From: james@csn.org (Jim Phillips)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns
Subject: The truth is told!
Date: 18 Dec 92 01:56:11 GMT
Organization: Colorado SuperNet, Inc.


For information only, if the moderator(s) permit.  The following
article appeared in yesterday's RMN.  We passed a number of strange
ammendments in Colorado last month and #10 was a big winner.

The #10 supporters stated over and over to the non-hunters that their
goal was not to stop all hunting.  The supporters claimed that they
were only after the obviously unethical practice of hunting bears in the
spring when dependant cubs could be orphanned. Never mind that killing
lactating female bears is already illegal, AND AND AND...

Better stop here if I want to get this past the moderators :-)

The following is reprinted without permission from page 10 of the 
December 16 issue of the Rocky Mountain News...

-------------


                      Bowhunting of bears under fire. 

Animal rights group asks wildlife commission to ban practice in state.


by Deborah Frazier

A national animal rights group has fired another round in its fight against 
sport hunting in Colorado.

The Maryland-based Fund for Animals, which wants to stop all sport hunting, 
has now asked the Colorado Wildlife Commission to ban bowhunting for black 
bears.

The Fund for Animals backed Amendment 10, which bans Colorado's spring bear 
hunt and use of bait and dogs in any bear hunts. It said passage of the 
amendment proves the commission has ignored the public's wishes.

"It (the commission) must no longer sanction entirely unsporting and unethical 
hunting practices," said Wayne Pacelle, the fund's national director. "You 
make a mockery of the hunting ethic that demands quick and clean kills."

The group also has a greater goal.

"Our objective is to eliminate sport hunting. We try to take on those hunts 
and methods that are most objectionable. As we whittle it down, we convert 
non-hunters to anti-hunters," said D.J. Schubert, directory of investigations.

More than 25 studies on bowhunting for deer show the wounding rate is about 
50% and the kill rate is 50%, Schubert said. Since bears are larger than deer,
their wound rate would be higher, he said. 

"Maybe we can eliminate bowhunting without a referendum. The state wildlife 
commission shouldn't promote an activity that is cruel an ineffective,"
said Schubert.

Larry Baker, past chairman of Colorado Bowhunters and past president of United 
Sportsmen's Council of Colorado, said bowhunters have to get within 10 to 30 
yards of a bear to kill it.

"Bowhunting is a proficient way for hunting bear and other big game animals 
in Colorado," he said. "I've taken a bear with a bow and arrow and find it 
no different than taking any other big game."

Dennis Bergstad of the Colorado Outfitters and Guides Association said 
Bowhunting for bears is difficult because of the close range required. 
Fewer bears are shot by archers as a result, he said.

Mike Smith of Coloradans United for Bears, which launched the anti-spring 
bear hunt drive, said bowhunting for bears is a less significant ethical issue,
and he is more concerned about hunting mountain lions with dogs and bait.

----------------------

-- 
 James K. Phillips       Sprocket Scientist     james@pvi.com 
  Precision Visuals, Inc.                       james@teal.csn.org
  6230 Lookout Rd      				
  Boulder, CO 80301    				(303) 530-9000 x308

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