Hibernating bears and wolf pups in dens on federal lands in Alaska are now fair game under a new measure President Donald Trump has signed into law, one that also allows aerial hunting of grizzly bears.
The legislation rolls back an Obama-era rule governing hunting on almost 77 million acres of federally protected land in 16 wildlife refuges across Alaska. The Fish and Wildlife Service said last year the rule would promote ethical hunting practices while maintaining sustainable populations of bears, wolves and coyotes, The Associated Press reported last month.
Supporters of the GOP measure, including Alaska's two Republican senators, said the repeal is about the state's right to control the land, according to the Huffington Post.
Opponents of the bill disagreed, pointing out that states do not control federal lands. They also called the hunting methods cruel and unsportsmanlike.
