The highly controversial program entails luring black bears to the snares using bait in a bucket and then catching their foot when they reach into the bucket. The bears will then be shot. Much like the aerial wolf hunting program, private Alaska citizens are given permits and training to do the work. Corey Rossi, Alaska Fish and Game assistant commissioner, said that about 25 snares in all will be set throughout the area in an attempt to reduce the black bear population from about 2,500 to about 1,500, roughly twice as many as were killed last year in the area.

Such snares have been used for research purposes, but never for capturing bears for predator control.

The Alaska Board of Game approved the use of snares during a contentious meeting this spring. In addition to the snares, they also increased bag limits, extended the hunting season, are allowing land-and-shoot for brown bears, and for the first time are allowing the use of helicopters to transport hunters in and out of snaring and hunting areas. All of this prompted board member Ben Grussendorf to liken the board's actions to a "jihad against black bears by paramilitary groups."

But state biologists say that the black bears in the area are responsible for low moose populations and that the snares are the best and most cost-effective way to fill a state mandate to manage game for "maximum sustainable yield." Rossi said that currently there are about 3,500 moose in the area. The state wants to see that number roughly doubled.

Defenders of Wildlife, an activist group that is opposed to the program, sent out a statement urging recreational users to contact Fish and Game to find the exact location of the snares. "Snaring bears and the use of bait stations through the summer months is extremely risky for people enjoying the outdoors this time of year," said Wade Willis, a Defender spokesman.

Rossi said providing the location of the snares would be dangerous and unnecessary. He said that it is "highly unlikely" that anyone will encounter a snare. For one, the person setting the snares will be responsible for checking on them daily, and therefore will probably stay close to the snares. Also the snares themselves will be within a bucket, which someone probably won't put their hand into.

Other are also worried about brown bears being snagged along with black bears, which even one member of the board called "inevitable." The board approved a measure allowing ten brown bear kills before the program is halted for the season.