Alaska Grizzly Bear Hunting, Grizzly Bear hunting Alaska, Grizzly bear hunting in Alaska, Hunting grizzly bears in Alaska, grizzly bear hunting, grizzly sport, — Alaska Grizzly Bear Hunting: The Truth Behind a Cruel Practice // Shutterstock

Article Overview: Alaska Grizzly Bear Hunting

In the pristine wilderness of Alaska, where majestic landscapes and abundant wildlife thrive, a dark and controversial practice continues to loom large: grizzly bear hunting. Despite claims of tradition and necessity, the truth behind this barbaric sport reveals a disturbing reality that challenges the very ethos of ethical hunting.

Trophy hunting for grizzly bears in Alaska is when rich, bored, blood lust hunters seek to claim the heads and hides of Alaska’s most magnificent creatures. While trophy hunting disregards the intrinsic value of these animals and perpetuates a culture of exploitation and dominance over nature, this sad symbol of conquest and status is big business in the Last frontier. So let’s get into it!

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*Alaska Grizzly Bear Hunting: The Truth Behind a Cruel Practice*

My Experience Alaska Grizzly Bear Hunting

I’m fully aware that my stance on grizzly bear hunting in Alaska will earn me full libtard status, but I still think it’s worth having the conversation. And just to be clear, I have no problem with hunting, quit the country actually. I believe there are few nobler acts than gathering your own meat. I think it’s a basic primordial act that more people should experience. My problem is with trophy hunters than travel thousands of miles to assert their false dominance over an unarmed creature minding its own business.

I’ve been on countless bear hunts during my time documenting subsistence living in Alaska. Over the past decade I have encountered a grand total of zero Alaska residents that wanted to hunt and kill a grizzly bear. Unless a problem bear keeps encroaching on a village or town, I’ve never heard a good reason to go grizzly bear hunting in Alaska. And that’s not my hippie hippie opinion, thats most Alaskans opinions. So stay at home and play some call of duty Chad!

Alaska Grizzly Bear Hunting

Table of Contents: Alaska Grizzly Bear Hunting

Who’s Hunting Grizzly Bears in Alaska?

The stats on grizzly bear hunting in Alaska reveals a notable imbalance between residents and nonresidents participating in the privileged pastime. Alaska has an estimated brown bear population of 30,000, the annual harvest in 2007 saw 1,900 brown bears being taken, with about 67 percent of them harvested by nonresidents.

While residents accounted for around 700 bears, the majority were claimed by visitors. This skewed ratio raises ethical questions about the fairness and sustainability of bear hunting practices in the state. Should Alaska allow people that aren’t invested in the state to come and strip it of its natural resources?

Subsistence or Conquest?

Contrary to the image of the rugged frontiersman providing for his family, grizzly bear hunting in Alaska is purely driven by profit and savage thrill seeking. Outfitters charge exorbitant fees to guide hunters in pursuit of their trophy, turning the slaughter of these iconic animals into a commercial enterprise.

Locals in Alaska, particularly indigenous communities, engage in subsistence hunting as a means of survival, independence, and cultural tradition. However, the practice of trophy hunting stands in stark contrast. Subsistence hunting respects the balance of nature and honors the spiritual connection between humans and wildlife, whereas trophy hunting prioritizes ego and material gain.

As stewards of the land, it is our responsibility to protect and preserve the natural world, even the ones that can be kind of scary. Grizzly bears play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems, the same that sharks do in the ocean. These badass beasts deserve our respect and admiration, not to be reduced to mere trophies for display.

Are Grizzly Bears a Threat?

If you’re teaching for a reason to justify grizzly bear hunting in Alaska, you might argue they are a threat that needs to be mitigated. Let’s explore this desperate and flawed train of thought. While brown bears can pose a threat to humans, attacks are very rare. Additionally, the majority of incidents occur when humans are invading bear habitats.

Eight fatal bear attack incidents, resulting in 10 deaths, occurred in Alaska, between January 2000 through June 2017.So does that justify the killing of 1500 brown bears a year? Considering the vast majority of fatal attacks occur in the wild in natural bear environments, I think not. Following that logic we would have to ban bathtubs, as they contribute to around 100 deaths a year.

The real motivations behind hunting grizzly bear hunting in Alaska is clear. Hunters pursue brown bears for sport seeking the thrill of hunting such a formidable animal. What better way to feel like a big strong man than to kill a big scary bear? They somehow justify this while ignoring the fact that grizzly bears don’t have guns to fight back with.

Eating Grizzly Bear Meat

Now, my entire argument with grizzly bear hunting in Alaska could be rendered moot if the hunters actually used the animals life to sustain their own. But nobody eats brown bear meat, it’s simply not done. The flesh of these apex predators can be tough, gamey, and just kind smells like shit. They say you are what you eat and when you eat rotting seal carcass and tons of fish, well that has an impact.

This is from the website themeateater.com ““The coastal brown smelled like fish and tasted like something that eats fish. I remember it slow-cooking in a Dutch oven, and the aroma filled the kitchen with an unpleasant fishy smell. We tried making it a few different ways to make it taste good, and we couldn’t.”

While some hunters claim to eat bear meat, I’ve never encountered one who targets brown bear for their meat. I’ve meet a select few who hunt black bear, and they generally only keep the back strap and make sausage with the rest. And even then they mix it with pork or other meats to improve its flavor and texture. So taste isn’t a winning argument for defending the brutal practice of grizzly bear hunting in Alaska.

Alaska’s Grizzly Bear Hunting is Big Buisness

The real reason Alaska allows grizzly bear hunting is the same reason we drill for oil and sell cigarettes, money. People will pay big bucks to shoot yogi’s face off and use his hide as a rug. And as long as theres a market for it, there will be willing participants lining up to profit from it. And honestly, at least local Alaskans are making money off rich lower 48ers. In my very openly libtard opinion, it’s the best argument in defending grizzly bear hunting in Alaska.

So what are the numbers? Alaska’s grizzly bear hunting industry stands as a significant economic force, with non-resident hunters contributing substantial sums through licenses, guide services, and trophy fees. With guided hunts fetching prices upwards of $25,000 per hunter, coupled with additional expenses for permits and travel, the industry generates substantial revenue. So if you must murder Winnie the Pooh, please tip your bartenders well.

Alaska’s Grizzly Bear Hunting Price Breakdown

Its expensive. Here’s a breakdown of how much the average grizzly bear hunting trip in Alaska costs.

License and Tags:
- Resident Hunting License: $50
- Non-Resident Hunting License: $160
- Grizzly Bear Tag (Resident): $50
- Grizzly Bear Tag (Non-Resident): $1,000
Transportation:
- Airfare to Alaska: $500 – $1,500
- Rental Vehicle: $300 – $700
- Hotel Accommodations before and after hunt: $250-$1000
Guided Hunt Fees
- Guide Fee: $10,000-$30,000 (varies depending on duration and services included)
- Gratuity for Guide: 10% – 20% of guide fee
Equipment and Gear:
- Rifle: $500 – $3,000
- Ammunition: $100 – $500
- Hunting Clothing and Gear: $200 – $1,000
Miscellaneous Expenses:
- Food and Supplies: $200 – $800 (depending on duration and personal preferences)
- Processing and Shipping of Meat: $200 – $500 (varies depending on quantity and services)
- Taxidermy: $1,000 – $5,000 (varies depending on size and complexity)
- Trophy Shipping (if applicable): $200 – $1,000 (varies depending on destination and shipping method)

It’s not uncommon for grizzly bear hunting trips in Alaska to reach 50k in all.

*Alaska Grizzly Bear Hunting: The Truth Behind a Cruel Practice* // Shutterstock

Canada Bans Grizzly Bear Hunting

There is hope for Paddington and co. In 2017 our northern neighbors, the British Columbia government, led by the New Democratic Party (NDP), announced the ban on the trophy hunting of grizzly bears. The decision followed extensive public consultation and input from various groups, such as conservation groups, Indigenous communities, and wildlife experts. Lobbying efforts from conservation organizations, such as the Coastal First Nations and the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, played a significant role in advocating for the ban.

The ban was implemented through changes to hunting regulations rather than through specific legislation. Under the new regulations, hunters are no longer permitted to possess or transport grizzly bear trophies, including heads, hides, and claws. However, hunting for meat remains legal, and Indigenous peoples’ hunting rights are respected under the ban.

The government’s decision to ban grizzly bear trophy hunting was driven by a combination of ethical considerations, conservation objectives, and public sentiment. It reflects a commitment to responsible wildlife management and acknowledges the importance of protecting iconic species like the grizzly bear for future generations. Not too pretty bad if ya ask me. I wish Alaska would adopt something similar to this.

More Grizzly Bear Hunting Resources

Here’s a few more interesting perspectives on grizzly bear hunting in Alaska and other places.

National Geographic penned an interesting read on Yellowstone’s brown bear population and the debate going on there about hunting them. Check the article out here.

Phycology Today wrote an article about the science behind trophy hunting and how it’s unethical. Check it out on their website here.

Read more about the ongoing debate in British Colombia regarding trophy hunting grizzly bears and the ban they put in place. Check out the article here.