Gov. Baxter shared his father’s belief that animals deserve fair treatment at the hand of man; that a man degrades and betrays himself when he practices cruelty upon them. (“Maine, A Narrative History,” Rolde, 301.)

Ethical hunting means fair chase, not a close shot at a creature having no possibility of escape – trapped, exhausted from chase, or lured by food – enabling the easy harvest of a trophy bear in season.

Unfair hunting stacks all odds against the hunted, assuring a close-range shot at a defenseless bear. I agree wholeheartedly with the Baxters, two highly respected Mainers. Every animal deserves humane treatment. I hope you‘ll vote to eliminate prolonged suffering by eliminating these hunting practices.

We can’t hear their pitiful cries, but we must take a firm stand for creatures without voices: for bears and hounds that suffer in the chase. Vote yes on Question 1.

Marge Merrill Devine
Falmouth