AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine's bears can soon eat doughnuts in peace.
The annual season for hunting bears with bait ended Saturday. Hunters typically bait bears with sugary human food such as doughnuts.
The baiting season accounts for most of the bear hunting in Maine and started on Aug. 31 this year. The general hunting season runs until Nov. 28, and hunting with dogs is still legal until Oct. 30.
Voters rejected a proposal to ban hunting bears via bait, dogs and traps in last November's election. State biologists say the hunt is critical to manage Maine's bear population.
