AUGUSTA (AP) – Gov. John Baldacci has come out in opposition to a referendum proposal that would outlaw bear hunting with bait, traps or dogs.

“I feel very strongly about it, I think misrepresentations are being made,” Baldacci said Friday at the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine’s annual Sportsman’s Congress.

The governor echoed SAM’s argument that the proposed ban is being led by out-of-state organizations whose ultimate goal is to do away with hunting.

“We can make improvements in the way things are done, but we don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water,” Baldacci said.

Maine Citizens for Fair Bear Hunting says it has collected more than enough signatures to force a statewide vote on its bill next November.

The group claims to have support from hunters who believe that using bait to hunt bear is unsportsmanlike.

Baldacci urged Mainers to vote against the proposed ban, saying they should trust the state’s wildlife biologists who maintain that baiting is needed to manage the state’s bear population.

In 2002, 76 percent of the 3,512 bruins tagged by hunters were taken using bait, according to the state.

Bear baiting involves drawing bears to a hunting site using food, such as pastries or meat. Bears are killed by nearby hunters using firearms or bow and arrows.

In a room filled with hunting guides and outfitters, Baldacci found plenty of support for his belief that a successful bear referendum next fall could do cause economic harm to rural areas that can least afford another blow.

“If we lose this campaign, we will be fighting for our heritage every year,” SAM Executive Director George Smith said, predicting an “onslaught” of referendum efforts by myriad animal rights groups.

AP-ES-12-06-03 1246EST



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