Alaska bear hunting: Federal rule allows food lures on public lands

The new federal rule takes effect on November 12. This date marks the immediate end to a two year ban on using food to lure bears on Alaska’s public lands. The change allows hunters to place items such as bacon, doughnuts, and meat scraps on the ground to attract animals at close range.

The Department of Interior published the final rule in the Federal Register on Friday. It replaces a 2024 regulation from the Biden administration that had prohibited the practice. Drew Robertson, a senior regulatory specialist at Humane World for Animals, described the new provision as cruel and dangerous to both wildlife and the public. He stated that his group was dismayed to see the rule return.

The federal rule does not list specific foods that hunters may use. Instead, it defers to state regulations, which already permit baiting. Nicholas Arrivo, a managing attorney at Animal Protection Law, noted that hunters typically choose high fat and high sugar foods because they are cheap and effective. He explained that the standard method involves placing food in a steel drum or garbage can, watching from a blind, and shooting the bear at short range.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued a press release on Friday to announce the decision. He stated that the rule responds to demands from Alaska residents. Burgum called the measure a commonsense framework that gives Alaskans a stronger voice in decisions about the lands and wildlife they know best. He framed the change as a way to support local traditions.

The move follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump early in his second administration. The order, titled Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential, directed the department to reissue the rule. Robertson argued that this directive points to a political motive rather than careful scientific consideration. He added that the practice is more extreme than traditional hunting and that many hunters would not view it as a fair chase.

The issue has a long history of legal and political back and forth. The Obama administration first imposed a ban, which the first Trump administration reversed. Courts later upheld the Obama rule and overturned the first Trump rule. The Biden administration reinstated the ban in 2024, citing science that indicates baiting makes bears more aggressive around people. The new rule follows other recent changes in Alaska, including allowing bears to be shot from helicopters and wolf pups to be killed in their dens.

Arrivo rejected the argument that the rule gives the state appropriate control over federal land. He pointed out that Congress created the federal land program to place decision making power with the federal government. He said the approach is anathema to federal land management goals of preserving wildlife diversity. While no decision has been made on a potential lawsuit, Arrivo said scrapping the 2024 rule raises questions about the legality of the new measure.