Defending Idaho’s Bear Hunting Traditions

This July, Congressman Shri Thanedar of Michigan introduced H.R. 4422, the “Don’t Feed the Bears Act”, which would ban bear baiting on federal lands. While unlikely to advance, it highlights a troubling trend: federal lawmakers proposing one-size-fits-all rules that ignore Idaho’s science-based management and hunting heritage.

Bear baiting is more than a method - it’s an important tool for responsible management. In Idaho, it allows hunters to pursue bears in dense forests where spot-and-stalk isn’t possible and provides time to positively identify a bear before harvest, reducing the chance of mistakenly taking a sow with cubs, which is illegal. IDFG also uses baiting regulations to direct hunting pressure into areas where bears are suppressing deer and elk herds. These areas are often too rugged for spot-and-stalk, and not every hunter has access to hounds, making baiting the most effective and accessible way to reduce bear numbers and support healthier ungulate populations.

Some argue that baiting habituates bears to human food and increases conflict. Idaho’s reality proves otherwise. The vast majority of conflicts occur on private land - in neighborhoods, where bears get into trash, backyard chickens, or bird feeders - not in remote public lands where baiting is practiced. Eliminating baiting on federal land would do nothing to reduce these unfortunate interactions.

Wildlife management works best when led by state agencies, guided by local knowledge and science, in partnership with residents who know the land and animals best. Idaho’s hunting traditions, including bear baiting, endure because they are effective, ethical, and rooted in the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. Idaho’s wildlife abundance is no accident - it’s the product of this proven model. IWF will continue to oppose misguided proposals like H.R. 4422 and defend Idaho’s science-driven approach to conservation.