The National Park Service has reinstated a controversial hunting practice in Alaska that allows hunters to bait bears with doughnuts soaked in bacon grease and other human foods, a move reversing a ban implemented by the Biden administration earlier this year. The new rule, announced Friday under the Trump administration, permits the use of high-calorie, strong-smelling foods to lure bears before shooting them at close range on certain public lands in Alaska.
This policy shift has reignited a longstanding dispute between hunting advocates and conservationists. Hunters argue that baiting is an effective and traditional method that helps them pursue bears in Alaska’s vast wilderness. Conversely, animal rights groups contend that it is unethical and poses safety risks by habituating bears to human food, potentially increasing dangerous encounters between bears and people.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum emphasized that the revision aligns with the preferences of Alaska state officials and residents. In a statement, he asserted that the change “gives Alaskans a stronger voice in decisions affecting the lands, wildlife and traditions they know best, while ensuring the National Park Service continues to protect park resources for future generations.” The rule also updates other regulations governing hunting, fishing, and trapping across Alaska’s national parks and preserves.
Of the 33 states that allow black bear hunting seasons, 12 permit baiting with human food under specific conditions. Within Alaska, the practice is already allowed on state and private lands but was formerly prohibited on most federal lands, which constitute roughly 60 percent of the state’s area.
Animal welfare advocates strongly condemned the reinstatement. Kitty Block, president of Humane World for Animals, called the policy “barbaric” and argued it is indefensible as a federal approach. She warned that baiting could teach bears to associate humans with food, increasing risks to hikers and campers, and indicated that her group might pursue legal action to overturn the rule.
On the other side, W. Laird Hamberlin, CEO of Safari Club International, a hunting rights organization, praised the broader rule changes while avoiding direct comment on baiting. He stated that the policy respects Alaska’s wildlife management authority, enhances transparency regarding federal hunting restrictions, and reduces redundant regulations.
The debate over bear baiting in Alaska spans over a decade. The Obama administration banned the practice in 2015, prompting lawsuits by the State of Alaska and hunting groups, and the ban was lifted during the Trump administration before being reinstated by the Biden administration in 2024. At that time, the Park Service cited a survey of 28 wildlife biologists, 26 of whom believed baiting encourages bears to link humans with food. However, the Trump administration criticized these findings as speculative and instead highlighted Alaska’s “decades of operational experience without documented public safety incidents” as more reliable evidence.
This policy change comes just over two weeks before a closely watched U.S. Senate election in Alaska. Neither Senator Dan Sullivan, the Republican incumbent, nor his Democratic challenger Mary Peltola provided comments on the rule when contacted.
The regulation is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Monday and will become effective 30 days afterward.