Alaska Brown Bear Draw Odds 2027

Alaska's brown bear draw presents one of the least transparent lottery systems in the West. The 2027 regulatory-year draw (application window November 1-December 15, 2026) offers dozens of hunt codes scattered across the state, but actual applicant counts and odds remain unconfirmed as of October 2026. What is clear: some hunts, particularly on Kodiak Island, operate as guide-controlled allocations booked years ahead, while others, like recent Unit 22 nonresident opportunities, went undersubscribed and offered surplus permits first-come, first-served.

What Are the 2027 Brown Bear Draw Odds?

Applicant totals and draw odds for individual Alaska brown bear hunts in the 2026 draw are not publicly verified as of October 2026. Alaska Department of Fish and Game publishes a Drawing Permit Hunt Supplement PDF and posts results to their draw database, but those figures were not retrieved for this analysis. Without confirmed numbers, any stated odds would be speculation.

What is known: Alaska uses a random lottery with no preference or bonus points. Every application has an equal chance each year. Nonresidents face a mandatory guide requirement (or hunting with a second-degree Alaska resident relative) and must purchase a $1,000 brown bear locking tag (regulatory year 2026 fee).

Which Brown Bear Hunts Are Available to Nonresidents?

Alaska offered more than thirty nonresident-eligible brown bear drawing hunts in regulatory year 2026 (July 1, 2026, June 30, 2027). Major areas include:

• Kodiak Island (Unit 8): DB101 through DB293, divided by season (spring/fall), residency, and hunt area. Nonresidents applying with a registered guide may submit one spring Kodiak application and one fall application per draw cycle. Guided nonresident fall Kodiak hunts operate on a separate deadline (postmarked no later than May 31 per the Kodiak brown bear FAQ, though this date is not confirmed for 2027).
• Unit 22 (Alaska Peninsula): DB685 (22B/22C, up to thirty nonresident permits in 2026) and DB690 (22D/22E, up to thirty-five nonresident permits in 2026) were undersubscribed in the 2026 draw. ADF&G issued an advisory on March 6, 2026 announcing surplus permits available first-come, first-served.
• Unit 26B: DB987 allocated up to twenty nonresident permits in 2026.
• Unit 4, Unit 18, and others: Additional draw hunts exist; consult the annual hunt supplement for the full list and permit counts.

The 2027-2028 hunt supplement and final permit allocations are not yet confirmed for publication. Hunters must verify hunt codes, permit counts, and season dates directly with ADF&G before applying.

How Does the Alaska Brown Bear Draw Work?

Alaska's draw operates as a pure random lottery. Nonresidents may submit up to six applications per species (individual and party applications combined). Each brown bear hunt-number entry costs $5, nonrefundable. The application window runs November 1 (8 a.m. Alaska time) through December 15 (5 p.m. Alaska time), online only.

Results are typically announced the third Friday in February. The ADF&G results page still displays "Friday, February 20" as the notification date, a 2026 date; February 20, 2027 falls on a Saturday. Confirm the exact 2027 results date with the agency.

Guide Requirements and Application Rules

Nonresidents who draw a permit must comply with Alaska's guide law: brown or grizzly bear hunters need a licensed Alaska guide or must hunt with an Alaska resident age nineteen or older who is a second-degree relative (parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild) and holds a current Alaska hunting license. The guide or relative must remain within one hundred yards at the time of take. For hunts requiring a guide-client contract at application (marked with a handshake symbol in the supplement), you must submit that contract and confirm the guide is registered in the appropriate Guide Use Area before applying.

For context on how Alaska's random draw system compares to other states, see our guide to Alaska hunting draw dates, odds, and applications.

What's Different About Kodiak Brown Bear Draws?

Kodiak (Unit 8) operates under stricter rules than other Alaska brown bear hunts. The island divides permits across hunt areas, seasons, and residency categories. Nonresidents hunting with a registered guide may apply for one spring Kodiak brown bear hunt and one fall Kodiak hunt per draw cycle. Guided nonresident fall hunts have a separate postmarked deadline of May 31 (per the FAQ; confirm this date for 2027). Guided nonresident spring hunts follow the standard November-December window.

Many Kodiak hunt areas fall within exclusive guide use areas. Guides holding these areas may already be booked years in advance, effectively making nonresident draw permits guide-controlled allocations rather than open-market opportunities. Hunters should secure a guide agreement before applying.

All brown bear permits on Kodiak restrict you to one fifteen-consecutive-day hunting period. Permits must be picked up in person at the Kodiak ADF&G office. If you wound a bear, you may not pursue another bear anywhere in Unit 8 for that regulatory year.

Road-system brown bear hunts on Kodiak (RB230 fall, RB260 spring) are registration permits, unlimited, issued in person at the Kodiak office, open to residents and nonresidents. These do not require a draw application.

Were Any Brown Bear Hunts Undersubscribed Recently?

Yes. In the 2026 draw, DB685 (Unit 22B/22C, thirty nonresident permits) and DB690 (Unit 22D/22E, thirty-five nonresident permits) were undersubscribed. ADF&G posted an advisory on March 6, 2026 offering surplus permits first-come, first-served. The advisory listed five DB690 permits available; exact totals for DB685 were not specified in retrieved documents.

This marks a significant departure from the Kodiak hunts, where guide-client relationships and exclusive use areas drive demand. Unit 22 hunts run from August 1, 2026 through June 15, 2027, covering both fall and spring seasons in a single permit. Hunters who drew or obtained a Unit 22 permit faced a more flexible timeline than the restricted Kodiak windows.

Whether Unit 22 hunts remain undersubscribed in future years depends on nonresident interest and guide availability. Do not assume 2027 will repeat 2026 conditions.

If you're considering other Alaska species, review our analysis of Alaska Dall sheep draw odds or Alaska mountain goat draw odds to compare opportunity.

What Are the Costs for Nonresident Brown Bear Hunters?

Regulatory year 2026 fees (unconfirmed for 2027):

• Hunting license: $160 (nonresident), $630 (nonresident alien)
• Brown bear locking tag: $1,000 (nonresident), $1,300 (nonresident alien), $25 (nonresident military license)
• Application fee: $5 per hunt-number entry
• Guide costs: Varies by guide and area; expect several thousand dollars minimum for a guided brown bear hunt

Residents pay $25 for a brown bear locking tag in Units 1-10, 14, and 15 (excluding hunts RB525 in Units 9/10 and RB502). Nonresidents pay the full $1,000 tag fee statewide. All application fees are nonrefundable.

How Do General-Season Brown Bear Hunts Differ From Draw Hunts?

Alaska offers general-season brown bear hunting in addition to draw permits. General hunts do not require a draw application; you purchase the appropriate license and locking tag, comply with guide requirements, and hunt during the open season listed in the unit regulations.

Not all units have general brown bear seasons. Some units restrict brown bear hunting entirely to draw permits or registration hunts. Review the unit-specific regulations to determine what is available. For example, Kodiak road-system hunts RB230 and RB260 are registration permits (unlimited, in-person pickup), not general hunts.

Nonresidents hunting brown bear on a general season still need a guide or second-degree Alaska resident relative. The guide law applies regardless of permit type.

Plan Your Alaska Brown Bear 2027 Hunt With TAGZ

Tracking Alaska's brown bear draw hunts across dozens of hunt codes, residency splits, and guide requirements is a research project in itself. TAGZ organizes Alaska draw data in one place, letting you compare permit counts, season dates, and hunt areas without hunting through agency PDFs. You can build a list of potential hunts, track your applications, and set reminders for deadlines.

TAGZ does not predict draw odds or guarantee permits. It helps you research the hunts that fit your schedule and budget, then keeps your applications organized through the November-December window. Stop guessing. Start planning with TAGZ.

Official Alaska Hunting Sources

• Draw overview: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=huntlicense.draw
• Draw FAQ: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=license.drawfaqs
• Random draw explanation: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=huntlicense.lottery
• Supplements: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=huntlicense.drawsupplements
• Draw results: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=huntlicense.drawresults
• Brown bear hunt list: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=brownbearhunting.opportunities&performsearch=true&residency=N
• Kodiak brown bear FAQ: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=kodiakbear.kodiakfaqs
• Guide requirements: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.guidereqs
• 2026-2027 regulations: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/regulations/wildliferegulations/pdfs/regulations_complete.pdf

Last verified: October 22, 2026. Data reflects regulatory year 2026 (July 1, 2026, June 30, 2027). Applicant counts, draw odds, and final permit allocations for the 2027-2028 cycle are not yet confirmed. Hunters must verify all hunt codes, season dates, fees, and guide requirements with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game before applying.

FAQ — Alaska Brown Bear Draw

What are the odds of drawing an Alaska brown bear tag as a nonresident?
Applicant counts and odds for specific hunts in the 2026 draw are not publicly verified as of October 2026. Alaska uses a random lottery with no points, so every application has an equal chance each year. Some hunts, like recent Unit 22 opportunities, went undersubscribed, while Kodiak hunts are highly competitive and often guide-controlled.

Do I need a guide to hunt brown bear in Alaska as a nonresident?
Yes. Nonresidents hunting brown or grizzly bear must use a licensed Alaska guide or hunt with an Alaska resident age nineteen or older who is a second-degree relative (parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild) and holds a current Alaska hunting license. The guide or relative must stay within one hundred yards at the time of take.

When is the Alaska brown bear draw application deadline?
The application window for the 2027 regulatory-year draw runs November 1, 2026 (8 a.m. Alaska time) through December 15, 2026 (5 p.m. Alaska time). Applications are submitted online only. All fees are nonrefundable.

How many brown bear hunts can a nonresident apply for?
Nonresidents may submit up to six applications per species, combining individual and party applications. Each hunt-number entry costs $5. Kodiak Island has additional restrictions: nonresidents hunting with a registered guide may apply for one spring Kodiak hunt and one fall Kodiak hunt per draw cycle.

What is the difference between Kodiak brown bear draws and other Alaska brown bear draws?
Kodiak (Unit 8) divides permits across hunt areas, seasons, and residency categories with stricter permit pick-up rules (in person at the Kodiak ADF&G office). Many hunts fall within exclusive guide use areas where guides may be booked years ahead. Kodiak hunts restrict you to one fifteen-consecutive-day hunting period, and if you wound a bear, you cannot pursue another bear in Unit 8 that regulatory year. Other Alaska brown bear draws do not have these specific Kodiak rules.

Can I hunt brown bear in Alaska without entering the draw?
Some units offer general-season brown bear hunting or registration permits (like Kodiak road-system hunts RB230 and RB260). General hunts do not require a draw application, but you still need the appropriate license, locking tag, and must comply with the guide requirement. Not all units have general brown bear seasons; check unit-specific regulations.