"Mainer's for Fair Bear Hunting"

[Maineac]

Originally Posted by Maineguy04654

And thus the liberal way. No logic no facts zero common sense all misplaced "feelings". Bears are NOT cute and fuzzy they are predators at the top of the food chain and given the chance will will kill and eat you. I got bear on my land anytime you wanna come "pet" one the "cute fuzzy" things please come on over I will have my camera ready to document you're attempt.. That said For those of you whom have never hunted bear lets go to the facts. First Maine is ass backwards in the hunting season. Next baiting is the BEST way to ensure you take the animal you want and not the first one you see IE less cubs/ females are taken over bait. Trapping is another one we do not and have not used the big spiked jaw bear traps in a very long time. We use a piece is wire to hold their leg till we get there IF the animal caught is a sow or cub they can be cut free unharmed FYI this is the EXACT same method the IFW use to catch them. Last dogs as I am not a fan of dogs this is not a method I have used but it works and once again you can when the bear is treed NOT take it if it is a sow or cub. That all said as has been pointed out by the numbers if we removes these methods you will only be allowed to hunt bear seen in the open during deer season. This creates a few problems. First it removes a solid revenue stream that will be made up for by us hunters in higher fees that are already stupidly high. Next it will leave many more bears int he wild. As we ( humans) live more out where they are this will cause more interaction with them. This will cost more money to curtail and will put lives in danger. Last if you do not want to hunt then don't! Hunting is NEVER "fair" unless you go out in the woods neeked and take the animal with you're bare hands! I use a firearm to hunt no fair to it. If I can see the animal I am after then there is a pretty solid chance I can drop it where it stands. I grew up shooting NRA high power. Last like all things in life you have the right to not like a thing. That is America. But when you're dislike turns to where it removes my right to do it then we have problems. Remember this and think on it at some point a group will decide something YOU do is bad or wrong in their eyes and they will seek to take it from you. Will you have people to stand up and say no you have the right to do that or will that right be banned as well??

Your attempt at inserting right wing whacko theology blew any credibility out of the water, right beside the warm and fuzzy bunny hugging. Your end of the political spectrum is overflowing with those that fervently want to dictate how others should act, behave, what they do, how they worship (or not) and what they should say or do. Your indignation is sorely misplaced and really quite hypocritical. This kind of thing turns off people, and they end up voting against you just because of all of your other views. Please, don't help.

The issues are pretty much biological. Stop over 85% of the annual bear kill, which brings in tourism (hunting) money as well, and you're going to have some serious wildlife problems and put a number of people (lodging, guides) out of work.

[SSWBearHunter]

Please don't down the liberals~there are just as many anti-hunting conservatives whose minds won't change...and ...I'm a liberal to the core...but ...I'm not an extremist...I like to be an educated person who makes decisions based on facts, not emotions or claims without scientific backing...we need to spend the effort to educate those who haven't made up their minds because they haven't been informed. No since wasting energy on those who've already decided they're against bear baiting...

[SSWBearHunter]

Originally Posted by Iaskwhy

Nobody needs to hunt bears. Bears aren't the problem, people are. People are encroaching on the bears territory not the other way around. Nowhere in the world is hunting necessary to maintain populations. That's just stupid. What needs to be done is restore the predator populations that we killed off (eg California grizzlies). Nature regulates itself, humans are what screw everything up. We are they most destructive invasive species.

Well, we do. Whenever I harvest an animal, whether it's a bear, a deer, turkey, partrige or rabbit...it goes to feeding my family. When I can provide meat for may family, I don't have to buy from the grocery store--and meat costs A LOT more in the grocery store. California grizzlies don't and never did live in Maine. Humans will definitely ********** up if they pass this referendum. Nature is cruel--way more cruel than ethically harvesting an animal for consumption.

[SSWBearHunter]

I used the exact same word as Iaskwhy...and it bleeped mine out...I ask why...

[Kracer]

[quote=Maineac;35108822]

Originally Posted by Kracer

Bear were considered vermin until 'recently' in Maine. What the 70s or late 60s they became a game animal?

The days of local opinion are slipping away as outside influence has targeted Maine and other states with support from the Federal office of Informattion and regulatory affairs headed by Cass Sunstein, husband of our current ambassador to the UN. Sunstein is an animal rights extremist appointed by the prez. Yes, apparently, but from what I read he is more of a legal scholar expounding on the potential legal rights of animals, which is weird enough in itself, but he also supported John Roberts for the Supremes and apparently a death penalty advocate. You can't pigeonhole this guy. He analyzes issues to a fault. With all the bumper stickers and lawn signs advocating one candidate why are you surprised that 'outside influence' is taking over Maine? No idea what this means. Poliquin? Couple that with inviting the feds to own a large portion of your state (No, again, 80,000 acres were offered, which amounts to less than 4/10 of 1% of the State of Maine. on which the feds set the rules du jour based on whatever dominant political philosophy should come along opens the possibility that tradition will be eroded. Maybe, but them boys in Wyoming don't put up with too much malarky, nor Alaska. The signal has been given that PETA et al, have an ally in the feds proxy war against hunting and firearms. O.K., this part isn't true. What was the "signal" and you think the Federal Gov. is allied with PETA to take away hunting and firearms? How's that? Where's the evidence? Animal rights organizations have a foothold in Maine and are sourced by national funding that is hard to match locally. Aug 9st there is a banquet in Augusta to raise cash to counter the anti bear crowd. Guess I'll have to pencil that one in.
[SIZE=1][SIZE=1]superbanquet@savemainesbearhunt.com[/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][/SIZE][/SIZE]
[SIZE=1][SIZE=1][/SIZE][/SIZE]
The anti's 'have their ducks in a row' and with one shot bag animal rights, hunting and firearms.

Lest we not forget the opinion of out of state hunters that keep most guides in business and licensing cost structure.

Monster black bear may be like pushing 6 bags, however, a healthy adult female with cubs may weigh 135 pounds. Most bear taken are young, one state claims 70% over age 2.5 yrs old, and according to one biologist, 300# bear are as common as 300# men. Size is one of the most misunderstood factors. When a guy shoots a bear and it weighs 125# it not what he imagined. Maybe that's why F&G websites only give the theoretical weight range and harvest data by age rather than average/median weight of harvested bear. Scares off too many out of state hunters with the actual low weights. Trophy hunters the exception where they know what to look for and select large animals.

I have no desire to shoot a bear but have no problem that others do and well should as a management tool. Sad the spring bear hunt went away.

Hound hunting and bait hunting allow selective targeting of animals. Hate to orphan cubs and maybe a young of the year male isn't what you really want to shoot. State record bears run 5, 6, 7+ hunderd#s. Those are exceptionally large animals and as the records do stand for years it means there are a lot more smaller bear.

Arguments against these methods always mention 'unfair'. where have we heard that word recently?

Stick to the facts about bear hunting instead of getting all up in your t-party and you'd have more credibility and be more helpful. And there was never anything easy about dragging any bear out of the woods. Thank God for the old Tote Gote.

I don't belong to the t-party, just a life long bowhunter and trapper who realizes that politics are an inseperable part of game management.

I participated in many tranquilized bear carries, darted many bears. Raised a couple of cubs. Worked with the state as a volunteer on the NJ bb project.

Your blindness is profound.

[Maineac]

My blindness may be profound to you, but your politics and actual knowledge of Maine is obvious. "Couple that with inviting the Feds to own a large portion of your State." Like I said, 4/10 of 1% of the entire landmass of the State of Maine. That and the rest of the "hints" make your positions clear. Politics don't belong in game management decisions in Maine. Maybe in NJ, but not up here. But what happens is you throw enough of your political position in any argument and you lose supporters. I registered Republican, hoss, but I don't goosestep to the chanting emanating from the Blaine House or Fox News.

[7th generation]

When a topic goes south it's time to close the thread.