PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A judge says she'll rule early next week on an injunction aimed at forcing the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife onto the sidelines during a referendum to end hunting of bears with bait, dogs and traps.
Mainers for Fair Bear Hunting filed a lawsuit last month accusing the agency of illegally using taxpayer money to conduct a political campaign in opposition to the measure.
The November ballot question will ask voters if they want to prohibit hunting bears while using bait, dogs, or traps. Proponents of the ban say such hunting methods are cruel.
The Portland Press Herald reported Friday that the judge sided with the group on another issue, ordering the state to turn over documents disclosing its political activities.
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Information from: Portland Press Herald, www.pressherald.com
