Save Maine’s Bear Hunt and Management Programs is a campaign to educate Maine voters about the negative impacts of the referendum being proposed by the Humane Society of the United States and Mainers for Fair Bear Hunting which would ban the use of bear baiting, hounding and trapping. LINK
The referendum is expected to be placed on the November 2014 ballot.
Maine’s bear population has increased over 67% since 1990. This increase requires scientific and biological management of the bear population in order to reduce human-bear conflicts and continue to manage the bear population in the most sustainable manner possible. Fortunately, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife has developed a nationally recognized and state-of-the-art bear management program that allows us to do just that. Part of this management plan includes a public input component, that allows the public to help determine population goals for black bears in Maine. Regulated hunting is Maine’s primary tool to achieve the public’s population goals and without the tools of baiting, hounding, and trapping, it would become much more difficult to manage Maine’s bear population to a level consistent with the public’s goals and objectives.
Save Maine’s Bear Hunt and Management Programs believes firmly that wildlife management strategies are most effective when they are based on the most current and scientific methods determined by experts at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. We encourage voters to oppose the proposed referendum and allow our public, professional biologists to continue to manage Maine’s bear population with our nationally recognized bear management program.
Coincidentally, bear hunting in Maine also contributes significantly to our rural economy and is an important piece of Maine’s outdoor heritage.
