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November 9, 2009

Activists' Toolkit against Bear Baiting

The Humane Society of the United States

Bear baiting is for the laziest of hunters, who bait bears within rifle range with piles of donuts, grease, rotting meat or garbage. While the unsuspecting animal feasts on her last meal the hunter can shoot her in the back from close range. For more information, see our fact sheet.

Only ten states allow this unsporting practice. Is your state one of them [PDF]? If so, help us end this unseemly practice by writing a few quick letters.

We provide sample letters to the editor, sample letters to your legislators, and sample op-eds to get you started. You can edit these or use them as a guide to write your own.

Write a letter to the editor

A well written, well timed letter to the editor can shift public opinion and influence policy.

• Before you get started, here are a few tips.
• See our sample letters

Ask elected officials to stop this abuse

Bear baiting, like spring bear hunting and bear hunting with hounds, is an abuse that must be banned at the state level.

• Look up your elected officials and get tips on contacting them.
• See our sample letters

Write an op-ed

If you want to be more creative, try submitting a longer essay to the op-ed pages of your favorite newspaper.

• Read a couple of example op-eds