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What is the Kenai Rule?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed a new rule for the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge that would among other things, 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?
*Note, some photos may be disturbing. Click here to view our factsheet without photos*
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. Birds with damaged talons can 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 accidentally 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
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