Alaska is the largest of all fifty US states and is the least densely populated. With all that land area and miles of dense vegetation, it is definitely a fact that big game are hiding under those trees. It is not surprise that Alaska hosts numerous big game animals and even the ever elusive dall sheep. Read on and learn all the big game animals open for hunting in the Alaskan wilderness.

Hunting Alaska – The Forefront of America's Big Game Hunting

7 Of Alaska's Big Game Animals That Should Be On Your List

Despite the absence of the “big five” in Alaska, the state has still a ton to offer when it comes to big game animals. It is home to bears, elk, caribou, bison, and mountain lions. These animals are very dangerous but provides a lot of meat so they are definitely a sufficient food source for those hunting for food. Let's take a closer look at these Alaskan beasts!

Brown Bear or Grizzly Bear

Brown or Grizzly bears are the largest carnivores to walk on the planet growing up to 1m from paw to shoulder. They weigh over 1,300 lbs and is a great source of meat for hunters! These beasts walk the the eastern part of Alaska and are known to wander into human territory every once in a while.

Dall Sheep

Spotting the Dall sheep may prove to be an easy task but hunting them is a completely different story. Their sparkling white coat may give them off easily but they reside way up in the mountain ranges of Alaska making them very difficult to reach. Oftentimes, they are hunted for sport and not for food.

Plains Bison

The Bison is one of the most popular game animals in North America due to their big bodies and bigger herds. In fact, hunting them is a way to manage the size of their herds. These animals can stand up to 6 ft from hoof to shoulder and can weigh more than a ton!

Mountain Sheep

Endemic to North America, the Mountain goats strive in the mountains of Southcentral Alaska. They heed protection from their rocky cliff territories making them a challenge for hunters trying to sack these game animals.

Elk

Elk are bigger members of the deer family. Although they are smaller than Moose, these game animals can weigh up to 1,300 pounds! They travel in herds grazing over grass and other vegetation but shift to browsing during late fall. Their numbers make them perfect for hunting and they can provide up to 450 pounds of good meat.

Wolves

Wolves naturally are predators and top hunters in their own game. Nevertheless, hunting regulations classify them as game animals as well so if you cross paths with them while hunting, the prey could be them but it can definitely be you. Typically these animals can be found throughout the mainland but are most densely populated in the Southeast. Wolves travel and hunt in packs so if you see one, most probably there are others with it.

Moose

Moose is the most iconic game animal in hunting due to their majestic antlers that has been grown 10 to 12 years at best. These are trophy sized antlers and hauling one in is definitely an achievement. Moose are the largest species of deer there is and a full-grown one can stand almost 6 feet tall. These giants can weigh up to 1,600 pounds and with this weight, 950 pounds of meat is yielded from processing it.

During fall and winter, the natural diet of the Moose are willow, birch and aspen twigs that hang 6-8 feet from the ground. In this time, they actually make a hedge where you can see through the parts of the forest where they ate off.

Alaska is ultimately the home of big game animals and may actually be next to Africa in terms of big game hunting. In addition to all animals listed here, Alaska offers Caribou, Muskox, Sitka Black-tailed Deer, Water Fowls, and Black Bears among other big game animals. The list goes on with the small game animals that wander through the plains and mountains of this cold outdoor haven.

The feeling that Alaska gives when hunting is unmatched anywhere in the world as to the hike alone could already be an adventure. The scent of the pine trees and the feel of the cold snow will definitely get your adrenaline pumping!

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