Bill draft 1080, as presented to the Maine Legislature by Representative Alan M. Casavant (D- Biddeford), could criminalize bear trapping and bear hunting with dogs.
In a news report from the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, the hunting advocate group quotes, Skip Trask, of the Maine Trapper's Association. Skip says,
“Maine has more bears per square mile of habitat than any other state and the population is continuing to expand. This fact doesn’t matter to animal extremists who try to attack our bear harvesting methods every chance they get,” said Skip Trask with the Maine Trappers Association. “Trapping and hunting with dogs are important and necessary tools for managing our large black bear population.”
For more details on this bill and how you can help visit the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance website.
Muskoka Outdoors Opinion:
This news hits home for me. Ontario saw it's government cave to anti-hunting propaganda and pressure to eliminate a spring bear hunt. Despite a strong and healthy black bear population, perceived public backlash, during an election year, removed a cost-effective management tool. It is one thing to stop hunting when population numbers are being impacted negatively, but another thing to stop hunting at the whim, and demand, of anti-hunting groups.
I hope Maine can end this bill from being passed.
