BY ANDY WALGAMOTT, NORTHWEST SPORTSMAN MAGAZINE
Initiative Petition 28, which would have put the future of hunting, fishing, trapping, ranching and more in Oregon up for a vote, will not appear on the fall ballot.
“IP 2026-028 has not qualified for the November 3, 2026, General Election ballot,” the Oregon Secretary of State’s website reported yesterday after further checking of signatures turned in by animal-rights absolutists. “The petition contains 104,262 valid signatures, or 73.25% of the 142,347 signatures accepted for verification.”
A total of 117,173 valid signatures were needed for IP 28 to qualify for the November election.
Earlier this month, an initial check of 1,000 random signatures showed around 80 percent were valid, an initial sign the petition was in trouble. It sparked this second, deeper round of checks by the Secretary of State’s office. Proponents needed just over 82 percent of signatures to have been valid to ensure they hit the minimum number needed to have sent IP 28 to voters.
While IP 28 would likely have subsequently failed at the ballot box, nonetheless, hunters, anglers, ranchers and others will be breathing a sigh of relief this weekend. It represented an existential threat to our way of life, and would have eliminated a solid portion of ODFW’s budget.
If it had passed, it would have lifted animal cruelty exemptions around lawful practices such as fishing, hunting, trapping, animal husbandry, the slaughter of livestock and poultry, rodeos and scientific research involving animals, as well as eliminated fishing and hunting licenses, according to a Secretary of State synopsis.
The cochairs of the Oregon Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, Senators David Brock Smith (R-Port Orford) and Anthony Broadman (D-Bend) celebrated the defeat in a joint press release with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.
“The failure of IP 28 to make November’s ballot is a major win for not only Oregon sportsmen and women, but our farmers, ranchers, and outdoor enthusiasts. Make no mistake however, radical policies like this will be back and we must stand against them. These outside interest groups continue to try and use Oregonians as their experiment. Today is a win and we will continue to work against such efforts that negatively impact our right to hunt, fish, farm, and forage,” said Smith.
“Hunting and fishing for food is a part of who we are for many Oregonians. I’m encouraged that Oregonians saw this effort for what it was, and showed support for local, affordable food produced by Oregon farmers and ranchers. I’m looking forward to hunting and fishing this season and seeing many Oregonians on the
water and in the field,” said Broadman
The Salem Statesman Journal reported that Governor Tina Kotek (D) was “relieved” IP 28 had failed.
“Efforts to criminalize activities like hunting and fishing are wrong for Oregon,” Kotek also tweeted from her X campaign account. “I know from conversations with Oregonians across the state that this measure would have done nothing to help them. This is a win for tribal leaders, family farmers, ranchers, and every Oregonian who cares about protecting our lands and wildlife.”
Her gubernatorial opponent Christine Drazen (R) also opposed it, and in a tweet yesterday warned, “The people behind IP 28 will be back, and so will the next group of extremists with another extreme idea. Oregon has paid the price for bad ballot measures before, and we can’t afford to make that mistake again. Rather than waiting for them to come after Oregon families, communities and businesses again, it’s time we fight back.”
All Oregon Democratic state representatives came out against the initiative petition as well.
“Well, this is good news!” the Oregon Farm Bureau posted on Facebook.
IP 28 proponents say they’re playing the long game. A previous iteration of the base idea only garnered around 30,700 signatures, while one before that was withdrawn.
