Bear-Baiting Initiative Qualifies For Fall Ballot Group Seeks To Ban ‘Unfair And Unsporting’ Methods Of Hunting
The Idaho Coalition United for Bears on Wednesday turned in petitions containing nearly 44,000 signatures, qualifying an initiative to restrict bear hunting for the November general election ballot.
Election workers verified that 43,875 signatures had been turned in, about 2,500 more than the required number. Several other initiative proposals still are trying to make the deadline, which is the end of next week.
The bear hunting initiative joins the One Percent Initiative on the general election ballot.
The initiative seeks to outlaw certain hunting practices, which sponsors called “unfair and unsporting.”
“The successful petition drive shows that Idaho’s citizens recognize this initiative is not anti-hunting and has nothing to do with wildlife management,” said coalition coordinator Lynn Fritchman.
“It has everything to do with fairness, ethics and affording bears the same treatment as we give other big game animals,” he said.
Don Clower, chairman of the opposing Sportsmen’s Heritage Defense Fund, said he wasn’t surprised that the initiative made it, since its backers paid to collect signatures.
Fritchman said they had to use paid signature gatherers for less than 5 percent of the total. About 200 volunteers helped circulate the petitions, he said.
“It was tough to get them, harder than we thought it would be,” Fritchman said. He said in many areas, hunters tried to block the collection of signatures.
Clower said The Humane Society of the United States was behind the drive.
“We have said all along three things would happen,” Clower said. “First, it would become obvious that out-of-state forces like (the Humane Society) were behind this effort, not Idahoans.
“Second, the animal rights group, Humane Society of the United States, would use out-of-state money to finance the signature-gathering campaign. And third, the Humane Society of the United States would qualify the initiative by buying signatures,” Clower said.
He said opponents of the initiative have a statewide organization in place, money in the bank, 121 endorsing organizations and nearly half the state legislators in support.
Stew Churchwell, who lives off the land near Challis, joined Fritchman in denouncing the use of hounds and baiting to take bears. They said no other big game animals are taken that way. xxxx CHANGES SOUGHT Sponsors want to outlaw these hunting practices they call “unfair and unsporting:” Allowing the use of hounds to bag bears. Baiting, or putting out food or other items to attract bears. Allowing spring hunting of bears, at a time when bears give birth.