Everything you need to hunt Cold Bay.

Yes. Alaska law requires all nonresident hunters pursuing brown bear in Unit 9E to be accompanied by a licensed Registered Guide-Outfitter or a resident second-degree-of-kindred relative. Resident hunters do not need a guide but must hold a current locking-tag and harvest ticket.

GMU 9E runs alternating seasons: spring hunts (roughly May 10–May 31) in even years and fall hunts (roughly October 1–October 21) in odd years. Exact dates are set annually by the Alaska Board of Game — always confirm at hunt.alaska.gov before booking.

Cold Bay Airport (CDB) is served by daily Alaska Airlines flights from Anchorage (ANC), roughly a 2.5-hour flight. Most outfitters meet clients at the terminal and handle onward transport by truck, boat, or Super Cub to spike camps.

Izembek is the world's largest Pacific black brant staging ground and also holds emperor geese, cackling geese, harlequin ducks, king and Steller's eiders, long-tailed ducks, and scoters. Waterfowl seasons typically run from late September through mid-January under the Alaska Peninsula framework.

Individual hunters need a valid Alaska hunting license and applicable stamps or tags. Guides operating commercial hunts inside the refuge must hold a USFWS Special Use Permit — verify your outfitter is permitted before booking any refuge-based hunt.

Trophy brown bear tags typically book 12–24 months out, and prime waterfowl weeks around the peak brant migration sell out by the previous spring. Caribou and ptarmigan hunts have more flexibility but still fill during the fall push.

Cold Bay sits at the meeting point of the Bering Sea and North Pacific — expect wind, horizontal rain, and rapidly shifting fronts. Spring bear runs 30–45°F with lingering snow; fall hunts run 25–45°F with regular gales. Pack for extended weather delays on both ends of the trip.