hunting by permit only
- Delta Junction Management Area (management area): (B) The area is open to moose hunting by permit only (C) up to 25 percent of the drawing permits will be issued to applicants who are qualified disabled veterans and qualified disabled active-duty military personnel; an applicant under this subparagraph must (i) be certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as a recipient of the Purple Heart Medal; and (ii) be certified by the United States Departm...
Source: ADF&G areas with restrictions, GMU 20. Read the full boundary there before hunting near one.
What communities and roads are in Unit 20D?
Census places inside 20D: Delta Junction, Big Delta, Deltana, Dot Lake, Dot Lake Village, Dry Creek, Fort Greely and Healy Lake. Highways in the unit: State Hwy 2 (101 miles), Alaska Hwy (75 miles), Richardson Hwy (69 miles) and AK Rte 4 (41 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 20D?
ADF&G's interim harvest report counts 176 moose reported from Unit 20D in the 2025 regulatory year, by 1,044 hunters. From 2020 to 2025 the yearly count of successful hunters ran from 119 (2023) to 234 (2021).
Who manages the land in Unit 20D?
USGS PAD-US maps 4.9% of Unit 20D as federal land and 77.8% as State of Alaska land; the largest named areas are State Tentatively Approved (45%), Tanana Valley State Forest (17%) and State Patented (10%). The rest is land PAD-US does not list, mostly private and Alaska Native corporation land.
What drawing hunts are in Unit 20D?
DI403 (bison, 33,276 applications in 2025), DS203 (sheep, 4,607 applications in 2025), DS102 (sheep, 4,324 applications in 2025), DS204 (sheep, 3,737 applications in 2025), DM790 (moose, 3,594 applications in 2025), DS206 (sheep, 498 applications in 2025), DS003 (sheep, 381 applications in 2025) and DM795 (moose, 221 applications in 2025), and 4 more, by ADF&G's results of the 2025 drawing.
Do nonresidents need a guide in Unit 20D?
For Dall sheep, hunted in Unit 20D, 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 20D?
Yes. ADF&G lists Delta Controlled Use Area, Bison Range Controlled Use Area, Macomb Plateau Controlled Use Area, Tok Management Area and Delta Junction Management Area in Unit 20D.
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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 12 Unit 13B Unit 13C Unit 20A Unit 20B Unit 20E