NPS releases EA on proposed changes in sport hunting in Alaska

An environmental assessment released on Sept. 5 by the National Park Service on proposed amendments to sport hunting and trapping regulations in national preservers in Alaska is open for public comment until Nov. 5. The proposed amendments, to allow baiting brown bears, killing black bear mothers and cubs in dens, and killing wolves and pups by trapping during the denning season, would apply only in Alaska’s national preserves. The EA identifies several alternatives, including no action. According to Peter Christian, public affairs officer for the Alaska region of NPS, some 120,000 comments have already been received on the proposed changes in hunting regulations and many more are anticipated now that the environmental assessment has been released. “This is a much larger than expected public comment, and we are hopeful to analyze it before the end of this year,” he said...MORE