Bear Hunting in Alaska

 As an animal rights advocate, one of the things that bothered me in Alaska, was the nonchalant attitude toward killing aggressive bears that the locals seem to have.  I realize that hunting is in the blood of most Alaskans.  Bear hunting, both black and brown, is allowed, with a license.  Either 1 or 2 bears per year is the limit, yet it was how they are hunted that bothered me.

Bears can be lured from their den by food or light, and then killed.  Mother bears with cubs can also be killed in their den or in the wild.  To me, this is not hunting, but then, what do I know about hunting.  In 2020 the Trump administration reversed a policy enacted under the Obama administration which banned the practice of hunting predators, by luring them with food.  The Trump administration rules allow hunters in Alaska to shoot bears and wolves, and their cubs and pups, while they are in their dens.

Many bears are killed each year by rangers who consider them dangerous.  I could not find an actual number that are killed each year, but it is many.  Our driver in Sitka told us that several bears had been killed this year by rangers who considered them aggressive.  They had either attacked a human or tried to attack.  My understanding is that in most cases the bears are taunted, act aggressively to defend themselves, then are shot.

People that hike, hunt, camp, or just enjoy the outdoors, need to be educated in the proper way to protect themselves, and to keep wildlife safe.  There's got to be a better way to protect these magnificent animals.  In California, when aggressive animals become a problem to the general population, they are usually tranquilized and transported to another area.  This seems to me a more humane approach.  The goal should be to protect wildlife while keeping us safe.