Legislative Document 1635, "An Act To Prohibit Recreational Bear Trapping," sponsored by State Representative James Schatz (D-37), was laid before the State House on Wednesday, May 23. The House voted 82-60 that the “ought not to pass” report be accepted, which essentially “kills” the bill. The bill now heads to the State Senate for concurrence.
LD 1635 would have abolished the open season on trapping bears. Bear trapping has been a long-standing method of bear hunting in Maine. In fact, the bear management program is based upon the use of this form of hunting in order to maintain a healthy bear population in Maine.
Please contact your State Senator today at (207) 287-1583 and ask him or her to accept the “ought not to pass” committee report.