Alaska Federal Lands Permit Bear Baiting Starting November 12

The US Interior Department finalized a rule on Friday that permits hunters to bait bears with human food on federal lands in Alaska. The regulation takes effect in mid-November and replaces a 2024 ban issued by the Biden administration. Hunters will be able to use items such as bacon, doughnuts, and meat scraps to attract trophy animals to close range.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum described the new policy as a "commonsense framework" in a press release. He stated that the measure gives Alaskans a stronger voice in decisions affecting the lands, wildlife, and traditions they know best. The federal rule does not specify which foods are allowed, instead deferring to state regulations that currently permit the practice.

Critics argue the rule favors trophy hunters and poses risks to public safety. Drew Robertson, senior regulatory specialist for Humane World for Animals, called the provision "cruel and dangerous" to both wildlife and the public. His organization, Humane World for Animals, labeled the new measure "indefensible and inexcusable." Robertson noted that the method is more extreme than traditional hunting practices and that many hunters would not view it as a fair chase.

Nicholas Arrivo, a managing attorney at Animal Protection Law, explained the typical process. Hunters generally place high-fat and high-sugar food in a steel drum or garbage can. They keep watch over the bait and shoot the bear at short range from a nearby blind. Arrivo rejected the argument that state control is appropriate, noting that Congress created the federal land program to keep decision-making power with the federal government.

The rule follows a series of recent actions by Alaska and federal officials to allow contested hunting methods. These changes include shooting bears from helicopters, killing wolf pups in dens, and using artificial lights to draw bears out. The baiting ban has a long legal history. The Obama administration first imposed the ban, and the first Trump administration reversed it. Litigation ultimately upheld the Obama rule. The Biden administration reinstated the ban in 2024, citing scientific evidence that baiting makes bears more aggressive around people.

The change stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump early in his second administration titled Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential. Robertson argued that because the order directed the rule to be reissued, the move points to a political motive rather than careful consideration. Arrivo said that scrapping the 2024 rule, which underwent a detailed scientific review, raises questions about the legality of the new approach. No decision has been made on a lawsuit challenging the rule.