It’s important to let the dogs do their thing, because without them and their zeal, hunters would fare poorly. Upland bird hunters and duck hunters know this. So do coon hunters, which are a breed unto themselves. Anyone can learn this if he or she passes just one night among them, for a coon hunt is always a work in progress.
As we reported in late 2012, California passed a ban on hunting bears with hounds. Now we learn that the effects of its implementation were felt immediately.
Let this serve as a reminder of what we're up against: "Animal rights" activists have banned hunting bears and bobcats with hounds in the state of California.
I see that my birth state—California—has not relinquished its stranglehold on the notion that the only proper way to manage its wildlife is through emotion. California has become the laughingstock of the nation for its polices, ranging from cultural to fiscal to wildlife management, and continues down that road with absolutely no remorse.
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) owes everything, from its occasional victories to its very existence, to lying. Consider the following: It has built up a huge war chest to push anti-hunting legislation and lawsuits by convincing donors it's affiliated with similarly named animal shelters (in reality HSUS donates just 1 percent of its budget to shelters). It led Michigan voters to confuse mourning doves with white doves. It has fought to ban the breeding of hunting dogs by lumping reputable kennels in with puppy mills.