Bear-Baiting Vote Likely On Ballot Group Expects To File Enough Signatures Today

Today, Idaho bear-baiting foes expect to file enough signatures to force a statewide vote on whether to ban the controversial hunting method.

“We’ll file approximately 43,000 signatures,” said Lynn Fritchman, chairman of the Idaho Coalition United for Bears.

In order to get the issue on the November ballot, the group had to come up with at least 41,335 signatures by July 5. Both sides of the issue expect a contentious battle in the months to come.

I-CUB wants three bear hunting methods banned:

Using hounds to find and pursue a bear, which is then shot out of a tree.

Planting meat, rotting fruit or other bait to draw bears to a hidden hunter.

Hunting bears in the spring, which can orphan cubs too young to fend for themselves.

Although such methods are used by only a relatively small number of Idaho’s hunters, many sportsmen are outraged by the effort. They feel the bear-baiting initiative is the first step to an eventual ban on all hunting.

“We have been expecting this day for quite some time,” said Don Clower, campaign manager for the Sportsmen’s Heritage Defense Fund. “It’s not a surprise. That is why we already have a statewide county system in place, money in the bank, 121 endorsing organizations and nearly half of all state legislators on board.”

Clower pointed out that I-CUB’s main financial backer is the Humane Society of the United States, which is helping fund similar initiatives in four states this year.

Hunting groups have raised five times as much money - $232,955 - as I-CUB, which has raised $42,500.

“I would rather see this money go to wildlife habitat, but if animal rightists have to impose their own personal choices and values upon everyone else, well, I guess we’ll have that debate,” said Clower.

Fritchman, a retired U.S. Army officer, scoffs at charges his group is a front for out-of-state animal rights activists. The Humane Society money came from Idaho members of the group, he said.

Also, he said, “We collected about 70,000 signatures. That’s quite a chunk of Idahoans.”

The 70,000 signatures were whittled down to 43,000 because many weren’t registered voters, he said. County clerks have certified all 43,000 as legitimate, he said.

His group expects to take out print, radio and TV ads to convince Idahoans that the hunting methods are barbaric, he said.

“I’m immensely relieved that we’ve got that signature drive behind us,” he said.

, DataTimes