Should Maine Ban Bear Baiting? [VIDEO]

Maine's bear hunting season is underway, but it could also be the last one where the controversial practice of bear baiting is allowed, according to WMTW.com. Three weeks after we first posted this poll, more than 200 voters say they want Maine to continue bear baiting by a 2 to 1 margin.

Maine voters will decide a November ballot question on whether to ban bear baiting, according to the Portland television news station. Currently, Maine allows hunters to use food, trash and dogs to bait bears. The practice would only be allowed for public safety, research and to protect property.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife favors bear baiting as a way to control the bear population, which is near highest in the U.S. at about 31,000 bears, according to WMTW.com. Meanwhile, groups like the Mainers for Bear Hunting are against it because it doesn't allow for a fair chase.

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