12 States Align With New Federal Bear Baiting Standard in Alaska

The Department of the Interior published a new regulation in the Federal Register on Friday that authorizes hunters to attract bears to specific locations on federal lands in Alaska using food lures. The rule, which is scheduled to take effect in mid-November, overturns a 2024 policy from the Biden administration that had strictly prohibited the practice. By allowing the use of items such as bacon, doughnuts, and meat scraps, the federal government is aligning its standards with existing state regulations that permit baiting on state-controlled territories.

The primary goal of the new policy is to facilitate close-range kills of trophy animals. Hunters typically place high-fat and high-sugar foods in steel drums or garbage cans and maintain a watch over the bait. They then aim from concealed blinds at short distances to target the animals. While the federal rule does not specify which foods may be used, it defers to state standards, which generally allow the most cost-effective and attractive options to be selected by the hunter.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the measure in a press release, describing it as a commonsense framework that responds to requests from residents of the state. He stated that the regulation provides Alaskans with a stronger voice in decisions regarding the wildlife, lands, and traditions they know best. The change follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump early in his second term, titled Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential, which directed the reissuance of the rule.

Critics, including various environmental groups, have labeled the new measure indefensible and inexcusable. They argue that the practice encourages bears to become more aggressive around human populations, posing a safety risk to park visitors and the general public. Drew Robertson, a senior regulatory specialist for Humane World for Animals, expressed dismay at the return of the rule, calling the provision cruel and dangerous to both wildlife and people.

The debate over bear baiting has a long and contentious history in federal policy. The Obama administration first imposed a ban on the practice, which was later reversed by the first Trump administration. Legal challenges upheld the Obama rule and overturned the initial Trump directive. The Biden administration reinstated the ban in 2024, citing scientific evidence that baiting increases bear aggression and endangers humans. Robertson argued that the current move appears driven by political motives rather than careful scientific consideration, given the directive in the executive order.

Nicholas Arrivo, a managing attorney at Animal Protection Law, rejected the notion that the rule appropriately grants control to the state. He noted that because the lands in question are federal, Congress intended for decision-making power to reside with the federal government to preserve wildlife diversity. Arrivo described the new approach as contrary to federal land management goals and suggested that replacing the 2024 rule, which underwent a more robust scientific review, raises questions about the legality of the current action.

This regulatory shift is part of a broader trend of recent moves by federal and state officials to permit contested hunting methods. These include shooting bears from helicopters, targeting swimming caribou from motor boats, killing wolf pups in their dens, and using artificial lights to draw bears out of cover. While bear baiting is not unique, with approximately a dozen states allowing similar practices, the federal adoption of the method marks a significant change in how these resources are managed on public lands.