Alaska Game Management Unit 3: harvest, draw hunts, land and map
Unit 3 covers 5,537 square miles, by ADF&G's boundary file, in ADF&G Region I. ADF&G counts 1,236 deer hunters in Unit 3 in 2025, who took 1,189 deer. 50% of it is federal land in USGS PAD-US, the largest piece Tongass National Forest (50%), and 1% is State of Alaska land. 6 drawing hunts reach into it; they drew 4,784 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 forest (USFS)State of AlaskaThis unitNeighboring unit lineHighway
| Size | 5,537 square miles (ADF&G) |
|---|---|
| ADF&G region | Region I |
| Moose, 2025 | 111 of 627 hunters took one (18%) |
| Elk, 2025 | 3 of 64 hunters took one (5%) |
| Caribou, 2025 | 1 of 1 hunters took one (100%) |
| Deer, 2025 | 1,189 taken by 1,236 hunters |
| Federal land (PAD-US) | 49.9% |
| State land (PAD-US) | 1.2% |
| Largest public areas | Tongass National Forest |
| Drawing hunts | 6: DE324, DE321, DL029, DL030, DE323, DE318 |
| Communities | Kake, Kupreanof, Wrangell and Petersburg |
| Highways | Ak Rte 7 (16 mi) and Mitkof Hwy (16 mi) |
| Neighboring units | 1A, 1B, 1C, 2, 4 |
How many moose do hunters take in Unit 3?
Unit 3 drew 627 moose hunters in 2025, 15th of the 72 subunits with moose hunters. 111 of them took one (18%); 96% of the hunters were Alaska residents.
| Season | Hunters | Moose taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 615 | 93 | 15% | 609 | 6 | 93 | 0 |
| 2021 | 601 | 95 | 16% | 591 | 10 | 95 | 0 |
| 2022 | 570 | 86 | 15% | 550 | 20 | 86 | 0 |
| 2023 | 627 | 113 | 18% | 605 | 22 | 113 | 0 |
| 2024 | 672 | 94 | 14% | 656 | 16 | 94 | 0 |
| 2025 | 627 | 111 | 18% | 604 | 23 | 111 | 0 |
How moose hunters in 3 got to the field in 2025, by ADF&G's transportation report: highway vehicle 302 hunters (47 successful), boat 227 hunters (42 successful), offroad vehicle 47 hunters (12 successful) and 3 or 4 wheeler 37 hunters (9 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 elk do hunters take in Unit 3?
Unit 3 drew 64 elk hunters in 2025, 2nd of the 2 subunits with elk hunters. 3 of them took one (5%); 95% of the hunters were Alaska residents.
| Season | Hunters | Elk taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 74 | 5 | 7% | 70 | 4 | ||
| 2021 | 59 | 5 | 8% | 56 | 3 | ||
| 2022 | 65 | 5 | 8% | 58 | 7 | ||
| 2023 | 60 | 3 | 5% | 57 | 3 | ||
| 2024 | 63 | 5 | 8% | 60 | 3 | ||
| 2025 | 64 | 3 | 5% | 61 | 3 |
Source: ADF&G Harvest General Reports, elk, 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 3?
Unit 3 drew 1 caribou hunters in 2025, 44th of the 53 subunits with caribou hunters. 1 of them took one (100%); 0% of the hunters were Alaska residents.
| Season | Hunters | Caribou taken | Success | Resident hunters | Nonresident hunters | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 1 | ||
| 2022 | 6 | 1 | 17% | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 1 | ||
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
How caribou hunters in 3 got to the field in 2025, by ADF&G's transportation report: airplane 1 hunters (1 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 deer are taken in Unit 3?
Sitka black-tailed deer, by ADF&G's deer harvest statistics for Unit 3:
| Year | Hunters | Bucks | Does | Total deer | Deer per hunter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,047 | 784 | 0 | 784 | 0.7 |
| 2021 | 1,010 | 785 | 0 | 785 | 0.8 |
| 2022 | 997 | 816 | 0 | 816 | 0.8 |
| 2023 | 1,128 | 958 | 0 | 958 | 0.8 |
| 2024 | 1,251 | 1,139 | 0 | 1,139 | 0.9 |
| 2025 | 1,236 | 1,189 | 0 | 1,189 | 1 |
Source: ADF&G deer harvest statistics by GMU.
How many bears do drawing permit holders take in Unit 3?
ADF&G's harvest statistics for the bear drawing hunts that reach Unit 3 count 232 bears taken by 456 permit holders who went hunting, 2021 to 2025 together.
| Hunt | Species | Hunt area | Years reported | Hunted | Bears taken | Males | Latest year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL029 | black bear | Unit 3, Kuiu Island | 2021-2025 | 159 | 121 | 99 | 2025: 21 of 31 |
| DL030 | black bear | Unit 3, Kupreanof Island | 2021-2025 | 297 | 111 | 91 | 2025: 16 of 41 |
Source: ADF&G brown bear harvest statistics and black bear harvest statistics, drawing hunts. Bears taken on general-season harvest tickets and registration permits are not in these rows.
What drawing hunts reach Unit 3?
Every ADF&G drawing hunt whose area includes Unit 3, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE324 | elk | Unit 3, Zarembo Island | 1,554 | 1 | under 1% | under 1% | |
| DE321 | elk | Unit 3, Etolin Island and smaller associated islands | 1,029 | 50 | 5% | 4% | 4% |
| DL029 | black bear | Unit 3, Kuiu Island (Nonresident hunters not using registered guides.) | 879 | 40 | 5% | 5% | 8% |
| DL030 | black bear | Unit 3, Kupreanof Island (Nonresident hunters not using registered guides.) | 524 | 70 | 13% | 16% | 13% |
| DE323 | elk | Unit 3, Etolin Island and smaller associated islands | 483 | 50 | 10% | 9% | 8% |
| DE318 | elk | Unit 3, Etolin Island and smaller associated islands (Certified Bowhunters Only) | 315 | 25 | 8% | 8% | 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 3?
USGS PAD-US maps 51.1% of Unit 3 as public or tribal land. By manager:
| Manager | Acres | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| National forest (USFS) | 1,768,775 | 49.9% |
| State of Alaska | 43,594 | 1.2% |
| Not in PAD-US | 1,731,274 | 48.9% |
Named areas inside 3: Tongass National Forest (1,768,775 acres, 49.9%).
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 3 have special restrictions?
- Blind Slough Closed Area (areas closed to hunting): Closed to all hunting
- Petersburg Creek Closed Area (areas closed to hunting): Closed to the taking of black bears
- Wrangell Road System Closed Area (areas closed to hunting): Closed to the taking of big game;
- Petersburg Management Area (management area): The area is closed to hunting except that game may be taken by bow and arrow only in areas south of Haugen Drive and outside of 100 yards of any airport property, dwellings, businesses, highways, roads or streets; and small game may be taken by falconry.
Source: ADF&G areas with restrictions, GMU 3. Read the full boundary there before hunting near one.
What communities and roads are in Unit 3?
Census places inside 3: Kake, Kupreanof, Wrangell and Petersburg. Highways in the unit: Ak Rte 7 (16 miles) and Mitkof Hwy (16 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 deer are taken in Unit 3?
ADF&G counts 1,189 deer taken in Unit 3 in 2025 (1,189 bucks and 0 does) by 1,236 hunters.
Who manages the land in Unit 3?
USGS PAD-US maps 49.9% of Unit 3 as federal land and 1.2% as State of Alaska land; the largest named areas are Tongass National Forest (50%). The rest is land PAD-US does not list, mostly private and Alaska Native corporation land.
What drawing hunts are in Unit 3?
DE324 (elk, 1,554 applications in 2025), DE321 (elk, 1,029 applications in 2025), DL029 (black bear, 879 applications in 2025), DL030 (black bear, 524 applications in 2025), DE323 (elk, 483 applications in 2025) and DE318 (elk, 315 applications in 2025), by ADF&G's results of the 2025 drawing.
Do nonresidents need a guide in Unit 3?
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 3?
Yes. ADF&G lists Blind Slough Closed Area, Petersburg Creek Closed Area, Wrangell Road System Closed Area and Petersburg Management Area in Unit 3.
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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.