I support the group Mainers for Fair Bear Hunting, which is seeking to change the laws regarding bear hunting.

I grew up around hunting, and one of my sons is a hunter. In exchange for the privilege of hunting, hunters should have respect for nature, and how the animal being hunted functions in its delicate balance.

Good sportsmanship should include giving the game a fair chance and tracking it respectfully.

Using stale doughnuts or other food for bait, scaring and chasing bears with dogs, and using inhumane traps are practices of a bygone era. I support the right to hunt, but not if it involves practices that make the animal a victim of cruelty.

I support the change in the law to ban the outdated practices of baiting, hounding and trapping bears.

Kimmy Sophia Brown

Portland