Hunters in Maine ought to beware of the claims made by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) that they are not out to ban bear hunting in this state. They claim they only want to ban bear baiting, trapping and the use of dogs. That accounts for practically all of the ways bears are hunted, except for those killed incidentally by hunters hunting other game. HSUS continually claims they are not opposed to hunting, but their actions prove otherwise. Currently, they are involved in activities to end dove hunting in California, and if one looks closely, they will find HSUS’s influence where hunting has been curtailed or severely limited.

This threat to ban bear hunting in Maine is real. A problem exists in that sportspeople are a divided group. Fly fishers bicker with worm dunkers, muzzleloaders argue with regular rifle hunters, bow hunters disagree with them all, and bear hunters are among the most divided. If sportspeople don’t stand together against threats posed by HSUS and other groups, such as Friends of Animals and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, we will all lose our great privilege to hunt. Someone once said, “United we stand, divided we fall.” This is truer now than ever.

Tony Chiappone

Orrington