Bear Trapping in Maine
Friday, May 11th, 2007It appears that bear trapping in Maine will continue. LD1635, “An Act to Prohibit Recreational Bear Trapping” was voted out of committee May 11th as “Ought Not To Pass”. If this bill had passed, it would have reversed a public vote to allow bear trapping.
The bill now moves to the House, but with the “Ought Not To Pass” recommendation from the committee, will likely be voted down.
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife made several policy changes in attempt to settle the concerns of the groups against bear trapping.
Several pro-hunting groups were aligned with the groups against bear trapping. The groups and politicians that sponsored this bill (again, after a public vote last year to continue to allow bear trapping) will never be satisfied until all consumptive use of animals is outlawed. They will not stop at trapping. As usual, their campaign consisted primarily of misinformation, including posting a video on YouTube of a hunter that appears to shoot a bear baited with a box of donuts.