Letter to the editor: New legislation threatens state’s hunting culture

For a few weeks this winter, I would end my day by checking the Vermont Legislature’s page to see if H. 172 had made it out of committee. On the evening of ‘crossover’ it seemed like this piece of proposed legislation must have been too extreme for the committee to have taken up as part of their 2021 agenda and was pigeonholed. Like most Vermont outdoors people, I am not a bear houndsman or a trapper and do not aspire to either. I do respect the history of trapping in Vermont and can see the merits of bear … (read more)

I write to both thank and commend Sen. Chris Bray (D-Addison County) for his commitment to ensure that all Vermonters are represented and heard when it comes to wildlife matters. The legislation that he proposes in bill S.321 is long-overdue, especially t … (read more)

Editor’s note: This story is third in a series. The first, “Bear-hunting hounds attack hikers and pup,” was published on October 31, 2019; the second, “Bear-hound attack shocks hunting community,” was published on November 7, 2019. On November 26, 2019, C … (read more)

Right from the start of reporter Christopher Ross’s series of stories on the bear hounds that attacked a couple and their black, furry puppy in the U.S. Forest off the Ripton-Goshen road in mid-October, it was apparent any solution would revolve around ma … (read more)