This enormous unit is found in northwest Alaska and lies along the Bering Sea. Of the list of animals to be hunted here Caribou is the primary attraction and also the cause of ongoing conflict. Most of the hunting in this unit has been reduced to resident hunters only and options for nonresident and residents of other hunting units has been greatly reduced. A few small towns and hubs are found throughout the unit but most of the unit is primarily remote. Fly-in hunting is one of the more popular options but several float hunt opportunities also exist. **On March 30, 2022, the Federal Subsistence Board (Board) approved Temporary Wildlife Special Action WSA21-01 with modification to close some Federal public lands in Units 23 and 26A to moose and caribou hunting by non-Federally qualified users for the 2022-2024 regulatory cycle. For caribou, the closure only applies to Noatak National Preserve (including the Nigu River portion of the Preserve in Unit 26A) and BLM-managed lands between the Noatak and Kobuk rivers in Unit 23. Collectively, this area is approximately 11,300 square miles.For moose, the closure to non-Federally qualified users applies to all Federal public lands in Unit 23. Collectively, this area is approximately 32,300 square miles.

The primary draw to this unit will generally be found in caribou. Nonresidents are highly restricted on what species they can pursue.