In your editorial regarding bear-baiting (Oct. 2), I can see that you drank the Kool-Aid of the Yes on 1 folks. Too bad you are wrong on most of your points of opinion. You really should read the law book on bear hunting/trapping and educate yourself. Did you know that a bear hunted over bait or run with hounds or trapped, gives the hunter the opportunity to either harvest or let the bear go? All of these methods allow for this. Even the bears in a snare. IF&W use snares in their research.

By law, all hunters and trappers that use bait must label their baits, tree stands, game cameras, etc. with the name and address of the hunter/trapper. Also written permission from the landowner to place any of these items is the law.

Did you only watch the videos online that supported your views? Did you know that most of them are not from Maine? Could you provide links to the videos you are suggesting voters watch?

The reason license sales for bear hunting increased in the states that you mentioned is because it is now included in a big game license not an add-on for an additional fee.

How does this referendum affect you and the rest of the Yes on 1 crowd?

If the Yes on 1 crowd is successful, they will pack up and be gone, leaving the hunters and citizens of the state of Maine to clean up the mess. Sixty to seventy million dollars in lost revenues for the guides, outfitters, gas stations, etc. will be lost. Have a plan to replace these monies?

I could go on but you can’t change the minds of the uninformed. I can only hope that folks see through the smoke screen of emotional opinions and Vote no on 1.

I personally am very tired of the “I don’t or can’t do this so no one else should be able to either” crowd. Get off the pavement and computer and learn how things are really done.

Dale Southard

Raymond