Only a few black bear hunts are on the draw. Most are Southeast island hunts (Prince of Wales, Kuiu, Kupreanof, and part of Unit 1C) listed for nonresidents only, plus two hunts near Anchorage open to everyone.
2026 draw application period
Apply Nov 1, 8 am – Dec 15, 2026, 5 pm AKST
Applications are online only, through ADF&G. Fees aren't refunded, so double-check your hunt numbers.
Heads up: ADF&G hasn't posted the 2027–28 supplement yet, and that's the one this application period uses. Hunts, permit numbers, and seasons below are from the 2026–27 supplement and ADF&G's 2026 hunt pages. Check the new supplement before you apply.
Of the 7 black bear hunts here with 2025 drawing results, 1 drew at 1% or less and 2 drew at 10% or better.
% drawn is the share of applications that won a permit, as ADF&G printed it. "<1%" means less than one in a hundred.
Apps per permit is our math: applications divided by permits. 250 means roughly one permit for every 250 applications.
Party applications, multiple applications for the same hunt, and permits that change after the draw all shift the real odds a little, so treat these numbers as a guide.
ADF&G labels each table by drawing year. The "2025 drawing" results were printed in the 2026–27 supplement. Results from the drawing held in early 2026 will show up when ADF&G publishes the 2027–28 supplement, and we'll add them then.
Nonresidents need a guide or a qualifying resident relative for brown bear, Dall sheep, and mountain goat. Some hunts are guided-only or nonguided-only, so read the hunt page.
Chugach Cache isn't affiliated with ADF&G. We copied the numbers from ADF&G's tables and wrote the descriptions ourselves. If a number looks off, ADF&G's supplement and hunt pages are the official source. Hunts and seasons can change by emergency order.
