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Sportsman's Alliance of Maine Events Raffles Merchandise Contact us 205 Church Hill Road, Augusta ME 04330 Telephone: 207-622-5503 FAX: 207-622-5596 |
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Governor John Baldacci’s Statement Delivered to the Ninth Annual SAM Sportsman’s Congress December 5, 2003 In November 2004, this state will also face a very unique referendum concerning bear hunting. Groups, funded by out of state organizations committed to ending hunting, are backing a referendum that would make it illegal to hunt bear with dogs, to hunt bears with bait or to trap bears. They believe they know better than the State’s biologists and animal management professionals how Maine should manage our wildlife resources. They have gotten out early to tell their story to Maine voters. We need to tell our story. Here are the facts. The Department’s biologists have been studying Maine’s bear population for more than two decades, a research project unequaled by any other state in the country. We know that the bear population is increasing in Maine. These scientists know best how to care for and manage the bear population, and a limited hunting season for bear is one of those tools. Bear hunting has allowed us to control the growth of the bear population so the population pressure doesn’t force bears into areas with high human populations. I oppose the referendum in part because it would take away the tools these scientists need to do their jobs as resource managers. IF&W and I are opposed to this referendum for an additional reason. The loss of these forms of bear hunting will economically impact not only the department, but also hundreds of guides and businesses throughout Maine that cater to all types of hunters from August through December. Many of these people and businesses are located in parts of the state where there isn’t as much economic activity as we would like to see. The jobs provided by bear hunting are important to the communities in these areas, and we need to do what we can to preserve them.
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