State Treasurer Blasts Bear Hunting Initiative

State Treasurer Lydia Justice Edwards says the anti-bear hunting initiative on the November ballot is backed mainly by out-of-state animal rights activists and should be rejected.

She told a news conference on Thursday that the groups who pushed the initiative used “deceitful and misleading” statements and tactics, trying to convince people that bear hunters were some sort of “irresponsible barbarians.”

“Turn these pirates back at the border,” she said.

Edwards used state stationery to announce the news conference and held it in her office in the Statehouse, but rejected any suggestion that was an improper use of state resources.

“This is a state issue,” she said.

Voters in November will decide an initiative that would restrict certain types of bear hunting in Idaho, such as “baiting” or using food to attract bears, spring hunting and the use of dogs.

Justice said the initiative is pushed by the Humane Society of the United States and other Eastern groups whose eventual goal is to ban all hunting.

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” said Lynn Fritchman, Boise, chairman of Idaho Coalition United for Bears.

“Hunting will remain strong and vibrant in Idaho as long, and only as long, as the majority of Idahoans view hunting and hunters as sporting, ethical and in tune with values held by the preponderance of Idaho citizens,” he said.

Fritchman said surveys indicate most Idaho residents look at baiting, hounding and hunting bears in the spring as “unsporting, unethical” and unfair.

“The animal extremists from Washington, D.C., are coming into Idaho to try and control our choices and tradition,” the treasurer said.

Fritchman said his mostly volunteer organization collected 78,000 signatures from Idahoans. More than 41,000 were verified as those of registered voters.

“That can hardly be viewed as a bunch of wild-eyed radicals from the East,” he said.