On May 3, the Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife conducted a fake public hearing for L.D.1265, An Act To Control the Means of Hunting Coyotes. Dozens of citizens attended, most speaking in favor of the bill. Unfortunately, our elected representatives refused to participate, as an average of four of the 13 committee members were present for the hearing at any one time.

Not surprisingly, the committee killed the bill — unanimously.

The bill would have placed limits on killing coyotes by banning the use of dogs to run them down and rip them apart, banning night hunting of coyotes, and banning baiting coyotes. It would not have impacted so-called “fair chase” hunting of coyotes or hunting them with the use of sight or sound decoys.

I have been telling the people of Maine for years that Maine’s government is very broken and that Maine’s system of fish and wildlife mismanagement is rigged in favor of killing. The IF&W legislative committee did a wonderful job of proving my point.

Maine’s fish and wildlife statutes greatly favor killing over conservation. Maine’s democracy is a farce intended to give the illusion of “government by the people.” So-called public hearings such as the one for L.D. 1265 are meaningless and are held only because they are required to be held.

Government exists to promote itself. It ignores and discourages anyone who works for positive change. Its intent is to make the people just give up and go away. It’s no wonder that more people are not active in wildlife advocacy in this state. It’s past time to say enough is enough.

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The public’s wildlife and the public’s government belong to us all, not to a fringe special interest group or to a small group of do-nothings.

 

John Glowa

South China

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