Bears Can Now Be Lured With Food on 28 Million Acres of Federal Land

Hunters on federal lands in Alaska will soon be able to lure bears with human food items like bacon, doughnuts, and meat scraps. The practice is designed to bring trophy animals to close range so they can be shot more easily. The rule takes effect in mid-November 2026, replacing a 2024 regulation that had banned the practice.

The U.S. Interior Department published the final rule in the federal register on Friday. It defers to state regulations, which already permit baiting, rather than naming specific foods allowed on federal land. Nicholas Arrivo, a managing attorney at Animal Protection Law, noted that hunters typically choose the cheapest and most effective food, which is high in fat and sugar. He explained that the usual method involves placing the food in a steel drum or garbage can, keeping watch, and shooting the bear at short range from a blind.

Interior secretary Doug Burgum stated in a press release that the rule responds to demands from Alaska residents. He described it as a commonsense framework that gives Alaskans a stronger voice in decisions affecting the lands, wildlife, and traditions they know best. However, critics argue the change reflects a political favor to trophy hunters rather than careful consideration of the wildlife’s behavior.

Opponents warn that baiting makes bears more aggressive around people, which endangers park visitors. Drew Robertson, a senior regulatory specialist for Humane World for Animals, called the baiting provision cruel and dangerous, not only to wildlife but to the public. Environmental groups have labeled the new measure indefensible and inexcusable. Robertson also argued that the method is a more extreme practice than traditional hunting and that many hunters would not view it as a fair chase.

The rule stems from an executive order signed by Donald Trump early in his second administration titled Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential. The order directed the rule to be reissued. This follows a long history of legal battles over bear baiting. Barack Obama’s administration first imposed a ban, which the first Trump administration reversed. Litigation upheld the Obama rule and overturned the Trump rule. The Biden administration reinstated the ban in 2024, largely because science indicates baiting increases aggression.

This change is part of a broader trend of allowing contested hunting methods on federal lands. Recent moves have included permitting the shooting of bears from helicopters, shooting swimming caribou from motor boats, killing wolf pups in their dens, and using artificial lights to draw bears out of dens. While bear baiting is not unusual since about a dozen states allow it, the federal lands were created by Congress to place decision-making power with the federal government.

Arrivo rejected the argument that the rule gives the state appropriate control. He stated that the approach is anathema to federal land management goals of preserving wildlife diversity. Although no decision has been made on a lawsuit, Arrivo said scrapping the 2024 rule, which went through a more robust scientific process, raises questions about the legality of the new rule.