Sportsmen win in Maine, lose in Michigan

[Humptulips]

Maine voters defeated a Referendum in Maine to outlaw bear baiting, hounding and trapping.
http://www.syracuse.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2014/11/maine_bear-hunting_referendum_fails_its_still_ok_to_hunt_them_with_dogs_bait_and.html

Michigan voters approved measures that would protect wolves but it is complicated. Their Governor signed into law bills that basically thwarted the Referendums last summer. Expect law suits to follow.
http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2014/11/04/michigan-wolf-hunt/18504391/

HSUS spent a lot of money to get these passed. Pretty easy to see who the enemy is.

[GBoyd]

With the initiatives and referendums, it'll just be a fight every election. It's worse here because we have King County to deal with.

[dreamunelk]

With the initiatives and referendums, it'll just be a fight every election. It's worse here because we have King County to deal with.

You just unknowingly pointed out the problem.  Sports people constantly blame a few counties.  If you take a look at the voter results by county it will surprise you.  For example both the anti trapping and anti bait and hound initiatives is Washington state passed in almost every county. 

IMO hunters need to start thinking about their actions and the people they contact each day and ask themselves if they are being good representatives of our outdoor related traditions.  The said truth is we are our own worst enemies.

[Humptulips]

With the initiatives and referendums, it'll just be a fight every election. It's worse here because we have King County to deal with.

You just unknowingly pointed out the problem.  Sports people constantly blame a few counties.  If you take a look at the voter results by county it will surprise you.  For example both the anti trapping and anti bait and hound initiatives is Washington state passed in almost every county. 

IMO hunters need to start thinking about their actions and the people they contact each day and ask themselves if they are being good representatives of our outdoor related traditions.  The said truth is we are our own worst enemies.

I can't speak for I-655 (Hound hunting and bear baiting) but I don't think that is true of I-713 (Trapping). I-713 was defeated in every county except those that touch Puget Sound with the exceptions being Spokane and Grays Harbor counties passing and Mason County voting to defeat. Even at that it was a close race except in Snohomish and King where we got clobbered.