The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife(MDIFW) captured a black bear for study purposes. It turned out to be “Big John” a big bear that had been captured for study before about 4 years ago. He now weighs in at over 400 pounds. You can read the story on the Bangor Daily News website.

But what I wanted to take a minute or two to share with readers here is that the MDIFW bear biologists captured “Big John” in a foot-hold snare trap, the same kind of foot-hold snare trap that trappers use when trapping bears. “Big John” was captured and safely released. Trappers who snare bears, can, if they choose, also safely release a captured bear. Readers should not listen to the misleading rhetoric being put out by the animal rights groups attempting to ban bear hunting, baiting, trapping and hounding.