FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Bureau of Land Management Eastern Interior Field Office will open the winter Fortymile caribou federal subsistence hunt in Units 20E, 25C and a portion of 20F on October 27, 2026. This hunt is limited to federally qualified rural residents hunting on federal public lands only, including federal public lands accessible from the Steese, Elliott, and Taylor highways.
The winter federal subsistence hunt opens at 12:01 a.m. on October 27, 2026, in all Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) State Fortymile Caribou Zones with a harvest limit of one bull caribou. If a federally qualified subsistence user has harvested a caribou in any other federal or State hunt since July 1, 2026, an additional caribou cannot be harvested during this winter federal subsistence hunt. The hunt closes at 11:59 p.m. on March 31, 2027, unless otherwise modified during the season, such as by emergency special action to prevent overharvest.
The BLM may issue emergency special actions to delay opening dates or to close zones with short notice to prevent overharvest. Announcements notifying the public of any changes will be posted at least three days before the action would take effect. The public should closely monitor the Fortymile Caribou Hotline at (907) 267-2310 for updates.
Federally qualified subsistence hunters must obtain a RC867 joint State/federal permit issued by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. If the State hunt is closed, federally qualified hunters may only harvest on federal public lands. When the State portion of RC867 is open, federal hunters may hunt on federal lands and all open state lands. Hunters should review the RC867 permit conditions. The harvest limit of one caribou applies to the entire regulatory year and is not additive to other federal or state hunts. Evidence of external sex organs must remain attached and all reporting requirements apply.
Federal subsistence hunting is not allowed on lands selected by Alaska Native Corporations, Native allottees, or the State of Alaska. Maps showing federal public lands open to the hunt near the Steese and Taylor highways are available from the BLM Alaska Public Rooms and in the “Federal Subsistence Hunting Map Series” in the BLM Alaska’s georeferenced PDF map collection. This collection also includes the “Digital Public Information Map Series,” featuring maps with information about BLM recreation sites and motor vehicle access; however, these maps include general land status and do not indicate closures due to land selections. Please see the BLM Alaska Travel and Transportation Plans for the White Mountains National Recreation Area and Steese National Conservation Area for information on BLM travel limitations. Updates on current conditions affecting travel in these areas, including the summer travel extension to November 1, 2026, are available on the BLM White Mountains National Recreation Area trail updates webpage.
BLM made the decision to authorize the federal subsistence hunt under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board after consultation with ADF&G, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Office of Subsistence Management, the Eastern Interior Subsistence Regional Advisory Council Chair, a representative serving on the Fortymile Harvest Management Coalition, and the Tanana Chiefs Conference Tribal Resources Stewardship Department.
The public can call the Fortymile Caribou Hotline at (907) 267-2310 for information and updates on the RC867 caribou hunt. For additional information about the federal subsistence hunt, contact the BLM Eastern Interior Field Office at (907) 474-2200 or EasternInterior@blm.gov.