5 AAC 92.085. Unlawful methods of taking big game; exceptions

The following methods and means of taking big game are prohibited in addition to the prohibitions in 5 AAC 92.080:

(1) with the use of a firearm other than a shotgun, muzzle-loading rifle, or rifle or pistol using a center-firing cartridge, except that

(A) in Units 23 and 26, swimming caribou may be taken with a firearm using rim fire cartridges;

(B) the use of a muzzle-loading rifle is prohibited unless the firearm is 45 caliber or larger; and

(C) the use of a muzzle-loading rifle equipped with a scope, during any permitted, registered, or special season hunt for muzzle-loading rifles only, is prohibited;

(2) repealed 7/1/2000;

(3) with a longbow, recurve bow, or compound bow, unless the

(A) bow is not less than

(i) 40 pounds peak draw weight when hunting black-tailed deer, wolf, wolverine, black bear, Dall sheep, and caribou;

(ii) 50 pounds peak draw weight when hunting mountain goat, moose, elk, brown/grizzly bear, musk ox, and bison;

(B) arrow is tipped with a broadhead and is a minimum of 20 inches in overall length and is a minimum of 300 grains in total weight;

(i) a fixed, replaceable or mechanical/retractable blade-type broadhead when taking black-tailed deer, wolf, wolverine, black bear, Dall sheep, and caribou;

(ii) a fixed or replaceable blade-type broadhead when taking mountain goat, moose, elk, brown/grizzly bear, musk ox, and bison; and

(iii) not barbed;

(D) hunter has successfully completed a department-approved bowhunter education course for any restricted weapons hunt that authorizes taking by bow and arrow;

(4) with the use of bait for ungulates and with the use of bait or scent lures for any bear, except that black bears may be taken with the use of bait or scent lures as authorized by a permit issued under 5 AAC 92.044;

(5) with the aid or use of a dog, except that

(A) one leashed tracking dog, under the direct control of the handler, may be used to track wounded big game; and

(B) a dog may be used to hunt black bear by a permit issued at the discretion of the department; the department may issue a nontransferable permit to an individual who qualifies under the permit conditions established by the department in 5 AAC 92.068;

(6) with the use of a trap or snare;

(7) while a big game animal is swimming, except that a swimming caribou may be taken in Unit 23;

(8) a person who has been airborne may not take or assist in taking a big game animal until after 3:00 a.m. following the day in which the flying occurred; however, this paragraph does not apply to

(A) taking deer;

(B) repealed 7/1/92;

(D) taking caribou from January 1 through April 15, in Units 9(B), 17(B), that portion of Unit 17(C) east of the Nushagak River, and Unit 22 provided the hunter is at least 300 feet from the airplane at the time of taking; or

(E) taking caribou from January 1 through December 31 in Unit 8, provided the hunter is at least 300 feet from the airplane at the time of taking;

(9) from a boat in Units 1 - 5; however, a person with physical disabilities, as defined in AS 16.05.940 , may hunt from a boat under authority of a permit issued by the department;

(10) with the following archery equipment or devices in a restricted weapons hunt that authorizes taking by bow and arrow:

(A) any type of electronic device, or light attached to the bow, arrow, or arrowhead, except a non-illuminating camera or a lighted nock on the end of an arrow;

(B) scopes or other devices attached to the bow or arrow for optical enhancement;

(11) the use of artificial light to illuminate deer from a motorized land vehicle in Units 1 - 5;

(12) shooting black bear from a boat in Unit 6(D); however, a person with physical disabilities, as defined in AS 16.05.940 , may hunt from a boat under authority of a permit issued by the department.

History: Eff. 7/5/85, Register 95; am 8/8/87, Register 103; am 8/14/88, Register 107; am 8/20/89, Register 111; am 3/14/90, Register 113; am 8/10/90, Register 115; am 8/12/90, Register 115; am 8/10/91, Register 119; addt'l am 8/10/91, Register 119; am 7/1/92, Register 122; addt'l am 7/1/92, Register 122; readopt 5/13/93, Register 126; am 7/7/94, Register 131; am 1/13/95, Register 133; am 4/25/96, Register 138; am 7/1/96, Register 138; am 8/1/96, Register 139; am 7/26/97, Register 143; am 7/1/99, Register 150; am 7/1/2000, Register 154; add'l am 7/1/2000, Register 154; am 3/17/2001, Register 157; am 7/1/2001, Register 158; am 8/22/2001, Register 159; am 7/1/2002, Register 162; add'l am 7/1/2002, Register 162; am 12/20/2002, Register 164; am 5/1/2003, Register 166; am 7/1/2003, Register 166; add'l am 7/1/2003, Register 166; am 7/1/2004, Register 170

Authority: AS 16.05.255

Editor's note: At its November 9 - 11, 1992, January 19 - 28, 1993 meeting, the Board of Game readopted 5 AAC 92.085 in its entirety, without change, under ch. 1, SSSLA 1992 (the 1992 subsistence law), which repealed and reenacted AS 16.05.258 .

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