FACTSHEET: What are the proposed regulations for Kenai National Wildlife Refuge?

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed a new rule for the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge that would, among other changes, permit brown bear baiting and remove the requirement for a federal trapping permit. Read our full factsheet on all proposed changes here. What would the changes look like?   1. It would be legal to shoot brown bears over bait Brown bears are rarely killed for food, in fact the requirement for salvaging the meat was dropped by Alaska Dept. Fish & Game (ADF&G) in 2016-17. Brown bears are now being killed over bait as trophies. ADF&G listed Kenai brown bears as a population of special concern as recently as 2012 before launching a liberalized season that killed over 200 of an estimated 600 brown bears on the Kenai Peninsula during 2012-2014; that was a loss of one third of the population in just two years. If this rule passes, it will be the first time such practices are allowed for hunting brown bears on the Refuge. | Photo of brown bear family investigating black bear bait station on Kenai Refuge courtesy of former Fish and Wildlife Service employee.   2. The 1 mile buffer between traps and trailheads, campgrounds and roads would be lost. Traps could be legally placed right next to areas where people recreate with their dogs, and where wildlife are viewed from the road.  Dog caught in a snare on Kenai Refuge | Photo courtesy of former Fish and Wildlife Service employee   3. Traps and snares would be allowed to be placed right on top of exposed bait, endangering birds who land and become trapped by just their talons.   Eagle caught in a leg hold trap near the Kasilof River. Even if they are found and released,  birds with damaged talons often lose their ability to hunt successfully . | Photo courtesy of former Fish and Wildlife Service employee   4. Conservation provisions that limit the number of animals taken and partially restrict methods for trapping beaver, lynx, red fox, and marten will be lost. Traps set outside of the legal marten season on Kenai Refuge | Photo courtesy of former Fish and Wildlife Service employee   5. Trappers would no longer be required to mark their traps. This will make it harder for law enforcement to cite violations, and will likely lead to more traps being left out after season. Black bear caught in a leghold trap illegally left out after season on Kenai Refuge | Photo courtesy of former Fish and Wildlife Service employee   6. Trappers would not have any trap-check requirements.  Animals could be left in traps for weeks to slowly die of dehydration, starvation and exposure.  Moose accidentally snared by one leg in Kenai Refuge. Existing trap-check requirements reduce the number of wildlife killed accidentally, as wildlife enforcement can sometimes release non-target species. | Photo courtesy of former Fish and Wildlife Service employee After receiving substantial public opposition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced that it will hold an additional public hearing and public comment period on controversial proposed brown bear baiting and trapping regulations in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.   The comment period is reopened from October 9 to November 9 and a virtual public hearing on the proposed rule is scheduled for Monday, October 26 at 4:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time.  You can comment on the rule by clicking here. To listen to the meeting by telephone, listen and view through the Internet, or provide oral public comments by phone or webinar you must register here.   You can prevent these practices from becoming legal on the Kenai Wildlife Refuge if you comment before November 9th Copy the text below and add your personal details, or write your own comment, and paste it into the federal register. For a full list of proposed changes, with maps, view our online factsheet.    Dear Fish and Wildlife Service, [Write a little background about you and why you care about the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, wildlife, etc] I oppose the proposed regulation that would allow the baiting of brown bears on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge was created to protect wildlife in its natural diversity, including natural predator-prey relationships. The state’s goal in promoting bear baiting is to increase moose populations by keeping bears scarce. This goal is inconsistent with the purpose of the Refuge. Authorizing hunters to attract Kenai brown bears with bait, then shoot them like fish in a barrel, is a disgrace – especially on National Wildlife Refuge System lands. Conserving Kenai brown bears and all of the Refuge’s wildlife is why the refuge exists.  Kenai brown bears are a small, genetically distinct population because of their geographic isolation from mainland Alaska. Kenai brown bears are already struggling because of increased mortality on nonfederal lands and continued development  on the Kenai Peninsula. Brown bear baiting on the refuge will place the already vulnerable Kenai brown bears at further risk. Do not defer to the state of Alaska’s 19th century management approach defined by aggressive predator killing to benefit prey species. I also oppose the proposed elimination of requiring a federal trapping permit. The current federal trapping permit was locally designed to keep trappers accountable, reduce incidental catch, minimize suffering for wildlife caught in traps, and secure conservation provisions for beaver, red fox, lynx and American marten. Abolishing the requirement for a federal permit for trapping also opens new areas of the refuge to trapping—including areas within a mile of campgrounds and publicly accessible trailheads. This puts other refuge visitors—for example, people hiking with their dogs—at greater risk of accidentally encountering a trap. Finally, if the requirement to obtain a federal trapping permit is revoked, the Refuge would not be able meet its legislative mandates to conserve all wildlife species and provide for safe fish- and wildlife-oriented recreation.  Thank you for your consideration of my comment.   Submit your comment here We are a member-supported organization. Join our network of wildlife lovers by becoming an AWA member today! 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Comment template

You can use the text below as a template for your comment. You can also comment on the other regulations in the rule, such as bikes, motorized vehicles, and game cart access. Personalize your comment to speak directly to your use of the Refuge and your values around public lands and wildlife management.

Dear Fish and Wildlife Service,

[Write some background about you and why you care about the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, wildlife, these rules]

I oppose the proposed regulation that would allow the baiting of brown bears on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge was created to protect wildlife in its natural diversity, including natural predator-prey relationships. The state’s goal in promoting bear baiting is to increase moose populations by keeping bears scarce. This goal is inconsistent with the purpose of the Refuge.

Authorizing hunters to attract Kenai brown bears with bait, then shoot them like fish in a barrel, is a disgrace – especially on National Wildlife Refuge System lands. Conserving Kenai brown bears and all of the Refuge’s wildlife is why the refuge exists.  Kenai brown bears are a small, genetically distinct population because of their geographic isolation from mainland Alaska. Kenai brown bears are already struggling because of increased mortality on nonfederal lands and continued development  on the Kenai Peninsula. Brown bear baiting on the refuge will place the already vulnerable Kenai brown bears at further risk. Do not defer to the state of Alaska’s 19th century management approach defined by aggressive predator killing to benefit prey species.

I also oppose the proposed elimination of requiring a federal trapping permit. The current federal trapping permit was locally designed to keep trappers accountable, reduce incidental catch, minimize suffering for wildlife caught in traps, and secure conservation provisions for beaver, red fox, lynx and American marten. Abolishing the requirement for a federal permit for trapping also opens new areas of the refuge to trapping—including areas within a mile of campgrounds and publicly accessible trailheads. This puts other refuge visitors—for example, people hiking with their dogs—at greater risk of accidentally encountering a trap. Finally, if the requirement to obtain a federal trapping permit is revoked, the Refuge would not be able meet its legislative mandates to conserve all wildlife species and provide for safe fish- and wildlife-oriented recreation. 

Thank you for your consideration of my comment.

Name

Submit your comment here