I’ve been a full-time outdoor writer for 20 years, and editor of “Wildlife Control Technology” (WCT), a national magazine for the wildlife professionals who deal with human-wildlife conflicts, for 10 years. As such, I’ve become very familiar with bear problems nationwide.

Referendums like the one now facing Maine have banned the use of bait and hounds to hunt bears in the states of Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Massachusetts. Since then, bear problems have increased in all these states.

Oregon lost the use of bait and hounds following a 1994 referendum. Despite lengthening the hunting season, allowing multiple bag limits and reducing license fees 18 percent to encourage more bear hunting, black bear harvest levels have declined by 19 percent since the passage of the referendum. Although data indicates the population is stable to increasing, Oregon Fish and Wildlife acknowledges not having adequate population estimate techniques. Bear complaints have increased noticeably, however, and the public perceives that the bear population has exploded. Human safety is now a big concern.

Massachusetts lost bait and hounds, and their bear population has doubled in the last 10 years. Bear-human conflicts have increased correspondingly, by 10 percent annually. Before the 1996 referendum, bear complaints related primarily to crop damage. Since the referendum, residential and campground complaints have greatly exceeded agricultural complaints.

Washington lost the use of hounds and bait by public referendum in 1996. The bear population is felt to be stable to increasing, although their population estimates are based on harvest data and should be viewed cautiously. Nuisance complaints, however, have increased noticeably. Interestingly, harvest data shows that hound and bait hunters took mostly male bears, because these methods allow selectivity. More female bears and cubs were taken after the passage of the referendum.

Colorado lost bait and hounds following a 1992 referendum. Despite doubling the length of the hunting season, harvests declined 33 percent because the success rate declined to 6 percent. Increased hunter interest has brought harvests up, although the success rate has remained the same. Since the referendum, however, bear populations have increased almost 30 percent. There has been a rise in nuisance complaints, bear-vehicle collisions and bear-related injuries to campers, and lethal removal of nuisance bears has increased nearly five-fold.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife has received more bear complaints this summer than ever before. Bears are entering towns in greater numbers, having learned food is easy to find in suburbs and cities. They are entering homes, garages, barns, cars and garbage containers in unprecedented numbers. Police in Glenwood Springs have recorded up to 25 separate bear calls in one day. Aspen’s bear problems have skyrocketed. Aspenite Tom Isaac’s home has been invaded numerous times by bears that have broken down his door, damaged his refrigerator, broken cupboards and ignited a gas stove. Isaac is paralyzed, and one bear approached within six feet as he lay helpless in bed.

Colorado officials have also noticed a significant increase in bear cub sightings. “You now have a whole new generation of bears that have been raised on that food source,” an official said. “I don’t see it as anything that will go away soon.”

New Jersey banned all bear hunting, and last year had over 1,500 bear complaints, including 58 houses entered and two maulings.

Although most of the damage bears do is to property, crops and livestock, they can be dangerous. I’ve interviewed several Maine victims of black bear attacks.

The only way to control Maine’s bear population in our dense forests is by using bait. If this referendum passes, be assured that our nuisance bear problems will increase.

Bob Noonan is an outdoors writer who lives in Canaan, Maine. He has interviewed numerous bear hunters, bear biologists and professional wildlife control agents who deal with bears.

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