Alaska photographer charged with bear-baiting (AP)

[Yahoo! News]

AP - An Alaska wildlife photographer pleaded not guilty to a federal charge of baiting bears without a permit.

Jim Oltersdorf of Soldotna 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 show "MonsterQuest." The episode, "Giant Bear Attack," first aired in September 2008.

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

According to a synopsis on Oltersdorf's personal Web site, the show was to examine whether bears are getting more assertive and aggressive.

According to a complaint filed in federal court by Fish and Wildlife officer Jim Wittkop, the episode depicts Oltersdorf "hanging bait on strings over a large scale to draw in bears to weigh. Oltersdorf also sets up motion activated cameras around the bait to photograph any bears that came into the bait station."

More...