Bear baiting is quick and humane

Sitting in the makeshift blind, set up by my father and me less than a week ago, I am waiting with great anticipation for the great black figure to emerge from his leafy home like a ghost out of the mist. As soon as I see the deep black of his fur, as he pokes his head out of the brush, I know it is a bear and not some shadow or trick played on my eyes by the setting sun. There is no mistaking a bear, nor mistaking the sound of my heart about to beat out of my chest; it is a wonder he doesn’t hear the thumping.

As the bruin lumbers his way to the tires filled with expired pastries, I raise my rifle, release the safety and squeeze the trigger. This experience was that of my first big game hunt. This bonding experience I have shared with my father, who was sitting next to me as I pulled the trigger, is one I will remember for the rest of my life. Now, there are people trying to prevent this experience from being shared by anyone, ever again.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is leading a movement to ban bear baiting, hunting bear by the aid of hounds or trapping of bear. The reason for this referendum is due to the views of some, who believe that baiting a bear is “cowardly and unfair,” as quoted by [BDN reporter] Misty Edgecomb, as well as inhumane and unsportsmanlike.

The number of bears killed will dramatically decrease if baiting is outlawed. There is no way to consistently hunt black bear in the type of habitat they inhabit in Maine. Their numbers will increase too dramatically and they will eventually run out of habitat. This will cause starvation (nature’s way of regulating population). Bears will eventually have no choice but to move closer to areas inhabited by people. This will simply increase people’s misconceptions of bears being a nuisance or aggressive and dangerous. Maine’s bear hunters, hunting guides and, most importantly, Maine’s bear biologist agree.

Biologist Randy Cross was quoted as saying, “This is the only feasible way that we can kill the [number of] bears that we need to stabilize the population.” Cross believes baiting is required to ensure that the bear population maintains a reasonable level.

The population is now around 23,000, with 4,000 bears being killed last year. More than 3,000 of those 4,000 were killed over bait. Not only will the referendum be bad for the bears themselves, but also guides depend on this very baiting season for their livelihood. Eighty percent of bear hunters are from other states and are willing to pay upward of $1,000 to a guide for putting them on a bear. Many of these hunters come from states that have their own bear hunting season, but do not allow baiting.

The question that will most likely appear on the ballot will read, “Do you want to make it a crime to hunt bears with bait, traps or dogs except to protect property, public safety or for research?” This basically translates to, “Should we force the population of bears to grow so out of control that we have to kill them for trying to find room to live and because they scare us?” As for baiting, that’s unethical but killing bears for research is fine.

Baiting a bear is the most fail-safe way to ensure a quick and humane harvest of one of these magnificent creatures. The hunter is able to take his or her time to judge the animal; the black bear is without a doubt the hardest animal to field judge, they all look huge at first. Having the time to make certain the bear is a mature animal and not a youngster is one of the most important benefits of baiting. Being able to ensure that the bear at the bait is not a sow with cubs is also important and crucial to ensure that a cub will not be orphaned.

One year after my first bear hunt, my father and I were overlooking the same bait-sight from the same stand. We were graced with the presence of a family of raccoons that finagled their way into our bait and had their fill. A huge bull moose with a tree (which he had undoubtedly fought only a few moments before) hanging from its antlers walked within 10 feet of my ground blind made of small trees. We even enjoyed watching a small bear finish off the bait we had set out only four hours before. None of these animals were shot and we can enjoy watching them again by simply slipping a video into a VCR.

These are just some of the many experiences that will be almost impossible to witness if baiting is banned.

Justin Selfridge of Caribou is a first-year student studying fitness and wellness at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.