Delta Waterfowl Defends the Hunt: Oregon Anti-hunting Initiative Fails

IP28 would have ended all hunting in the Beaver State

BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA — Initiative Petition 28 failed to gain enough signatures last week to be on the ballot in Oregon, despite the use of paid signature gatherers and financial support from anti-hunting and anti-animal use organizations from across the world. Also known as the People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions Act, or the PEACE Act, IP28 would have created a total prohibition on all hunting, fishing, and trapping.

“We’re delighted to see the failure of IP28 this year, but we know those advocating for this ridiculous law will not rest,” said Chris Hoon, Delta’s senior manager of government affairs for the Pacific Flyway. “Proponents of IP28 have made it clear they plan to continue forward toward the elimination of hunting in Oregon and other states if this initiative failed.”

IP28 would have eliminated exemptions for hunting, fishing, normal animal husbandry, and trapping from animal cruelty laws, which would have enacted the most draconian restrictions on hunting and animal use anywhere in the United States. Delta Waterfowl has been a vocal opponent of IP28 alongside its conservation partners such as the Oregon Hunters Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, and Safari Club International since 2020 when the initial language was released. IP28 also faced broad bipartisan opposition, including opposition from the Oregon Farm Bureau and Oregon Veterinary Medical Association.

“We’ve seen anti-science proposals across the western states in recent years,” Hoon said. “Colorado, California, and Washington have all mounted assaults on hunting and the role it plays in conservation. We’re grateful this misguided proposal in Oregon won’t be on the ballot this fall and that conservation and hunting groups will not need to deploy resources to oppose it this election cycle. As The Duck Hunters Organization, Delta will never stop fighting against those who seek to remove our hunting rights and opportunities.”

Delta Waterfowl is The Duck Hunters Organization, a leading conservation group founded in 1911 that uses science-based solutions to produce ducks, conserve prairie wetlands, and ensure the future of waterfowl hunting in North America. Visit our website.

For more information, contact Chris Hoon.