Up to 80% of all bears killed by weekend hunters are killed on federal lands in national forests and are “baited” kills. So-called sportsmen and/or hunting guides actually bait or
place donuts, baking grease or dead animal carcasses, like horses, or anything else that may draw a bear in to eat then they lay in wait and kill the trophy bear virtually at point-blank range….no real hunting involved.
It is like an unsporting canned hunt for bears but it all takes place on publicly owned, federally protected national lands. Federal policy prohibits feeding bears to reduce the number of dangerous interactions between people and bears but, to date, bear baiting continues.
Up to 80% of all voters oppose trapping, hunting and/or poisoning wildlife in America’s national wildlife refuges and they oppose spending tax dollars to allow commercial or recreational trapping and hunting on these refuges. Unfortunately, to date, hunting and trapping is allowed and even encouraged on up to 60% of the 538 national wildlife refuges in America.
These lands are specifically designated for the conservation and diversity of wildlife but the U.S. government, taxpayer supported, National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) seems to place the interests of ranchers, farmers, timber, mining, off-road vehicle enthusiasts, hunters and trappers over the interests of wildlife in public owned refuges.
Only a couple million people a year visit these refuges to hunt or trap but over 20 million people a year visit them for wildlife observation or just to experience nature. Trappers and hunters are outnumbered by a 15 to 1 margin.
SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCE: THE FUND FOR ANIMALS MAGAZINE SPRING 2003