By David Brennan
Diplomatic Correspondent
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An Alaskan conservation official confirmed that Donald Trump Jr. was issued a permit enabling him to hunt grizzly bears in the western regions of the state.
The license will allow President Donald Trump's oldest son to hunt bears near the Bering Sea town of Nome, on the Seward Peninsula, Reuters reported. Trump Jr. was awarded the permit in a lottery-style draw and had to pay a $1,000 non-resident fee and purchase a $160 non-resident hunting license.
Trump Jr. was one of three people who applied for 27 non-resident grizzly-hunting spots on the northwestern peninsula. Eddie Grasser, the wildlife conservation director for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, said Friday that officials normally receive "thousands of applications" for such licenses.
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This time though, 24 of the slots were unfilled. Grasser said who won the permits was "pure chance, luck of the draw."
Reuters noted that the state holds permit lotteries for bear, caribou, moose, and other animal hunting permits for the state's various regions. On average the number of applications far exceeds the number of spots available, the agency added.
There are believed to be some 30,000 grizzly bears living in Alaska. The Trump administration has been criticized by environmental groups for proposing a roll back of a ban against baiting the bears in the state's national preserves.
But state officials have argued that it is necessary to kill more predators—including grizzlies—to open up more game hunting opportunities.
Trump Jr. is an enthusiastic hunter who has traveled to countries including Mongolia and Zimbabwe for special trophy hunts. The 42-year-old has also traveled to Canada and Alaska on multiple hunting trips, Reuters said.
Earlier this month, The Safari Club raffled off a week-long $150,000 "dream hunt," the winner of which would join Trump Jr. and his son on a yacht traveling along the Tongass National Forest coastline in southeastern Alaska.
The description of the prize said that Trump Jr. "needs no introduction" as someone "whose passion for the outdoors makes him the number one ambassador for our way of life." The Safari Club said Trump Jr. "shares this heritage with his son and believes in handing down these lessons to young hunters."
The group will be hunting Sitka black-tailed deer and sea ducks, the auction description explained. The auction proceeds will be put towards "hunter advocacy and wildlife conservation efforts," The Safari Club said.
The auction was held at the group's annual convention in Reno, Nevada, where Trump Jr. gave the keynote address.
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