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Kodiak Natives (Alutiiqs) traditionally hunted bears for food, and bears were commercially hunted for their hides throughout the 1800s. Cattle ranchers battled these massive creatures for two centuries and original Russian settlers brought aggressive dogs to protect their herds from bear attacks.
To combat them in the 1930s, bears were shot from airplanes and a high fence was proposed in order to create a bear-free zone on Kodiak Island. The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1941 to protect the dwindling population; today, 180 Kodiak bears are killed annually.
Non-resident hunters must pay guides up to $21,000 per hunt.
– Eve Lederman, The 100 Companies