Moose Hunting in Wasilla, Alaska

Unit 14A covers the core Mat-Su Valley around Wasilla and Palmer. Because it's an easy drive from most of Alaska's population, road-accessible country gets hunted hard, which is exactly why many hunters book with area outfitters and transporters, trading road access for remote camps reached by plane, boat, or ATV. Our directory lists around ten operators that serve Wasilla-based hunters, including Arrowhead Outfitters, Top Gun Treks, Barela's Alaskan Outfitters, and Grizzly Expeditions.

A key fact for nonresidents: Alaska requires a registered guide only for brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, and mountain goat. Moose is not on that list, so do-it-yourself and transporter-supported moose hunts are legal for visiting hunters, a big part of why the Mat-Su draws so many of them.

Under the published 2025-2026 regulations, Unit 14A has an archery-only season August 10-19 and a general season August 25 - September 25. In both, a legal bull must have spike-fork antlers, a 50-inch or greater spread, or 3 or more brow tines on at least one side. There's also a December 1-25 winter hunt by permit, restricted to bow, crossbow, or shotgun. Hunt types, permit requirements, and resident/nonresident specifics vary by hunt, so read the current ADF&G regulations for Unit 14 before you commit, because seasons and restrictions change.

The spike-fork/50-inch/3-brow-tine rule means field judging is the hunt. Misjudging a 48-inch bull with two brow tines isn't a near-miss, it's a violation — the standard advice from ADF&G and every outfitter is simple: if you can't confidently call it legal, don't shoot.

State paperwork for a nonresident runs $160 for the annual hunting license plus an $800 moose locking tag, and every moose hunter needs the appropriate harvest ticket or permit. The locking tag goes on the animal immediately after the kill and stays there until the moose is processed or exported. Alaska also requires salvage of all edible meat, so plan pack-out logistics before you plan the shot, because a mature bull is a multi-load, multi-day job without machines or aircraft.

Wasilla itself is a practical base: it's on the Parks Highway with flights, gear stores, meat processors, and freight services, which is why even hunters headed far beyond 14A stage here. September is the classic window, with the general season running to September 25, cooling weather, and improving bull movement toward the end.