Some Information About Maine’s Bear Hunt Referendum from People Who Have a Clue [VIDEO]

This is an opinion piece from a life-long Mainer. I've hunted and fished in this state since I was a little boy.

I'll be honest. I don't bear hunt. Never have and probably never will. It just doesn't interest me. But I do have some skin in the game and, if you're a true, tax paying, Mainer, so do you. A yes vote on question 1 this November will stop the use of bait, dogs and traps in hunting bear. How much will that cut down the harvest? Estimates from the people who study this (here in Maine) say this would lower the bear harvest by over 90%!

When it comes to managing Maine's wildlife, who would know better? The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife or Ke$ha (who wants you to vote yes)? You be the judge. Here's a well laid out document by Inland Fisheries. Sorry, Ke$ha has no such documents, so here's a link to my favorite Ke$ha song. She's cute, but she doesn't look like a wildlife expert.

A woman I know and respect named Lisa made a great analogy this morning that I think I'll pass on to my friends at the "Vote NO" campaign because it makes sense. She said, "hunting bear without bait is like fishing without a lure." Brilliant! And she knows the sport.

You may be surprised by the "out of state" origin of this referendum. You might not be. Watch the video with a well respected central Maine businesswoman and huntress, Cathy Demerchant (board member at the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine) and James Cote (campaign manager for Save Maine's Bear Hunt).

The "Save Maine's Bear Hunt Super Banquet" is Saturday at the Augusta Civic Center. Get info here.

↓ Cathy Demerchant of August interviews James Cote

↓ From Save Maine's Bear Hunt