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November 9, 2009

Activists' Toolkit against Hound Hunting of Bears

When someone is too lazy to do any actual hunting, but wants to go straight for the kill, sometimes they turn to hound hunting.

The hunter fits high-tech radio telemetry devices to the collars of a pack of dogs. The dogs chase a bear through the woods until the bear is exhausted, cornered or treed.

All the hunter must do is follow the dogs' signals, then shoot the waiting bear at close range. Our hound hunting fact sheet has more details on this most unsporting practice.

Is it legal to hunt bears with hounds in your state [PDF]? If so, help us end this unsporting 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

Hound hunting, like spring bear hunting and bear baiting, 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