Letter to the Editor: Vote yes on 1

1 min read

Are leg traps and packs of hounds cruel and unnecessary bear-hunting methods? This is the actual issue posed by Question 1.

Unfortunately, the discussion is being clouded by the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife’s fears of a decline in bear permits, since they are funded through hunting and fishing permit fees. They are joined by the small number of hunting guides who sell guaranteed-bear-kill “hunting” trips, and thus rely on these fool-proof methods of bagging a trophy bear.

Were Question 1 to pass, nuisance bears would still be subject to any necessary measures to eliminate them; moreover, black bears are naturally timid and not aggressive toward humans.

If bear permits are inexpensive enough for normal Maine people to buy them, enough bear permits will be bought by hunters who know how to hunt without ridiculous advantages over their prey.

Cynthia Stancioff
Chesterville

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9 Comments

  1. Cynthia, the leather products that you wear and utilize on a daily basis demonstrate the hypocrisy of this referendum.

  2. Paul, how often have you seen a pack of dogs chase a cow up a tree? Actually that would be quite entertaining. Now I don’t know how I’ll vote.

  3. Cynthia Stancioff, are you aware that all 3 Governor candidates are opposed to this bill and many (D) legislators. I find this interesting that even with the span of the political spectrum, both sides are OPPOSED to this ban. Like a friend of mine said, “its more of a harvest (Like the moose hunt)” for responsible, healthy, population numbers. It doesn’t mean you have to like/participate or even agree, it just means you would allow 19 million Americans continue to do what makes them happy. I don’t live like ya’ll that are for this ban, and ya’ll don’t live like me, so lets not dictate each others hobbies, interest, traditions, ((God given rights), for those who subscribe to believing in God as I do and the bible). I guess in closing all I’m saying is put the shoe on the other foot, what if I was pushing for legislation to ban everyone from swatting mosquitoes, owning bug zappers because I didn’t (PERSONALLY) believe that it was fair to the mosquito or bugs, or the taking of chicken eggs from the coop was not fair to the hens

  4. I personally do not hunt bear and most or all of the people posting dont either. I do believe that we need to keep the methods of of bear hunting we now use hear in our great state of MAINE intact. I also believe the biologists of this state have a good idea of what is good and bad for bear hunting. Having said what I have to say on the matter I for one will VOTE NO ON 1.

  5. I thought Maine was about as far away from “Ya’ll, as you could get and still be in the USA.

    I never got why Mainer’s liked “Country” music either, since most of it comes out of the Dixie South, and many southerners still hate Yankees.

  6. The people of Maine have spoken. We can keep or traditions our heritage and better yet I am still able to put food on my families table. I am also able to pass on the knowledge of bear hunting to my son using dogs bait and cable foot holds. I want to thank every single person that voted no on 1.

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