I write with regard to Question 1, coming up on Nov. 7. The public is being bombarded with very expensive whole-page advertising in newspapers and on television. The sponsors are trying to sweet talk people into voting for the proposed casino in York. The campaign is being paid for by big-money interests from outside Maine. […]
Question One
Posted inOp-Eds
René Tatro: Fair chase hunting rebounded in Oregon
I am a lifelong hunter of French Canadian descent. I strongly support Question 1 to end the baiting, hounding and trapping of Maine’s bears. Here is why: At least since President Theodore Roosevelt vastly expanded the national forest system and a range of other public lands for use by the masses, hunters have recognized their […]
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Posted inLetters
D. Franke: That’s a lot of doughnuts to carry
Recent ads state that some 7 million pounds of junk food are deposited in the woods as bear bait annually. That figure did not make any sense to me, so I did a bit of checking. Anyone can check with the state website to verify dates and requirements for hunting bear over bait. And the […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Kathy Pollard: Bears pose no problem now and won’t in the future
I had not seen the opposition to fair chase (Vote ‘no’ on Question 1) ads sponsored by Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife until an angry life-long hunter friend told me game wardens were appearing in commercials using scare tactics to foster the myth that if Question 1 passes, all hell will break loose […]
Posted inLetters
B. Gross: Money coming from out of state
People should not be misled by the claims of the so-called Mainers For Fair Bear Hunting. Very few hunters, and maybe only one guide, are in support of Question 1. Proponents want to restore the bear hunt to … what? Not too long ago, there was a bounty on bears. They could be killed year-round. […]
Posted inLetters
P. Rancourt: Keep bears away from people
Bear cubs are born in the winter during hibernation. As they emerge from the den in the spring, food is scarce. Food is of utmost importance to continue milk production. Grass, insects, fawns, etc., are, as of now, enough to support bears until mid-July when berries ripen. If the bear referendum passes (Question 1), the […]
Posted inLetters
B. Dion: Do the right thing Nov. 4
On the ballot this year is the Maine bear referendum (Question 1). Passage would end bear hunting by all reasonably effective means (with dogs, bait and trapping). Approximately 96 percent of the money supporting Mainers For Fair Bear Hunting is coming from the Washington, D.C.-based United States Humane Society and its legislative fund. The funding […]
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Wayne Pacelle: Affirm fundamental respect for wild animals
The animals in our world and in our lives deserve respect. That’s a fundamental value on which responsible hunters and non-hunters agree. It may be a long time before everybody sees wildlife issues in exactly the same way. But as Maine’s election campaign heats up on the question of shooting bears, let’s explore the basic […]
Posted inLetters
R. McInnis: Support the state biologists
A “yes” vote on Maine Question 1 would mean an increase in the bear population during the next few years. The increase in numbers of bears would mean an expansion of their range and possibly bears would spread more into human populated areas. If that happened, Maine’s wardens would not be able to handle the […]
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Robert Fisk: Passage of Question 1 could have positive impact
Much has been said and written about how the passage of the bear referendum (Question 1) would be an economic disaster, particularly for northern and western mountain regions with low human population densities. The opposition claims the passage of the referendum would decimate Maine’s bear guiding industry and could result in a $50-$60 million loss […]