The Alaska Board of Game is set to vote on a proposal to legalize the trapping and snaring of bears for the first time in the state’s history. The proposal has some animal rights groups angry, but is supported by sportsmen and most residents in the affected areas.
……the head of Alaska’s largest sportsmen’s group said Friday the agency’s proposal to allow bear trapping is an attempt to give the public more hunting opportunities while building on the state’s aerial predator control program in which wolves and bears are killed to boost moose and caribou numbers.
“I think it is all in the same direction in trying to do proactive predator and prey management,” said Rod Arno, executive director of the Alaska Outdoor Council, when asked about agenda items added to a special meeting beginning next week in Anchorage. The meeting will be open to the public.
The proposal wouldn’t impact the entire state, only places where special seasons were set by the Board.
“This change will legalize public trapping of black bears in areas where the board establishes bear trapping seasons,” said Fish and Game Deputy Commissioner Pat Valkenburg.
While the plan targets black bears, some brown bears, also known as grizzlies, are expected to be trapped incidentally. Under the proposal, trapping may be closed by emergency order when unspecified numbers are reached.
Alaska would be the only state other than Maine to currently allow bear trapping. In the state of Maine, trapping bears using cable foot snares is legal, but using steel foothold traps was outlawed several years ago in an attempt to appease animal rights activists in the state and beyond.
The proposal sounds like a good one, providing additional opportunity for Alaskans to manage their black bear population while adding recreational and economic opportunity to the area. In a world where we seem to be losing more and more hunting and trapping opportunities every day, Alaska seems to be bucking the trend. Hopefully it works.
UPDATE: On October 14, 2010, Alaska Public Radio Network reported that the Board of Game has put the decision to legalize black bear trapping in some units on hold until 2012 to allow more time for public comment.
The state’s game board has put a decision on black bear snaring on hold until 2012. The proposal before the board’s special meeting in Anchorage would have allowed for black bear trapping with snares in six Interior game management units.
Fish and Game officials had asked the board to defer the decision until the board of game meets in Ketchikan later this year to give the public time to weigh in on the issue. The Board agreed to that plan. The next board meeting on Southcentral issues takes place in March of next year.
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