Alaskans say ‘no’ to cruel hunting methods for killing hibernating bears, wolf pups in dens
The poll found a whopping 71 percent of Alaskan voters oppose allowing hunters to use artificial light to attract hibernating black bears and their cubs out of their dens to kill them. Photo by Jos Bakker
A rule recently proposed by the Trump administration would roll back an Obama-era regulation that prohibits controversial and scientifically unjustified methods of hunting on Alaska’s national preserves, which are federal public lands. These egregious hunting methods include killing hibernating mother black bears and their cubs in the den with the aid of artificial lights, shooting wolf and coyote pups and mothers at their dens, using bait to attract brown and black bears, shooting vulnerable swimming caribou, including with the aid of motorboats, and using dogs to hunt black bears. Biologists have already condemned these methods, and now a supermajority of Alaska’s residents have spoken out resoundingly against allowing them in their state.
The telephone poll, conducted by Remington Research Group and released by the Humane Society of the United States, found a whopping 71 percent of Alaskan voters oppose allowing hunters to kill hibernating mother black bears and their cubs in the den with the aid of artificial lights. Sixty-nine percent oppose hunting black bears with packs of hounds, and 75 percent oppose hunting swimming caribou with the aid of motorboats. Sixty percent of Alaskan voters oppose the baiting of bears with pet food, grease, rotting game or fish or other high-calorie foods, and 57 percent oppose killing whole packs of wolves and coyotes when they are raising their pups in their dens.
The poll also found that a majority of voters disfavor allowing trophy hunters and trappers killing wolves, brown bears, black bears, wolverines, lynx and other wildlife on state lands along the northeast boundary of Denali National Park and Preserve.
In complete disregard for the wishes of the state’s residents, however, the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service is now accepting public comments on the controversial rule that’s designed to benefit a handful of trophy hunters looking for their next big kill.
This indiscriminate killing of native carnivores such as grizzly bears and wolves is often justified as “protecting” ungulates, animals like caribou and moose. But in Alaska and elsewhere, studies show, such predator control, including trophy hunting or culling of wild native carnivores in order to grow game herds, just doesn’t work. In fact, that is precisely the finding of a comprehensive new study that was reported in Scientific American.
On the other hand, live native carnivores like grizzly bears and wolves contribute immensely to the state’s economy. In Alaska, wildlife-watching tourism brings $2 billion every year to local, rural economies.
Several studies in Alaska show that predator control is doomed to fail, because the unforgiving Arctic lands cannot sustain large numbers of prey herds in the short growing seasons followed by extreme winters. Alaska officials have also failed to acknowledge that with the massive killing of wolves or bears, other smaller predators rise up to compete for those same prey, rendering these cruel and harmful predator control practices utterly futile.
Most Alaskans do not want hunters, backed by the deep pockets of trophy-hunting groups like Safari Club International and Alaska Outdoor Council, treating their state as a shopping mall for bearskin rugs and wolf heads to adorn their walls. American wildlife is for all of us to enjoy, and you can do your part to help save it by submitting a comment opposing this new proposed rule by July 23.
Thank goodness common sense and doing the right thing has prevailed. Finally, some GOOD news.
I’m totally against any of these awful hunting methods. They are not the proper way to hunt, and are a very cruel way to hunt, killing bears and their cubs, and wolves and cubs, and coyotes and their cubs all while in their dens hibernating or sleeping? That is so, so wrong. How would the hunters like it if someone hunted them in their sleep, in their house? What would you call that? We need more real hunters and not these losers using these cheap and convenient methods of hunting.
This insanity has to stop! This proposal to kill these animals in such callous evil ways by humans should be embarrassing to the Human race ! Have we learnt nothing about human decency! Visited part iof of Alaska and difficult to see any bears and No wolves seen! Makes this a dangerous proposal! As a tourist we are completely disappointed!
I totally agree . We as humans must speak out and keep demanding that such cruel and vile acts are stopped and not allowed to take place Humans are destroying wildlife. our lands .water etc. We must stand together ! Good news and great job to the Alaskan people. I have went to this state and its wonderful and beyond words…… Thank you to that that stood tall ! Bless all of you
I don’t know if speaking out works. My feeling is that only putting the fear of god in anyone that is or would consider this type of hunting will work.
Leave the Wild Life live in Peace and Harmony and let Nature take it’s course for the Mother’s Bear’s and her Cubs Wolf’s and her babies! As for the Kill Happies and Blood Thirsty you All should All Go Run Off A Cliff Together Somewhere So the people and Mother’s and their babies can live in SAFETY and PEACE!
Did you think you at the zoo? One of the stupidest comments I have ever read!
Broaden your comment please! I don’t follow.
Agreed, very callous and evil. Thank you for posting.
Who thinks up these atrocious ideas? Seriously as a society we have to ask ourselves ‘is this the sort of world I want to live in?’ Pretty sure the majority of people would be utterly appalled if they knew about this, yet for some reason, sick psycho minorities always seem to get there way, blowing away the wildlife like there’s no tomorrow. Well the wildlife is for everyone to,enjoy, and every time a murdering hunter kills an animal, they take away OUR RIGHT to enjoy the wildlife. They also more importantly take away the one and only life that the animal had. And more often than not, takes away more than just the murdered animal, leaving behind young cubs or leaving families starving or open to other predator attacks.
Leave the wildlife alone just as NATURE intended, not the way SCI intended…
Totally agree! Let our wildlife live in peace! Humans are the worst animals sometimes!!!
Don’t let the few rich allow to kill our beloved wildlife. It is barbaric at best. This should be outlawed in our country. This is “hunting” out of control. What are they going to kill once they have wiped out the wildlife population? Please stop!!
Please save these animals from hunters. Thank-you!
Kristy Fox-Berman
The federal government should not interfere with the wishes of the residents of Alaska. This is about America’s joy of killing and money. The NRA, gun and ammunition manufacturers, SCI, and other killing groups have too much influence in this government and our less than honorable and humane politicians! And let’s not forget ranchers and oil companies! Shameful! Residents said “no”!
This method of “hunting” is absolutely despicable. But while everyone gleefully piles on Trump, as though he’s the cause of it all, it is the Alaska state government which should be called to account. The Trump admin cedes wildlife management to the states, as well it should.
The question you need to ask yourself is. will I pile on the president because I don’t like him, or contact the Alaska state reps and lobby for changes to the regulations? Which one do you suppose has the best chance of a humane outcome?
The “president” and his sons back the repeal of the Obama rule that would have stopped killing wild animals in dens etc
This administration is unfriendly to wildlife
Don’t let your blind allegiance stop you from doing the right thing and voting them out
They are the worst thing that has happened tk public lands and wildlife ever
We should not be killing wildlife like this.
It looks like horrible beasts with a huge madness are ready to destruct the wildlife. Human doesn’t mean ‘monster’ , means reasonable, compassionate, carer… animals are our neighbor. We must take care of them
It is all about money it always is, animals suffer due to the rich wanting to kill everything. This is the most disgusting thing killing animals while they sleep. What the hell is wrong with you people this is so sick. You are robbing the public of seeing these beautiful animals by murdering them. There is no difference if someone came into your house and murdered you and your family. That is what you will be doing. Please think before you do something so cruel.
Cindy, not all rich want to do trophy hunting. It is just the spoiled, sadistic rich that do trophy hunting. The poor sadistic killers just poach.
Hunting defensless animals is a barbaric sport, now passing laws to kill animals that are hibernating is a deplorable act. Trophy hunting should be banned , period. Seeing these people celebrating they’re kill is disgusting.And yes Trump does not care!His sons post pictures of their trophy killings too. These killers look crazed with their trophies
I voted for him but not to allow the indiscriminate killing of any wildlife!!! This isn’t hunting by real men and women. Enough!!!
God bless and many thanks to Miss Block and all the commenters for sharing their words of support and demonstrating care for all wildlife families to protect and keep them intact in their habitats- deers, moose, caribou, bears, fox, and all.
I am glad something is being done to prevent this!
Down in the lower 48 we have only to look at what happened in Yellowstone when the wolves were gone, and then what happened when they were returned. Removing predators changes the entire ecosystem in ways which cause a sorry state. All these animals, predators and prey, make the ecosystem what it is. Humans have to STOP messing around with nature as if it belonged to us — it does not.
I say No! How unjust to hunt during hibernation and decimate the send of wolf and bear.
Stop this stop killing babys and thier mothers
I agree with the person about Yelliwstone. That should be a lesson to each and everyone of us! And if is a lesson, you have no soul.