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Bear Trapping And Hounding Bills Before The Legislature |
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Written by MFOA
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Thursday, 07 April 2005 |
Although the bear referendum lost (53% - 47%), there is no question
that the issue of humane and ethical hunting came to the public
forefront like never before. The campaign to end bear baiting,
hounding, and trapping significantly increased the awareness of
wildlife animal cruelty, unethical hunting practices, and how we manage
wildlife in Maine. Maine’s wildlife belongs to all its citizens and we
cannot end our campaign until we end unnecessary animal suffering that
is found in certain hunting practices, most particularly, bear hounding
and trapping.
For whatever reason, it appears the electorate viewed baiting as less
offensive than hounding or trapping. The Bangor Daily News editorial
(highlighted on this page), published two days after the election,
confirms this thinking. Many have said that if the 2004 referendum
addressed only hounding and trapping, it would have overwhelmingly
passed. Baiting may seem less cruel, even though it remains a strong
ethical hunting issue. Therefore, MFOA has a bear trapping bill and a
bear hounding bill in this legislature.
We need to strike while the iron is hot and make people aware that the
vast majority of Mainers would like to see an end to bear I hounding
and trapping. The Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife innately
is against everything we present, but this time we can point out that a
likely majority of their constituents support a ban on these specific
hunting practices. The two bills absolutely need to be voted out of
committee so that the full legislature can vote on them.
It is very important for those who have called, written and emailed
MFOA asking how they can help that they do so now. Please see page 3 on
what you can do to end this needless animal suffering. If you need any
information on writing your legislators and newspapers, please refer to
the referendum campaign tabloid, “The Bear Facts”, of the still posted
site, www.fairbearhunting.org or call MFOA.
The main argument by the opposition against the referendum was bear
management. That issue cannot be used against these two bills. About
400 bears are taken by hounding each year and about I 00 are trapped.
In total, those two methods account for only 12% of the animals killed.
The same opposition we had with the referendum has already taken
positions indicating that they are going to continue to be nothing
other than a group of hunters who fight any restriction of any kind to
any hunting practice. You need to be heard. Eliminating two of the
three practices we fought for in the referendum would be vindication
that our message is just and it’s time has come. |
