Black bear baiting in Alaska and in Alaska's National Park Service lands, 1992–2010

Between 1992 and 2010, black bear harvest over bait in Alaska increased annually by 4.3%, with no significant population-level impacts observed on National Park Service (NPS) lands, where fewer than 37 bears were harvested using this method. While statewide harvests rose steadily, NPS units saw minimal bait-related harvests, primarily concentrated in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The study highlights that bear baiting's complexity lies in balancing management goals—such as minimizing food-conditioning, ensuring public safety, and preventing defensive kills—rather than population control. Researchers recommend applying conservation ethics to assess policies on bear baiting, emphasizing that its characterization as a conservation issue is misleading.

Hilderbrand, G. V., Rabinowitch, S. P., & Mills, D. (2013). Black bear baiting in Alaska and in Alaska’s National Park Service lands, 1992–2010. Ursus, 24(1), 91–96. https://doi.org/10.2192/ursus-d-12-00023.1