Oregon Could Vote to Ban Hunting and Fishing – Proposed Law Would Classify Both as Cruelty to Animals

A petition to ban hunting and ranching in Oregon is nearing the number of signatures needed to be placed on this fall’s ballot.

David Michelson, the organizer of Initiative Petition 28, said supporters have gathered about 105,000 of the 117,713 verified signatures needed by July 2, according to Fox affiliate KPTV.

“If it makes it on the ballot and is approved by voters in November, the protections that currently apply to pets such as dogs and cats would extend to wild animals, livestock, and animals used in research,” the outlet reported. “Supporters call the proposal the PEACE Act, short for People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions. Supporters say the measure is intended to protect animals from abuse, neglect, and killing.”

The proposed law reportedly has exceptions for veterinarians and for those who kill animals in self-defense.

Michelson told the NBC affiliate KOIN-TV, “We really want to make Oregon the first state to vote on something like this.”

“We are aware that it’s unlikely 50 percent of Oregonians are ready right now to move away from killing animals,” he added. “But we want to get that conversation out there. So that we can hopefully move in that direction.”

Amy Patrick with the Oregon Hunters Association told KPTV, “I’m hopeful that Oregonians will not vote ‘yes’ on this. I’m hopeful that whether you’re in an urban region or a rural region, you understand what makes Oregon great.”

“And part of that is our wildlife. And part of that is our economy that comes from our farming and ranching,” she continued. “And that folks will really, really delve into what this [proposal] does and how this is going to affect us not just in the abstract. So if you’re not a hunter or you’re not a rancher or a farmer, don’t think that this is not going to affect you in your day-to-day life.”

An Oregon State University report issued in February 2025 stated that cattle ranching makes up a significant portion of the state’s economy, contributing over $900 million annually.

“Approximately 15 million acres of rangeland and pastureland are used for grazing cattle in Oregon. Most of the state’s estimated 11,000 cattle ranches are in Southern and Eastern Oregon,” OSU said.

Oregon Hunters Association Hoodview Chapter President Levi Barrera told KOIN, “If you take away hunting, there will be an out-of-control effect on the [animal] population.”

He argued that it makes no sense to curtail people’s ability to provide food for themselves, especially when grocery store prices remain high.

“Even bigger towns that rely on the agricultural side of things, not just the economy and fishing side of things,” Barrera explained.

He added, “It has great impacts through communities that rely on hunting and fishing and that really sustains their communities and their families throughout the year. The industries that rely on hunting and fishing, you know, coastal towns, rely heavily on the fishing and salmon fishing.”

Michelson countered that the PEACE Act will include a transition fund with financial assistance for those who currently rely on hunting to feed themselves and their families.

Regarding the animal overpopulation problem, Michelson said the legislation “specifically requires non-lethal forms of wildlife management. That could be the introduction of sterile males into a population.”

U.S. consumers are currently paying high prices for beef, particularly at the grocery store.

The Trump administration issued a fact sheet earlier this month regarding its efforts to lower beef prices in the United States.

“The U.S. cattle herd has fallen to a record low of 86.2 million head as of January 2026, with beef cow inventory down by 8.6 percent since 2020,” the White House said.

“As a result, ground beef prices reached an average of $6.69 per pound in December 2025, the highest since tracking began in the 1980s,” the fact sheet continued.

President Donald Trump’s team added, “The United States is the world’s largest consumer of beef by volume and ranks second globally in per capita beef consumption, underscoring beef’s importance to the American diet.”

To address the price problem, Trump signed an order allowing an additional 80,000 tons of beef to be imported from Argentina into the United States, tariff-free.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

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