US Interior Department reverses bear-baiting ban on Alaska federal land
The rule replaces the 2024 prohibition with deference to state hunting rules and is due to take effect in mid-November, the Guardian reports.
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The rule replaces the 2024 prohibition with deference to state hunting rules and is due to take effect in mid-November, the Guardian reports.
The US Interior Department has published a rule reversing the 2024 ban on using food to lure bears for hunting on federal lands in Alaska. The change will let hunters follow state rules, which permit baiting, the Guardian reported on October 24.
The department published the rule on October 23. It does not list permitted foods but instead defers to Alaska’s hunting rules. Bacon, doughnuts and meat scraps are examples of bait hunters use, not foods explicitly approved by the federal rule.
Nicholas Arrivo, a managing attorney at Animal Protection Law, said hunters typically choose cheap foods high in fat and sugar. He described hunters placing food in a steel drum or garbage can, monitoring it and then shooting bears at short range from a nearby concealed position.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the rule responded to demands from Alaska residents. In a press release, he said it would give Alaskans a stronger voice in decisions affecting their lands, wildlife and traditions.
Opponents say baiting will make bears more aggressive around humans. Drew Robertson, senior regulatory specialist at Humane World for Animals, called the practice cruel and dangerous to both wildlife and the public.
Arrivo argued that deferring to the state conflicts with the federal government’s responsibility to manage these lands and preserve wildlife diversity. He also questioned the legality of scrapping the 2024 rule, which he said had undergone a more robust scientific process. No decision had been made about bringing a lawsuit, he said.
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The rule is due to take effect in mid-November, according to the Guardian’s October 24 report, allowing bear baiting under state rules on the federal lands covered by the change.
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