Join Our Campaign to End Canned Hunting in Maine

During each legislative session, Maine Friends of Animals chooses a focus issue, such as our ‘Dogs Chained for Life’ campaign and the recent bear referendum to ban baiting, hounding and trapping of Maine black bears. Our focus for this upcoming session is ‘canned hunting.’ 

Canned hunting is a hunting practice held on so called “hunting ranches”, which are privately owned lands in Maine that enclose non-native wildlife behind fenced-in land. The landowner charges fees for people to kill these animals which have no chance of escaping. Please read on and view our canned hunting fact sheet for more information concerning these operations in Maine.  

Canned hunting is a hunting practice held on so called “hunting ranches”, which are privately owned lands in Maine that enclose non-native wildlife behind fenced-in land. The landowner charges fees for people to kill these animals which have no chance of escaping. Please read on and view our canned hunting fact sheet for more information concerning these operations in Maine.  

In 1999, a bill to end canned hunting was turned over and an attempt made to actually increase the practice.  A compromise was agreed upon to grandfather the nine existing ranches in the state.  MFOA submitted legislation the following legislature, but it was defeated on an “economic” argument. But four years later, statistics show that economic argument is no longer valid. MFOA feels it is time to revisit this issue and end this barbaric trophy hunting by out-of-state “weekend warriors.”  

As we began to plan our campaign, we had the very good fortune to have a MFOA District Coordinator, Melissa Gates, complete her degree with a paper entitled An Advocate’s Handbook to End Canned Hunting in Maine.  It is a comprehensive look at canned hunting in Maine, which further supports legislation to end the practice once and for all.   

Please take a moment and read more about the campaign and how you can help. This will not be easy legislation and the hunting lobby will certainly look to defeat it. So please contact us  today and do whatever you can to pass this legislation to end canned hunting. 

Thank you for helping Maine Friends of Animals end this cruel, unsportsmanlike, unnecessary “hunting” practice in Maine.

January 2007

Canned Hunting Campaign Resources  

Canned Hunting Fact Sheet

Sample Letter to the Editor

Campaign Poster

View U-Tube Videos Concerning Canned Hunting in Maine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6kn0_72EEQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyUu2oP9qYY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sS63Q8d_7g

 

Comments from Prominent Hunting Advocates on Canned Hunting in Maine 

 

Fair chase “is the ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit and taking of free-ranging wild animals in a manner that does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over the animal…big game confined by artificial barriers for commercial shooting are ineligible.” 

The Boone & Crocket Club
“Hunting Behind Wire” by Bob Humphrey, Maine Sportsman

“These types of hunts are not looked upon in the best light by the public and the Department needs to consider if this is the type of hunting we want to promote,” 

Former DIF&W Commissioner Lee Perry
Bangor Daily News

“I don’t care if its elk farmers or Zulu hunters doing it. I don’t want this called hunting, because it is not hunting if you are doing it in an enclosed area.” …. “Basically I just don’t think it’s hunting. There’s a real fair-chase issue here. It’s shooting something in a barrel, as far as I am concerned.” 

Rep. Matt Dunlap
Former House chair of IFW Committee
Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine News and Bangor Daily News

“Hunting and fishing in the woods and waters of Maine have a long and storied tradition. It seems to me that any Mainer familiar with the outdoors would realize that canned hunts are not only unfair but not sporting.” 

Governor John Baldacci
Bangor Daily News

But the Department of Agriculture doesn’t want to regulate them either. “We are production driven. This hunt, or whatever you want to call it is certainly not agricultural production.” 

Chip Ridky, former State Veterinarian
“Hunting Behind Wire” by Bob Humphrey, Maine Sportsman

“In northern New England, the pride is in the chase, not the kill. When someone creates a situation where the chase is not an important part of the process, they’re attacking the culture. I’m surprised they even opened a place like that in Maine.”    

Jeff Brown, President of the Northeast Buck Club
The Boston Globe

“I’m concerned about Maine’s culture and heritage. This is not who we are.” 

Sen. Marge Kilkelly, former Agriculture Committee member and bill sponsor
The Boston Globe