A ballot measure that could fundamentally reshape hunting, fishing, agriculture, and wildlife management in Oregon is moving closer to reality, setting the stage for what may become one of the most contentious statewide battles in recent memory.
Initiative Petition 28, known as IP28, seeks to expand Oregon’s animal cruelty laws by removing exemptions that currently allow activities such as hunting, fishing, livestock slaughter, and other practices involving the intentional killing of animals. Supporters describe the proposal as a long-overdue update to animal welfare laws. Opponents see it as a direct attack on traditions, industries, and livelihoods that have existed in Oregon for generations.
According to The Oregonian, the campaign has already collected more than 120,000 signatures ahead of the July 2 deadline, putting it in a strong position to qualify for the November ballot. State officials must still verify the signatures, a process expected to conclude later this summer.
If the measure reaches voters, the fight promises to be intense.
The Oregon Hunters Association has already signaled its opposition. Earlier this year, the organization’s executive director told The Oregonian that the group would actively campaign against the initiative if it qualifies.
That response is not surprising given the potential impact. Oregon currently has more than 330,000 licensed hunters and over 500,000 licensed anglers. Beyond recreation, hunting and fishing support a substantial economic network that includes guides, outfitters, sporting goods retailers, conservation programs, and tourism-related businesses.
Agriculture could also be affected. According to figures cited by the Oregon Hunters Association, farms and ranches employ more than 80,000 people throughout the state. Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife has estimated that hunting, fishing, and wildlife-watching activities generated approximately $1.2 billion in economic activity in 2019 alone.
Supporters of the measure acknowledge that the proposal would require significant societal changes.
Petition organizer David Michaelson told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the campaign’s goal is to encourage Oregonians to rethink how society meets its needs while reducing harm to animals.
“We hope that a campaign like ours draws more people’s attention to the needs of the animals we currently intentionally injur [sic] and kill as a society,” Michaelson said, adding that the initiative seeks to promote alternatives that do not involve killing animals.
When asked about those whose jobs and livelihoods depend on hunting, ranching, or other animal-related industries, Michaelson emphasized that supporters are not ignoring those concerns.
“I’d empathize with how worried those individuals might be considering the shift we are asking for,” he said. “We want to make sure they can still get their need for economic stability met even in a world where we no longer intentionally kill animals.”
Michaelson pointed to alternative wildlife management techniques, including research into sterilization vaccines and other non-lethal population control methods. He argued that wildlife professionals could continue working in conservation and population management without relying on hunting.
To ease the transition, the initiative proposes establishing a Transition Fund that could be used for job retraining, income assistance, and programs designed to improve food access. Supporters argue such a fund would help individuals move into new occupations no longer tied to animal harvesting or slaughter.
Still, critics question whether those alternatives could realistically replace the economic and conservation systems currently supported by hunting, fishing, and agriculture.
For now, supporters remain focused on securing a place on the ballot.
“We won’t know whether we qualify for the ballot until late July, which is when the secretary of state will conduct signature verification,” Michaelson said. “We have until July 2nd to submit all of our signatures, and are still actively collecting signatures.”
