Proposed Limited Caribou Hunt for Igiugig and Kokhanok Residents Sparks Federal Meeting
A federal notice announced a proposed limited subsistence caribou hunt for residents of Igiugig and Kokhanok, and a virtual public meeting is scheduled for December 19, 2025. The proposal matters because it could affect subsistence access and community food security, and it illustrates the active federal subsistence calendar that communities across the North Slope region monitor.
Federal officials issued a notice on December 3, 2025, seeking public input on a proposed limited subsistence caribou hunt for residents of Igiugig and Kokhanok. The proposed hunt period is tentatively set for January 1 through March 31, 2026. A virtual public meeting will be held at 5 00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on December 19, 2025 to receive comments and discuss the proposal.
The Department of the Interior and the National Park Service are providing call in and web join details on their meeting page, including a dial in number and passcode, and a tinyurl shortlink for the virtual meeting. Citizens may contact Mark Sturm at the National Park Service for more information by phone at 907.246.2120 or by email at mark_sturm@nps.gov. Additional background on Katmai and related resources is available at nps.gov/katm.
Although Igiugig and Kokhanok lie outside the North Slope Borough, the notice is part of the broader federal and park subsistence coordination process that North Slope communities, organizations, and managers routinely follow. Caribou herds traverse large geographic areas and management decisions in one region can influence harvest opportunities, herd health assessments, and food security in others. Federal forums that include virtual access can expand participation from remote communities and allow stakeholders to engage in real time.
Policy implications include potential adjustments to allocation and access that could set precedents for future proposals affecting migratory herds. Institutional transparency and timely outreach matter because subsistence decisions intersect with community nutrition, cultural practices, and local economies. Participation in the meeting or direct contact with NPS staff provides an opportunity for affected residents and regional stakeholders to present local observations, raise concerns, and request data or clarifications from agency managers.
Residents and organizations that monitor caribou management should plan to join the virtual meeting or contact NPS staff to submit input. The upcoming December 19 meeting offers a concrete chance to influence how federal authorities balance subsistence needs with conservation objectives for the 2026 season.
