In response to the letter from Elayne Robinson about bear baiting—the bear facts.
Bear hunting is a vital part of the checks and balances of nature. If it were not for bear hunting, the bear population would explode, becoming a problem for all creatures great and small. Man is the only predator (yes, we are predators) that the bears have in the wild.
I’m not sure if Elayne has hiked through the woods in August or early September but you are lucky if you see more then 50 feet into the woods—especially where the bears like to stay. So baiting is the best option in this part of the country. It gives the hunter a chance at seeing a bear to have the time to distinguish its size and sex and to make sure it’s not a female with cubs. You don’t harvest a bear if she has cubs.
It’s no different then deer hunting where hunters put a stand on a well-used deer trail and wait for one to come by.
Just because you put out bait doesn’t mean you are going to see a bear. It’s not that simple. A bear’s sense of smell and hearing are two very big things to overcome. They know the bait is not natural food, so they are very cautious when they approach. I’ve had many walk around me and leave as quietly as they came, never to be seen. I have had some come into the bait and have just watched them. I have taken one bear in ten-plus years of hunting. I find that getting them to come in to the bait is more exciting and challenging than the actual harvest.
Hunter success over the last ten years has averaged just 21%. That’s not a very high harvest for the hunters out there sitting over that magical bait! Theratio of bears taken is 62% male. These and other facts on bears, their habitat, behavior, and bear hunting can be found on the DNR’s web site.
I challenge you and others to do some research on this mysterious and magnificent animal, and then tell me baiting bears is not hunting.
Don Hill
Lakeville
West Twin Lake
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