Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National Wildlife Refuges

10/01/2025

Due to the federal government shutdown, this account is not being actively updated.
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Operations in the Absence of Appropriations

04/17/2025

Public hearing regarding the proposed 2025-2026 Federal subsistence caribou hunt season for units 9C remainder and 9E.

The public hearing will be held at 5:00 PM on April 30th at the Alaska Peninsula and Becharof NWR office in King Salmon, Alaska. You may also provide input via telephone by calling 1-833-436-1163 – conference ID: 646 569 676 #

Please see included photo for the full press release. If you have questions please call the Alaska Peninsula/Becharof office at 907-246-1204.

04/12/2025

Congratulations to our Regional winners for this year's Migratory Bird Calendar Contest for artwork in the 9th-12th grade category:
- Ty Kosbruk, Perryville School
- Analise Kosbruk, Perryville School
- Noah Davis, Tanalian School
Best of luck at the State competition happening in Fairbanks later this month. Winners of the State competition will be included in the 2026 Migratory Bird Calendar!

04/12/2025

Congratulations to our Regional winners for this year's Migratory Bird Calendar Contest for artwork in the 6th-8th grade category:
- Madison Blatchford, Bristol Bay Borough School District
- Laura Askoak, Newhalen School
- Autumn Oettinger, Tanalian School
Best of luck at the State competition happening in Fairbanks later this month. Winners of the State competition will be included in the 2026 Migratory Bird Calendar!

04/10/2025

Congratulations to our Regional winners for this year's Migratory Bird Calendar Contest for artwork in the 3rd-5th grade category:
- Addison Kosbruk, Perryville School
- Aria Boskofsky, Chignik Lake School
- Gabe Oettinger, Tanalian School
Best of luck at the State competition happening in Fairbanks later this month. Winners of the State competition will be included in the 2026 Migratory Bird Calendar!

04/09/2025

Congratulations to our Regional winners for this year's Migratory Bird Calendar Contest for artwork in the K-2nd grade category:
- Joey Klutsch, Bristol Bay Borough School District
- Mira Lind, Chignik Lake School
- Emrys Christensen, Meshik School
Best of luck at the State competition happening in Fairbanks later this month. Winners of the State competition will be included in the 2026 Migratory Bird Calendar!

04/08/2025

🦆🎉The next time you're at the Bristol Bay Borough School District make sure you check out all of the wonderful artwork and poems that were submitted by students in our region for this year's Migratory Bird Calendar Contest. Our 24 regional winners, 12 artworks and 12 poems, have already been chosen and sent along to the state competition taking place later this month in Fairbanks. BEST OF LUCK as the winners in the State competition will be published in next year's calendar! 🎉

12/10/2024

During this season of thankfulness we are reminded of the immense privilege it is to do the work that we do on the Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National Wildlife Refuges. We acknowledge all that connects us - wildlife and lands, cultures and ways of life, and all across an incredibly vast landscape of rolling tundra, braided rivers, glacial lakes, towering mountains, active volcanoes, and rugged sea cliffs. Here are just a few of the beautiful places our boots have been this past year. (Be sure to scroll through the images for descriptions in the captions!)

Where have your boots been U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Alaska?

10/09/2024

🐻

When you’re in hyperphagia mode: Nom nom fish brains!

Some of the largest brown bears in the world call coastal Alaska home. Thanks to the abundance of the land and ocean, they live in places like📍Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, and Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National Wildlife Refuges. Currently, these coastal bears are in a phase called hyperphagia, giving them an insatiable appetite and thirst- they can eat up to 30 salmon a day during peak season, and adult male bears can gain up to six pounds daily! Talk about hibernation preparation.

This time of year is not only about eating; these bears have a rigid routine: Lift heavy salmon, nap often, river rinse and repeat. It’s all part of their strategy to bulk up before winter during months of torpor, where they won’t eat, drink, or even go to the bathroom.

🍽️🐻 So next time you feel extra snacky, you might be channeling your inner bear. 🔗⬇️ Check out the Fat Bear Diet in the comments.

Photo: Lisa Hupp/USFWS

07/11/2024

FEDERAL SUBSISTENCE NOTICE
The manager of Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National Wildlife Refuges, as the federal in-season manager, has announced a federal subsistence caribou hunt for units 9E and 9C remainder.

The announced season for unit 9E will be open from Aug. 10th – Oct. 10th, 2024 and Nov. 1st – Apr. 30th, 2025 for residents of unit 9C, 9E, Nelson Lagoon, and Sand Point ONLY.

The announced season for unit 9C remainder will run from Aug. 10th – Oct. 10th, 2024 and Nov. 1st – Feb. 28th, 2025 for residents of unit 9C and Egegik ONLY.

HOW TO APPLY: Eligible hunters may apply for a permit by telephone (see contact information below) or in person at the Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National Wildlife Refuge office in King Salmon.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO APPLY: Please call the Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National Wildlife Refuge office in King Salmon at (907) 246-3339.

06/12/2024

The Southwest/Southcentral Alaska Early Detection Rapid Response Project team is celebrating Alaska Invasive Species Awareness Week by preparing for deployment. Today the crew is heading to the community of Ugashik to work on treating an orange hawkweed infestation near the border of the Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge. Through collaboration with local landowners, work is being done to keep this plant from taking over habitat and ensuring the health of native plants that are important for local wildlife and people.

This will be the third year of treatment of this infestation of orange hawkweed. In 2023 USFWS Invasive Species Biologist Ben Wishnek and his team monitored the percent cover of the invasive plant in this infestation at multiple points and will measure again this year. By annually monitoring the percent cover of the invasive plant, the team can determine how the plant population is responding to the herbicide and if a change in strategy is needed to reach the ultimate goal of restoring healthy tundra for animals and people!