Bacon and doughnuts return to Alaska's federal forests as new bear baiting rule takes effect

The US Interior Department has finalized a rule permitting hunters on federal lands in Alaska to bait bears with human food, a practice that had been prohibited since 2024.

The regulation was published in the federal register on Friday and is scheduled to take effect in mid-November. It replaces a previous administration's ban that environmental groups had defended based on scientific data regarding bear behavior. The new rule does not specify which foods may be used, instead deferring to state regulations that generally allow baiting. Industry experts note that hunters typically select high-fat and high-sugar items because they are cheap and effective at attracting animals.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum described the policy as a commonsense framework in a press release. He stated that the rule responds to demands from Alaska residents and gives them a stronger voice in decisions affecting their local wildlife and traditions. Burgum emphasized that the move restores decision-making power to the people who know the lands best, aligning federal management with local hunting customs.

Critics argue that the change prioritizes political goals over wildlife conservation. Drew Robertson, a senior regulatory specialist at Humane World for Animals, called the provision cruel and dangerous to both wildlife and the public. He noted that many hunters do not view baiting as a fair chase, describing it as a more extreme practice than traditional sport hunting. Robertson suggested that the rule stems from an executive order signed by Donald Trump early in his second administration, which directed the reissuance of the rule and points to a political motive rather than careful scientific consideration.

Nicholas Arrivo, a managing attorney at Animal Protection Law, challenged the legal basis of the new policy. He argued that because the lands are federal, Congress created the land program to place decision-making power with the federal government, not the state. Arrivo stated that the approach is contrary to federal land management goals of preserving wildlife diversity. He noted that the 2024 rule underwent a more rigorous scientific process, and its sudden reversal raises questions about the legality of the new measure.

The baiting method involves placing food such as bacon or doughnuts in a steel drum or garbage can. Hunters keep watch over the bait and shoot the bear at short range from a nearby blind. While about a dozen states allow similar practices, the federal rule extends these state-level permissions to millions of acres of public land in Alaska. The rule follows other recent moves by federal officials to permit contested hunting methods, including shooting bears from helicopters and using artificial lights to draw animals from dens.

The history of this regulation has been marked by repeated reversals. The Obama administration first imposed a ban, which the first Trump administration reversed. Litigation later upheld the Obama rule and overturned the Trump rule. The Biden administration reinstated the ban in 2024, citing science that indicates baiting makes bears more aggressive and endangers park visitors. No decision has yet been made on a lawsuit challenging the current rule, but legal experts say the shift away from the 2024 scientific framework has left opponents questioning the long-term stability of the new policy.