Per the argument for I-177 (voter info pamphlet): “the kill is often not quick or efficient, suffering of trapped animal is enormous and can last for days.” This does not conform to “Montana’s tradition of fair chase and respect for animals.” Anyone who believes this “tradition” has to be an ignorant hypocrite because it is malarkey. Animals are pursued by hunters who employ unfair tactics to kill the animal from ambush. These include timers/cameras, scents, lures, feeds, camouflage, tree stands and very long range rifles.
The game are mostly shot with a rifle, shotgun or bow and often times it is poorly placed. The terrified wounded animal struggles and sometimes escapes to a slow and painful death. This is a violent sport and not one that shows any humane treatment for the game. A quick death is their best hope for relieving their agony.
“Fair chase” was the same argument used against the elk farmers in 2000 because some offered “canned hunts.” It didn’t matter that these elk were actually livestock and not wild or that they were always killed in the shortest time, minimizing their agony.
I am an elk farmer and not against hunting. Seeing “fair chase” used in this election is a painful reminder of the smear campaign they used causing many elk farmers to lose their businesses, incomes and property rights for no good reason.
The hunters and well-funded special interest groups used the Montana hoax for convincing the ignorant voters with clever media ads of misinformation to ban private livestock shooting and new farms.
James Weber
Marion