Bear baiting opponents deliver signatures aplenty

Anchorage Daily News ^ | January 9, 2004 | Joel Gay

[Holly_P]

PETITION: Voters may have final say this fall on proposed ban.

Opponents of bear baiting have more than enough signatures to put the question of banning the controversial practice before Alaska voters this fall, but pro-hunting groups are mobilizing for a fight they say will be one of the most important in the nation.

[Holly_P]

Bear baiting

WHERE IT'S LEGAL

* Alaska

* Idaho

* Maine

* Michigan

* Minnesota

* New Hampshire

* Utah

* Wisconsin

* Wyoming

BANNED BY INITIATIVE

* Colorado (1992)

* Oregon (1994)

* Washington (1996)

[Holly_P]

Ping

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[RonF]

I don't hunt. I fish. But hunting is a fine thing and more power to hunters. Having said that, killing a bear by luring it into a vulnerable spot by putting a garbage can filled with food in a pile of logs, waiting around for a bear to be lured, and then shooting it does seem unsporting to me. If it's necessary as a management technique to get rid of rogue bears, that's one thing, and acceptable. But to call it and treat it as "sport" seems wrong.

[cpst12]

I agree, what sport is there in putting out food for a bear and waiting for it to come so you can shoot it?...thats NOT hunting, thats target practice. I can just picture so fat slobs chugging the beers from the front seat of the pickup truck in a parking lot waiting for bears to come get the bait so they can shoot them...some sport that is. Want to shoot a bear? track it down and shoot it.

[johnb838]

I thought this was talking about the ancient practice of setting a chained bear to fight against several dogs with the spectators gambling on the outcome. <Yawn}

[RonF]

Actually, it's my understanding that bear-baiting hunters sit up in tree stands so that if they wound instead of killing the bear, they've got a chance to get a second shot off before the bear can get to them. Often there's a partner in another tree who can also finish off a wounded bear. And this is done out in the woods; no one's shooting from a parking lot. I fully agree with your "target practice" comment.

[SolutionsOnly]

I have to agree that baiting is upsporting and therefore unethical.

True hunting is fine - Baiting is somewhat akin to shooting dairy cows.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!

[CTOCS]

.......lying in wait with rifle or bow and arrow.

Sheesh, Every time I read the phrase "bow and arrow", it grates on me.

It's as redundant as saying "rifle and bullets". And nobody says that......

BTW, in West VA., they hunt them with dogs. Seems a little more sporting than "shooting them in a restaurant" !!.....