State Sparks Outrage with Aerial Predator Hunt in Face of Legal Ruling and Public Backlash
In an explosive act of defiance against judicial authority, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announced it is moving forward with its controversial bear-killing program in Western Alaska—despite a court ruling declaring the effort illegal.
The renewed predator control operation, which resumed Saturday, is targeting brown bears in the Mulchatna Caribou Herd region in an effort to boost caribou calf survival. The state claims that emergency regulations adopted by the Alaska Board of Game on March 27 authorize the killings, and were not explicitly invalidated by the court.
Court Ruled Program Unconstitutional—ADF&G Pushes Forward Anyway
On March 14, Superior Court Judge Andrew Guidi ruled that the state’s predator control program was unconstitutional, citing lack of adequate justification and failure to follow legal procedures.
However, ADF&G contends that new emergency rules passed two weeks later override that ruling. In a Friday statement, the department said:
“The court order did not prohibit these activities or invalidate emergency regulations adopted by the Alaska Board of Game on March 27, 2025.”
Superior Court Judge Christina Rankin disagreed, stating Wednesday that the state remains bound by the original ruling and that the new regulation fails to fix the constitutional violations. However, she declined to issue an immediate restraining order sought by wildlife advocates—allowing the killings to proceed.
At Least 180 Bears and 19 Wolves Killed Since 2023
Since the program’s inception, ADF&G has killed at least 180 bears and 19 wolves—mostly through aerial shooting during the spring and early summer calving season. State officials say the goal is to restore the Mulchatna Caribou Herd, which historically sustained over 48 Indigenous and rural communities and once yielded over 4,700 caribou per year.
But critics say the program is more about politics and trophy hunting than conservation.
Eyewitness Describes Shocking Scenes
A resident near Bethel shared harrowing details with The Gateway Pundit:
“They have already begun using a spotter plane to find brown bears outside of the Bethel area… and a follow-up helicopter with a gunner on board to kill them.”
The source described piles of bear hides from last year’s kills at Anchorage’s Fur Rendezvous auction, calling it “a slaughter.”
“Most carcasses were left to rot. This is being done by the Alaska Department of Fish and Wildlife and the trigger-happy Board of Game, who are ignoring sound science to meat-farm caribou for their hunting pleasure.”
Wildlife Advocates Renew Legal Action
The Alaska Wildlife Alliance, which filed the original lawsuit, submitted a fresh application Friday seeking to halt the resumed hunt. They argue that ADF&G is disregarding both the law and ethical wildlife management.
The Board’s prior history doesn’t help its case. In the past, the same agency faced fierce backlash for proposing aerial wolf killings using baiting tactics—an effort derailed by public pressure and tourism boycotts.
What Comes Next?
For now, the killing continues as legal and public pressure mount. Conservationists warn the program risks undermining wildlife integrity in the name of aggressive predator control. The state’s stance raises larger questions about executive authority, the integrity of court orders, and the future of predator management across the American wilderness.
As one advocate put it bluntly:
“Alaska isn’t managing wildlife. It’s waging war on it.”