Waterfowl Hunting in Alaska
License and Duck Stamp Requirements

License Requirements

Resident Hunters

All Alaska residents age 18 or older must possess a hunting license to hunt in Alaska and must carry it while hunting. Resident hunters 60 years old or older may obtain a free, permanent identification card issued by the Department. This card replaces the sport fishing, hunting, and trapping licenses. Disabled veterans qualified under AS 16.05.341 may receive a free hunting license. Residents with an annual family income equal to or less than the most recent poverty guidelines for the state may buy a $5.00 low-income license.

Nonresident Hunters

All nonresident hunters, regardless of age, must possess the appropriate hunting license to hunt waterfowl.

Nonresident Military Personnel

Active-duty members of the US military or the US Coast Guard, and their dependents, who do not qualify as residents and who are permanently stationed in Alaska may obtain a special military hunting license at the resident rate. This special resident rate only applies to permanently stationed military with permanent change of station (PCS) papers showing effective date of transfer.

Duck Stamps

State Duck Stamp

An Alaska Waterfowl Conservation Stamp ($10.00) is required to hunt waterfowl unless you:

  • are an Alaska resident under the age of 18;
  • are an Alaska resident 60 years of age or older;
  • are a disabled veteran eligible for a free license;
  • qualify for a low-income license; or
  • are hunting only cranes and snipe.

You can purchase a state waterfowl stamp from the ADF&G online store or from a local vendor. If you have any questions about obtaining a state waterfowl stamp, please contact ADF&G Licensing at adfg.license@alaska.gov or call 907-465-2376.

The State Duck Stamp is valid from date of purchase to January 31 the following year to encompass both the spring-summer subsistence and fall-winter hunting seasons.

Federal Duck Stamp

All waterfowl hunters 16 years of age or older must have a current Federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp, except:

  • A Federal Duck Stamp is not required to hunt in any season if you are eligible to participate in the harvest of waterfowl and their eggs for subsistence purposes in the spring and summer.
  • If you are not eligible to hunt in the spring and summer but are a qualified permanent rural resident (defined by Subsistence Management Regulations), a Federal Duck Stamp is not required to hunt in the fall-winter season.

You must purchase a hunting license and state duck stamp unless you qualify for license and duck stamp exemptions listed above. For questions or clarifications, please contact the USFWS Office of Law Enforcement at (907) 786-3311.

A federal E-stamp may be purchased online at: https://duckstamp.com/products, or from some states and used in Alaska. E-stamps are valid for the entire hunting season.

Follow this link for a list of states that sell the E-stamp: Buy a Duck Stamp or E-Stamp | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (fws.gov).

The Alaska Department of Fish & Game is working to sell E-stamps through their online store in the next couple of years.

Physical stamps may be purchased at most U.S. Post Offices, participating outdoor retailers, select National Wildlife Refuges, or online at: https://duckstamp.com/products.

By purchasing a Federal Duck Stamp, you will be showing your support of bird conservation in our National Wildlife Refuge System, 98 cents of every duck stamp dollar goes directly into the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to purchase vital bird habitat that benefits ducks, geese, and other migratory birds.