Important info on Bear Bill

Fwd: FW: Alert: Hearing Set for Maine Anti-Bear Hunting Bill
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Good afternoon – I have received several calls and email messages over the past two days asking that I send info about the upcoming anti-bear hunting/trapping bill to my old “Legislative Alert” list. As a result, I am forwarding the alert I received this morning from the US Sportsmen’s Alliance (the organization that helped us defeat the 2004 bear referendum).



This alert summarizes the upcoming bear bill and provides information for contacting the members of the Legislative Fish and Wildlife Committee who will be conducting the hearing on this bill. A unanimous “ought not to pass” vote by the 13 members of this committee would result in the bill’s defeat without the bill ever going to entire Legislature for a vote. That’s the easiest way to defeat the bill, and I would encourage each of you to attend the hearing if possible and, at the very least, contact every member of the committee expressing your opposition to the bill. When talking with these Legislators, be polite and stick to the facts about the far reaching negative impacts that this bill would have on you, the future of hunting and trapping, the economic impact, an already expanding bear population, etc.



Also be advised that the Humane Society of the United States has recently filed intent to initiate another bear referendum in 2014. The timing of this announcement is no mistake! They are getting the word out that if their bear bill passes in the Legislature, they won’t proceed with their threatened referendum. HSUS is hoping that their threat of another referendum will convince enough legislators to vote in favor of the upcoming bill (a ban on bear trapping and hunting with hounds) rather than face another costly referendum (that would also ban hunting over bait). This is known as their often effective “divide and conquer” approach to outlawing our most vulnerable wildlife harvesting methods.



Even if their bill is defeated, there is a very good chance that they will not go ahead with another referendum. If they were serious about another referendum, they wouldn’t have gone to all the trouble of sending this bill to the Maine Legislature. They’ve had much greater success with referendums than in dealing with state legislatures. The referendum threat could well be just a bluff to try to get the upcoming bill passed, and it appears to me to be a pretty effective strategy on their part. They are betting that the Legislature will take the lesser of two evils. That’s why their announcement came when it did. They’ve played this game before! Everyone needs to take their bill very seriously and do everything possible to make sure it doesn’t pass! Skip Trask





From: U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance [mailto:donotreply@ussportsmen.org]
Sent: Tuesday, May 07, 2013 10:19 AM
To: Norman E. Trask
Subject: Alert: Hearing Set for Maine Anti-Bear Hunting Bill





Hearing Set for Maine Anti-Bear Hunting Bill

Urgent calls needed Now!

On Friday, May 10th, the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Wildlife will hold a hearing on an anti-bear hunting bill being pushed by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The hearing is scheduled for 10 A.M. in Room 206 in the Cross Office Building in Augusta.

All sportsmen should plan to attend and speak against this attack on hunting and scientific wildlife management.

The bill, LD 1474 sponsored by Representative Denise Patricia Harlow (D-Portland) and supported by HSUS, would:

Ban bear trapping and bear hunting with dogs. Under the bill, government officials would only be allowed to trap or use dogs on “specific offending” bears or for scientific studies
Ban using a leashed dog to track a wounded bear
Place a permanent prohibition on hunting bears between January 1st and July 31st
Reduce the bear bag limit from two to one bear for all hunters.
“HSUS and other anti-hunting organizations are working hard to pressure lawmakers into passing this hunting ban,” said Jeremy Rine, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance associate director of state services. “It is very important for sportsmen to make a strong showing of opposition at the hearing. Sportsmen who are unable to attend the hearing should contact the members of the committee today.”

Bear hunting is an important tool to manage Maine’s large bear population. Bear hunting with dogs and trapping are important components of bear management in the state that helps protect public safety and control nuisance bears.

Take Action!- Sportsmen should plan on attending Friday’s hearing. Those unable to attend should contact members of the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Wildlife today and tell them to vote NO on LD 1474.



Chair Senator David Dutremble (D-York)

(207) 287-1540 Sendavid.dutremble@legislature.maine.gov

Chair Rep. Michael Shaw (D-Standish)

(207) 787-4352 RepMike.Shaw@legislature.maine.gov

Senator Anne Haskell (D-Cumberland)

(207) 287-1540 SenAnne.haskell@legislature.maine.gov

Senator David Burns (R-Washington)

(207) 287-1505 SenDavid.Burns@legislature.maine.gov

Rep. Sheryl Briggs (D-Mexico)

(207) 364-5665 RepSheryl.Briggs@legislature.maine.gov

Rep. Karen Kusiak (D-Fairfield)

(207) 453-6834 RepKaren.Kusiak@legislature.maine.gov

Rep. Timothy Marks (D-Pittston)

(207) 582-6798 RepTim.Marks@legislature.maine.gov

Rep. Stanley Byron Short, Jr. (D-Pittsfield)

(207) 487-4944 RepStanley.Short@legislature.maine.gov

Rep. Paul Davis, Sr. (R-Sangerville)

(207) 876-4047 RepPaul.Davis@legislature.maine.gov

Rep. Dale Crafts (R-Libson)

(207) 353-5469 RepDale.Crafts@legislature.maine.gov

Rep. Eleanor Espling (R-New Gloucester)

(207) 926-6082 RepEllie.Espling@legislature.maine.gov

Rep. Stephen Wood (R-Sabattus)

(207) 740-3723 RepSteve.Wood@legislature.maine.gov

Rep. Jeffrey Evangelos (U-Friendship)

(207) 832-7378 RepJeff.Evangelos@legislature.maine.gov




U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance
801 Kingsmill Parkway
Columbus, Ohio 43229
614-888-4868
www.ussportsmen.org
info@ussportsmen.org