Interior Department Finalizes Rule Allowing Bear Baiting on Alaska Federal Lands

The Department of the Interior published a new rule in the Federal Register on Friday that authorizes hunters to lure bears with human food on federal lands in Alaska. The regulation takes effect in mid-November, specifically allowing the practice on November 12. This move reverses a 2024 rule from the Biden administration that had prohibited the use of bait.

The new framework does not specify which foods hunters may use. Instead, it defers to state regulations, which generally permit baiting. Nicholas Arrivo, a managing attorney at Animal Protection Law, noted that hunters typically select high-fat and high-sugar items because they are cheap and effective. Common lures include bacon, doughnuts, and meat scraps. Arrivo explained that the typical method involves placing food in a steel drum or garbage can, monitoring it from a blind, and shooting the bear at short range.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the change in a press release, describing it as a commonsense response to requests from Alaska residents. He stated that the rule gives Alaskans a stronger voice in decisions regarding their local lands and wildlife traditions. The rule stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump early in his second term, titled Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential.

Critics argue the rule is a political favor to trophy hunters and poses risks to public safety. Drew Robertson, senior regulatory specialist for Humane World for Animals, called the provision cruel and dangerous. He argued that baiting makes bears more aggressive around people, endangering park visitors. Robertson stated that the practice is more extreme than traditional hunting methods and that many hunters would not view it as a fair chase.

The dispute over bear baiting has a long legal history. The Obama administration first banned the practice, but the first Trump administration reversed that ban. Courts later upheld the Obama rule and overturned the initial Trump reversal. The Biden administration reinstated the ban in 2024, citing scientific evidence that baiting increases bear aggression. Arrivo questioned the legality of the current rule, noting that it replaces a previous ban that underwent a more rigorous scientific review process.

This decision follows other recent regulatory changes in Alaska that allow contested hunting methods. These include shooting bears from helicopters, hunting swimming caribou from motorboats, killing wolf pups in their dens, and using artificial lights to lure bears out of dens. While about a dozen states allow bear baiting, the number of states that do not is larger. Arrivo rejected the argument that the rule properly delegates authority to the state, emphasizing that Congress created the federal land program to place decision-making power with the federal government.