Alaska moves toward legalized bear trapping

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska wildlife managers say they need help.

A growing number of black bears are roaming the state, chowing down on too many caribou and moose and leaving too few for humans to eat.

So the state is poised for the first time to legalize the trapping of black bears.

Critics call the plan cruel: Bears are lured with buckets of raw meat and their paws are snared when they reach inside. Efforts to get free can go to extremes, with bears sometimes chewing off a foot or crippling themselves.

The Alaska Board of Game, which sets hunting regulations, met Friday to begin debate and will likely delay a decision until next month to allow for public comment.

Tags: daily updates, news, national, alasaka, bears