In response to John Boyle’s letter, “Manage bear numbers” (BDN letter, Jan. 8), questioning the upcoming referendum to ban bear hounding and baiting; I would ask the public at large to ask themselves a few simple questions when they are making up their minds which way to vote.

If bears need to be baited and hounded in order to control their populations, why aren’t the many states that allow only fair- chase hunting methods overrun with bears, as we are being led to believe will happen by those with economic interest in keeping these methods legal? Why are we being led to believe the same animals Boyle says rarely present themselves in any fair-chase scenarios will suddenly become nuisances across the state? Which is it, rarely seen or common nuisance?

If we are to trust the experts in our state on wildlife issues, as Boyle and our governor say, why does the state continue to spend many dollars ensuring the coyote-snaring program that the majority of these experts agree (and the evidence backs it up) doesn’t work is able to continue? The minority run our state when it comes to wildlife issues.

Please, on Nov. 2, ask yourselves these questions before you vote on this referendum.

Daryl DeJoy

Penobscot