It may not come as a surprise that rockstar and avid hunter Ted Nugent is against the referendum to ban bear baiting, hounding and trapping in Maine, and Tuesday, the famous musician made his views on the referendum clear in a email interview with the BDN.

Courtesy of Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent poses with a black bear he shot in Quebec in 2013.

The interview was spurred by news that Nugent had recently placed an autographed guitar for auction on eBay in support of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, which has endorsed the campaign battling against the bear referendum, Save Maine’s Bear Hunt and Management Programs.

Katie Hansberry, campaign director for Mainers For Fair Bear Hunting, proponents of the bear referendum, has sent the BDN a response to Nugent’s comments.

Here’s the exchange, starting with Ted Nugent’s response to questions emailed by the BDN, send on June 24:

• What spurred you to offer this donation (of the guitar to SAM) at this particular time? Did it have anything to do with the bear hunting referendum? I have always been in the eye of the culture war storm, on the frontlines in all 50 states, and across Canada for more than 30+ years in our fight for self-evident truth and God given individual rights. I proudly stand with the good “we the people” families of America fighting for commonsense and logic in total defiance of the widespread corruption and criminal abuse of power that runs amok in our government today. We will never give up, never surrender for what is right.
• 2. How do you feel about Maine’s hunting tradition? Do you think it’s being threatened in any way? I salute and celebrate my proud ME BloodBrothers for their honorable and successful wildlife management heritage and lifestyle. Every honest, educated person knows that hunting, fishing and trapping are the foundation for the most successful wildlife management ever. We represent the ultimate hands-on conservation and the best positive environmental stewardship ever.
• 3. What is your personal opinion about the bear hunting referendum? My personal opinion happens to coincide perfectly with the irrefutable and proven science and biology of sustain yield wildlife management.  Without bear hunting, there would be no value to the bears, and this precious resource would be forced out of the asset column straight into the liability column, bringing about dangerous and wasteful mismanagement. Only an uncaring fool would let this happen.
• 4. Do you have and plans to involve yourself in the current debate about bear hunting? Surely you jest. I have been and remain on the frontlines of all such “debates” and the animal rights freaks refuse to take me on in person for they know I have all the facts and they know they have nothing but embarrassing denial. That such a  “debate” exists is an indictment to the dumbing down of some Americans. They should be ashamed of themselves.

The BDN sent Nugent’s comments to Mainers For Fair Bear Hunting, proponents of the bear referendum, and received this response from Katie Hansberry, campaign director for Mainers For Fair Bear Hunting:

“It is unfortunate that Mr. Nugent feels the need to speak on an issue when he clearly doesn’t know the facts. This initiative will not ban bear hunting but simply restore fair chase hunting back to Maine. Mr. Nugent’s own hunting track record is not representative of  traditional hunting values found in Maine. Look no further than BDN’s reporting BDN: Ted Nugent pleads guilty in illegal Alaska bear kill or Field and Stream Magazine: Ted Nugent Illegally Baits Deer. If he truly believes in fair chase hunting, which is the Maine tradition, then he would support this initiative instead of spreading falsehoods and inaccuracies.”