The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife determined that about 25 percent of bear hunters were successful. These figures indicate that even with bait, successfully harvesting a bear is a very difficult endeavor.
TV ads and letters to the editor claim that 7 million pounds of bait are placed in the woods each year to attract bears. While that amount is quite improbable in itself, it is even more far-fetched to think it is possible to actually weigh the amount of bait used during the season. So much for the hyperbole argument!
In 2013 the department reported 600 nuisance bears. How many more nuisance complaints might we have had if the 2,845 bears taken during the season were still on the prowl?
For facts, go to the MDIFW website; for emotion, go to to the antibaiting crowd.
By the way, never hunted bears; never will.
Gerald Caruso
Falmouth
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