Alaska Hunters Gain Right to Use Food Lures on Federal Lands

The US Department of the Interior published a final rule on Friday that permits hunters to use human food to lure bears on federal lands in Alaska. The regulation takes effect in mid-November, ending a prohibition that was in place since 2024.

The new rule replaces a 2024 order from the Biden administration that banned baiting. It allows hunters to place food such as bacon, doughnuts, and meat scraps in steel drums or garbage cans to attract bears. Hunters then shoot the animals at short range from concealed blinds. The federal rule does not specify which foods are allowed, deferring instead to state regulations that already permit the practice.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the move in a statement, calling it a commonsense framework that gives Alaskans a stronger voice in wildlife decisions. He said the rule responds to demands from local residents. Critics, however, view the change as a political favor to trophy hunters rather than a response to local needs.

Nicholas Arrivo, a managing attorney at Animal Protection Law, noted that hunters typically choose high-fat, high-sugar items because they are cheap and effective. He argued that the federal government should retain decision-making power over these lands, stating that the new approach contradicts federal land management goals of preserving wildlife diversity.

Drew Robertson, a senior regulatory specialist for Humane World for Animals, described the baiting provision as cruel and dangerous. He said the practice makes bears more aggressive around people and endangers the public. Robertson called the new measure indefensible and inexcusable, noting that science indicates baiting increases bear aggression.

The rule stems from 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 suggested this sequence points to a political motive. The department has not yet decided if it will file a lawsuit challenging the new regulation.

Bear baiting has a long legal history in Alaska. The Obama administration first imposed a ban, which the first Trump administration reversed. Courts upheld the Obama rule and overturned the Trump rule. The Biden administration reinstated the ban in 2024. About a dozen states currently allow similar baiting practices, while more states do not.