Due to a healthy moose population in Western Alaska near Dillingham, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game will open a special 31-day winter hunt on Friday.

The bag limit will be two moose in Game Management Unit 17A, and hunters who have already harvested a moose in 2016 can only take one more.

State biologists last conducted an aerial count in 2011, finding 1,166 moose in the area, which includes much of the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge and isn't far from Dillingham, Togiak and Twin Hills.

Dillingham area biologist Neil Barten said high rates of moose calf production and survival in subsequent years kept the population high.

The antlerless hunt will be closed by emergency order as soon as a quota of 20 cows have been taken. Similarly, the bull hunt will end after 20 have been taken.

If no emergency orders are issued, the hunt will close Jan. 29.