Big Game Commercial Services Board

Examination Dates & Locations

• Two-part Registered Guide Exam
  • Part 1: Registered Guide Exam (Written)
    First day of scheduled exam period (Approx. 4 hours)
  • Part 2: Registered Guide Exam (Caping, Trophy, Aging, & Sexing)
    Second day of scheduled exam period (Approx. 8 hours)
• Game Management Unit Exam (Written)
  First day of scheduled exam period (Approx. 4 hours)

Registered Guide-Outfitters must receive eight favorable recommendations including at least two for each of any three years in order to be considered for scheduling.

Application, fees, and all supporting documents must be postmarked by the deadline dates noted above.

Registered Guide-Outfitter Qualification Examination Recommended Study Material

The score required to pass is 75%. Upon conclusion of the Registered Guide-Outfitter qualification examination(s) you will be notified of your results in writing within approximately 10 business days. Examination results will not be released via telephone, e-mail, or fax.

1. Department of Fish and Game
   • Responsibilities of the Board of Game and Board of Fish and Advisory Committees;
   • Publication titles "Alaska Hunting Regulations";
   • Publication titled "Trapping Regulations";
   • Wildlife Notebook Series and Species Information.
2. Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Environmental Health
   • 2017 Temporary Camp Practices Consolidated Application Worksheet
   • Backcountry Environmental Health Training Manual and Video
3. Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land and Water
   • Fact Sheet of Generally Allowed Uses on State Land
   • Permits for Commercial Recreation Activities on State Owned Land
   • Commercial Day Use on State Land and Day Use Registration
   • Commercial Recreation Permit Application
   • Land Use Permit Application and Instructions for Completing a Development Plan
   • DNR Fact Sheet - Title: Land Ownership in Alaska
   • Legislatively Designated Areas
   • Alaska Mapper
   • Land Administrative System
   • DNR General Conditions / Remote Recreational Cabin Sites offering (pages 12-15)
4. Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
   • Big Game Commercial Services Board current statutes and regulations
5. Scoring Process
   • Boone and Crockett Trophy Scoring
   • Pursue the Outdoors Trophy Scoring
   • Safari Club International
6. Videos
   • “Take a Closer Look” - 70 minute tape regarding sexing bears available through Alaska Fish and Game Multimedia

Registered Guide-Outfitter Qualification examination consists of a written examination and practical examination covering:

• Trophy Judging - will be done using the Boone and Crockett scoring system but applicants should also know the Safari Club International scoring system.
• Aging: You will be expected to answer life cycle questions such as birth, weight and height at various ages, sexual maturity, average age, etc.
• Sexing of Mt. Goats and bear.
• Caping a big game animal: Applicant must provide a visual recording of the applicant caping a big game animal. No domestic animals. Click here for Visual Recording Instruction Sheet

Game Management Unit Certification Examination Recommended Study Topics/Materials

The score required to pass the Management Unit (GMU) Certification examination is 75%. Upon conclusion of the GMU examination(s) you will be notified of your results in writing within approximately 10 business days. Examination results will not be released via telephone, e-mail, or fax.

The following categories are samples of questions you may be expected to answer - this is not a comprehensive listing of each GMU exam, but rather a sampling of some of the potential types of questions:

1. Which big game species may be hunted within the GMU and various applicable hunting laws that apply within the GMU.
2. Familiarity with weather patterns/conditions during various seasons within the GMU.
3. Availability of:
   • year-round telephone or radio communication facilities in or near the GMU;
   • an acute-care facility from a specified point within the GMU. (Acute-Care Facility = a facility that can respond to extremely serious or critical situations.);
   • and maintained airfields, seaplane bases, docks, etc. within the GMU.
4. Identification of:
   • major rivers and/or major lakes and/or salt water bays and/or major salt-water straights,
   • passages and channels within GMU;
   • major mountains and/or mountain ranges or, where applicable the major points and capes within the GMU;
   • State or other major landholder restricted areas in the GMU;
   • the largest land managers (state, federal, native, etc.) in the GMU and land permitting and use restrictions;
   • numerous communities within the GMU;
   • controlled use areas;
   • designated wilderness act areas;
   • designated wild and scenic rivers; and
   • areas designated as “critical habitat.”
5. Know and/or be familiar with:
   • Department of Fish and Game, Board of Game and Board of Fish Advisory Committees for the GMU;
   • GMUs bordering the unit;
   • boundaries of the GMU;
   • number of Guide Use Areas within the GMU;
   • bird, fish and animal life within the GMU;
   • plant life within the GMU; and
   • transportation routes and methods used within the GMU.
   • harvest reports and various Alaska Department of Fish and Game management reports related to the unit.
6. Know compass directions within the GMU (i.e.: If traveling between certain points in the unit, what will your direction be?)

Preparing for the examination(s) – Reference Material

1. Alaska Department Of Environmental Conservation 2017 Temporary Camp Practices
   • Pages 4 through 6
   • Appendix A: Pit Privy Design
   • Appendix C: Greywater
   • Appendix D: Food Safety
2. Arizona National Park Service Backcountry Environmental Health Training Manual
   • Section 1: Diseases : Cryptosporium, Giardia, Rabies and Tularemia
   • Section 2: Water Purification
   • Section 3: Food
3. Fact Sheet of Generally Allowed Uses on State Land
4. Permits for Commercial Recreation Activity on State Owned Land
5. Commercial Day Use on State Land
6. Commercial Recreation Permit Application
7. Hunt Alaska
8. Understanding Intensive Management and Predator Control in Alaska
9. About the Board of Game
10. Advisory Committees
11. Statutes and Regulations, Big Game Commercial Services Board, August 2018
12. Hunting Regulations
13. Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series
    • Black Bear
    • Moose
    • Dall Sheep
14. Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game Species information
    • Moose
    • Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game Species Profile
      • Brown Bear
      • Dall Sheep
    • Dall Sheep Hunting Full-Curl Identification Guide
    • Workers' Compensation Requirements for Employer
    • Bear Spray Demonstration for Hunters with Craig Boddington (Video on Vimeo)