On Nov. 4, Maine residents will vote on Question 1, a ballot initiative foisted upon them by a special-interest group and funded almost entirely by out-of-state monies. At stake is the ability of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to properly manage black bear populations in the Pine Tree State. Question 1 seeks, in effect, to ban bear hunting. The initiative would make it illegal to hunt bears over bait, with dogs or by trapping. In the impenetrable forests of Maine, those three methods account for 93 percent of the yearly harvest from the state’s robust population of 30,000 black bears.
Question 1 would hamstring the fish and wildlife department’s ability to scientifically and effectively manage black bears in Maine. The consequences being an unhealthy increase in bear populations, increased human-bear conflicts, increased management costs to taxpayers and economic losses that reverberate throughout the state. This has proven true in other states where the Washington D.C.-based Humane Society of the United States, which has organized and funded more than 97 percent of the $2.1 million campaign, has successfully passed similar measures – most notably in Colorado, Oregon and Washington. The Humane Society of the United States has moved into Maine like a snake-oil salesman of yore, and what they’re selling is a short-sighted, and dangerous, vision that will create a boondoggle for state wildlife managers and taxpayers long after they leave town. Some facts, by the numbers:
Those in favor of Question 1 have stated that the only reason the state objects to the measure is for financial gain. They’ve stated that without bear-hunting license sales, the state will lose more than $1 million in revenue.
In the North American Wildlife Management model, those who participate in hunting, fishing and shooting, pay for and financially support the resource. A $1 million shortfall in a government agency will only cost jobs, negatively impact Maine’s pristine ecosystems, cut programming and potentially raise taxes to offset the loss. But $1 million is nothing compared to economic repercussions the state of Maine will suffer when HSUS returns to their plush Washington D.C. headquarters.
Bear hunting contributes nearly $53 million to Maine’s economy – that’s a loss everyone will feel.
Bear hunting supports 565 jobs throughout the state of Maine – which pumps more than $18 million in labor income into local economies.
A bear hunter spends more in Maine than any other type of hunter – an average of $3,310 per year, per hunter.
The $35 million bear hunters spend in Maine is more than turkey, waterfowl, moose and small-game hunters spend.
The economic importance of bear hunting to Maine cannot be overstated. Many rural economies and the individuals that live there depend upon the influx of hunters during autumn to survive the rest of the year. But, the economic impact isn’t limited to guides and outfitters, small-town motels, grocery stores and restaurants; the I-295/95 corridor moves hunters through the state and means some of the largest cities will feel the pinch from the loss of bear hunting.
Bangor and the Maine Highlands will be the hardest hit. Bear hunters spend more than $8 million here and have a total economic effect of nearly $12 million.
Augusta and Kennebec Valley will experience a loss of $3.5 million in direct spending by bear hunters and will feel a $5 million repercussion if Question 1 passes.
Portland and the Casco Bay area will lose almost $1 million in direct sales to bear hunters and will feel a combined loss of $1.5 million.
Question 1, which is backed and bankrolled by the Washington D.C.-based Humane Society of the United States, won’t just hamstring state wildlife managers and increase conflicts between humans and bears, it will devastate local economies and could pinch even big-city coffers.
