House Bill 2436, introduced by the House Committee of Agriculture and Natural Resources, will allow sportsmen to use hounds when hunting bears and cougars.  It will also permit bear baiting.  These hunting methods are management tools used in many other states that allow bear and cougar hunting.

In 1994, out-of-state animal rights groups worked to pass a ballot initiative that banned cougar hunting and outlawed bear baiting and bear hunting with hounds.  Since then, bear and cougar populations have increased and the Committee of Agriculture and Natural Resources believes the seasons should be reinstated.