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GMU 17A winter moose hunt extended

courtesy Togiak Refuge

Citing low harvest opportunities, state and federal officials will keep the hunt open through Feb. 28.

KDLG: The winter moose hunt in GMU 17A will be extended through the end of February. Officials at the state Fish and Game office and the federal Togiak Refuge office worked together to get the extension approved.

The reason for the extended opportunity is pretty obvious. "Poor travel conditions have continued for the area," said Togiak NWR Manager Susanna Henry. "Even though we got a little bit of snow this week, it hasn't amounted to much. We want hunters to have continued opportunity to harvest more moose."

The most recent numbers suggest that hunters around GMU 17A have not had much opportunity yet to make an effort since the hunt opened January 1. As of Thursday, four cows and one bull had been reported harvested.

"You might remember that the quotas for these hunts is 10 cows and 15 bulls," said Henry.

Both the cow and the bull hunts will now remain open through the end of the day February 28, but managers can shut down either or both if the quotas are reached. 

Separate permits are needed for the cow and bull hunts, and Henry urges successful hunters to report their harvest to Fish and Game, the Refuge, or the Togiak Traditional Council office within 24 hours of the kill.

Need a 2015 state hunting license? You can buy one online from Fish and Game here.