Alaska hunters can lure bears with bacon and doughnuts on federal forests starting Nov. 12

Hunters in Alaska will be able to place human food on federal lands to attract bears starting November 12. The Interior Department published the final rule in the Federal Register on Friday. It takes effect mid-month and replaces a 2024 restriction from the Biden administration that prohibited the practice.

The rule does not list specific foods. Instead, it defers to state regulations, which permit baiting. Nicholas Arrivo, a managing attorney at Animal Protection Law, said hunters generally choose the cheapest and most effective food, which is high in fat and sugar. He explained that hunters usually place the food in a steel drum or garbage can, keep watch over it, and then shoot the bear at short range from a nearby blind.

Doug Burgum, the secretary of the Interior, said the rule responds to demands from Alaska residents. He described it in a press release as a commonsense framework that gives Alaskans a stronger voice in decisions affecting the lands, wildlife, and traditions they know best.

Drew Robertson, a senior regulatory specialist for Humane World for Animals, called the baiting provision cruel and dangerous to wildlife and the public. He said his group was dismayed to see the rule return. Robertson argued that the method is more extreme than traditional hunting and that many hunters would not see it as a fair chase.

The change stems from an executive order signed by Donald Trump early in his second administration, titled Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential. Robertson said the order directed the rule to be reissued, pointing to a political motive rather than careful consideration. Environmental groups have called the new measure indefensible and inexcusable.

The issue has a long legal history. The Obama administration first imposed a ban, and the first Trump administration reversed it. Litigation upheld the Obama rule and overturned the Trump rule. The Biden administration reinstated the ban in 2024 because science indicates baiting makes bears more aggressive and endangers park visitors.

Arrivo rejected the argument that the rule gives the state appropriate control, noting that the lands are federal. He said the approach is anathema to federal land management goals of preserving wildlife diversity. He said scrapping the 2024 rule, which went through a more rigorous scientific process, does not smell right and raises questions about the legality of this rule.