Hunt Area Guide

Wasilla Hunting Guide

The Mat-Su Valley staging town where the bush flight begins.

Wasilla is less a hunting destination than a hunting launchpad. The town sits in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley about 44 miles north of Anchorage on the Glenn and Parks Highways, and it's home to a concentration of registered guides, outfitters, transporters, and air taxis who stage fly-in hunts from local airstrips and lakes. Several operators run their whole program from Wasilla: hunters arrive, sort gear and paperwork at the base, then load into a floatplane or wheeled bush plane for camps that can be under an hour's flight away.

From here the country opens up fast: moose and black bear in the Susitna drainages, caribou where the herds allow, Dall sheep in the surrounding ranges, and brown bear across much of Southcentral. Hunts run the spectrum from fully guided trophy hunts to unguided 'drop' hunts, where a transporter flies you and your gear to a remote camp and picks you up a week or more later.

Wasilla also has a legitimate fishing side: the Little Susitna River, about 45 minutes away, gets runs of all five Pacific salmon plus rainbow trout and Dolly Varden, and several local charter operators run river trips. Many hunters bolt a fishing day onto the front or back of a hunt.

When to Go

• August 10 – mid-September: Dall sheep general seasons traditionally open August 10 (full-curl ram rules apply, and as of July 2026 sheep hunters in general harvest-ticket hunts must complete a state hunter orientation course). Brown bear seasons also open August 10 in many Southcentral units.
• September: The big month. Most Southcentral moose seasons run in September windows (roughly September 1–25 in many units, varying by unit), timed to the rut when bulls respond to calling. Caribou hunting continues where herds and permits allow.
• September–October: Fall black bear, wolf, and late-season opportunities. Weather turns fast, and fly-out schedules get less reliable as fall advances.
• Spring (April–June): Spring bear hunts run in some units, often over bait for black bear. Season structure is unit-specific.

Game & Seasons

Game	Prime Months	Notes
Moose	Sep (most units)	The staple fly-out hunt from Wasilla. Nonresident U.S. citizens do NOT need a guide for moose, so unguided drop hunts through a transporter are common. Antler restrictions (spike-fork/50-inch rules) apply in many units.
Dall sheep	Aug–Sep	General seasons traditionally open August 10 with a full-curl ram bag limit. Nonresidents MUST hunt with a registered guide (or a resident relative within second-degree kindred, age 19+). Physically demanding mountain hunts.
Brown / grizzly bear	Fall & spring, unit-specific	Long seasons in parts of Southcentral (some units run August 10 into spring). Nonresidents must be accompanied by a registered guide or qualifying resident relative.
Black bear	Fall & spring	No guide required for nonresident U.S. citizens. Spring bait hunts and fall spot-and-stalk hunts both run out of Mat-Su area camps. Seasons are generous in many units but vary by unit.
Caribou	Aug–Sep (migration-dependent)	No guide required for nonresident U.S. citizens, but access hinges on where the herds are: a spot that's good in August can be empty in September. Many road-accessible caribou hunts require drawing or registration permits, so plan applications well ahead.
Mountain goat	Aug–Nov, unit-specific	Guide required for nonresidents (or qualifying resident relative). Most goat hunts in Southcentral are by drawing or registration permit.
Wolf	Fall–spring, unit-specific	Often taken incidentally on moose and bear hunts. Seasons and bag limits vary by unit; nonresident aliens need a guide for wolf as for all big game.

Seasons and limits change — always confirm current regulations with ADF&G before booking.

How Trips Work in Wasilla

Wasilla operators generally offer three tiers. Fully guided hunts (required for nonresident sheep, goat, and brown bear) include a licensed guide in the field, camp, and trophy care. Outfitted or drop hunts use a licensed transporter: the air taxi flies you, your partner, and gear to a remote camp, often within about an hour's flight, then returns on a scheduled pickup date; you hunt unguided. As a reference point, unguided fly-in moose drop hunts from a Wasilla air service were advertised around $8,500 per hunter for 2026, while guided hunts for sheep or brown bear cost several times that. Prices change, so get current quotes.

Expect a rhythm of: arrive Anchorage, drive or shuttle to Wasilla, gear check and licensing paperwork at the outfitter's base, then fly out on the first weather window. Floatplanes and Super Cubs have hard weight limits, so outfitters will tell you exactly what gear is allowed. Build buffer days on both ends; weather delays on bush flights are normal, not exceptional.

Getting to Wasilla

Fly into Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, then drive the Glenn Highway north and follow the Parks Highway to Wasilla, about 44 miles and under an hour in normal traffic. Rental cars are the standard move; some outfitters arrange shuttles. From Wasilla, your outfitter handles the bush flight from a local airstrip or lake. There's no need for a second commercial flight; that short highway drive is the whole transfer.

Local Tips

›Know the guide law before you book: nonresident U.S. citizens need a registered guide only for brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, and mountain goat. Moose, caribou, and black bear can legally be hunted unguided, which is what makes Mat-Su drop hunts work. Nonresident aliens (non-U.S. citizens) need a guide for all big game.
›Buy your nonresident hunting license and the metal locking tag for each species before you fly out. If your hunt needs a drawing permit, applications are due months in advance through ADF&G.
›Alaska law requires salvage of big game meat, and in many units the meat must come out of the field before or with the antlers. Plan pack weight, game bags, and pickup loads around meat, not trophies.
›Build at least one or two weather buffer days into your itinerary on each end of the hunt. Bush planes don't fly on schedule; they fly on weather.
›Bring your own rain gear and broken-in boots; outfitters supply camps and transport, not personal gear, and September in Southcentral Alaska is wet.
›Add a salmon day: the Little Susitna River is about 45 minutes from Wasilla and gets all five Pacific salmon species, with local charter operators running guided river trips.

Wasilla FAQs

Do I need a guide to hunt moose in Alaska?

No. Nonresident U.S. citizens can hunt moose (and caribou and black bear) without a guide. A registered guide is legally required for nonresidents only for brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, and mountain goat, unless you hunt with a resident relative within second-degree kindred who is 19 or older. Nonresident aliens need a guide for all big game.

How much does a fly-in hunt from Wasilla cost?

Unguided drop-camp moose hunts through Wasilla-area air services have been advertised around $8,500 per hunter (2026 rates at one operator), with non-hunter companions less. Fully guided sheep, brown bear, or goat hunts cost substantially more. Prices vary widely by species, duration, and operator, so get current quotes directly.

When is hunting season near Wasilla?

Broadly: Dall sheep general seasons traditionally open August 10, most moose seasons run in September, brown bear seasons open August 10 in many Southcentral units, and spring bear hunts run in some units. Every season is unit-specific and subject to change, so confirm current dates in the ADF&G hunting regulations before booking.

What licenses and tags do I need?

A nonresident Alaska hunting license (listed at $160 for 2026–2027) plus a big game locking tag for each species you hunt, and harvest tickets or permits as required. Some hunts are by drawing permit with winter application deadlines. Buy everything through ADF&G before your fly-out day.

Why stage a hunt in Wasilla instead of Anchorage?

Proximity to the hunting country. Wasilla sits in the Mat-Su Valley with outfitters operating off local airstrips and lakes, so bush flights to camps in the Susitna drainages and surrounding ranges are short, some under an hour. You still fly commercially into Anchorage; Wasilla is a 44-mile drive from there.