Board of Game votes against Petersburg Creek bear hunt proposals

Two proposals to open Petersburg Creek to black bear hunting failed at the Alaska Board of Game’s Southeast regional meeting in Ketchikan last month.

The Petersburg Creek Closed Area, measuring 44 square miles, has been closed to black bear hunting since 1975 in order to provide a recreational bear viewing area near Petersburg and because of public safety concerns, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

The area, however, is open to the hunting of other species.

One of the failed proposals would have added an exception to allow resident certified bowhunters to take black bears in...