Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Of the 29 states that allow bear hunting, only 18 allow the practice of baiting– luring them to an area with food. Several states have banned the practice in recent years, and efforts are underway here in Maine to follow suit. Daryl DeJoy of Mainers for Fair Bear Hunting (and full disclosure- he also was the host of the short feature “Ask WAM” that aired on WERU in the past) is leading the efforts to put the issue out to voters. While anyone attempting to reform hunting in Maine is often dismissed as an urban dweller that has never spent time in the woods, Daryl DeJoy’s background dispels that stereotype (Interview with Daryl DeJoy)
According to numbers provided by Doug Rafferty, spokesperson for Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, in 2012 the total revenue the state received from bear hunting and trapping permits was just over ½ a million dollars. More bear hunting permits were sold to non-residents than to Mainers, although the opposite is true for trapping permits. We spoke with Doug Rafferty earlier today.