At its March 2007 meeting, the Alaska Board of Game authorized the killing of black bears with guns, bows, and bait in Game Management Unit 16, west of Anchorage, directly across the Cook Inlet. The program also expressly authorizes land-and-shoot hunting. The state estimates that there are about 2,000 black bears in Unit 16 and the Board of Game hopes that 900-1,400 are killed – at least half the current population.

However, the accuracy of the state’s estimates of the current black bear population in this area has been questioned – the proposed program may instead be killing most or all of the black bear population in Game Management Unit 16!

Most amazingly, the program expressly authorizes and encourages the killing of black bear cubs!

The Game Board’s own program coordinator called the program “unprecedented”, according to a report in the Anchorage Daily News. (April 10, 2007). At least one hunting association, the Alaska Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, disapproves of the program, challenging the science behind it.

The program is scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2007.