Alaska photographer charged with bear-baiting while shooting pictures for History Channel show

Alaska photographer charged with bear-baiting

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — An Alaska wildlife photographer pleaded not guilty to a federal charge of baiting bears without a permit.

Jim Oltersdorf is accused of hanging bait over a scale to draw bears to weigh in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. It was for an episode of the “MonsterQuest” History Channel show.

Oltersdorf’s lawyer, Brent Cole, told The Anchorage Daily News it was not bear-baiting because the photographer was not hunting.

But Fish and Wildlife spokesman Bruce Woods says baiting bears does not require one to be hunting. He says it is illegal to bait brown bears in the refuge under any circumstances, and that doing so with black bears requires a permit.

Information from: Anchorage Daily News, www.adn.com