It’s safe to say that we’ve all seen some pretty bat-sh*t crazy ideas surface over the past 5 or 6 years, and if you thought that trend might be slowing down in 2026, think again. A new proposal coming out of the state of Oregon is aiming to redefine everyday practices like hunting and fishing as felony-level crimes. And what’s even more scary than the dystopian-level vibe that this initiative is packing is the fact that it’s damn near got enough support to make it on the November 2026 ballot.
Known officially as Initiative Petition 28 (IP28), but masquerading as the "People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions (PEACE) Act," this thing is nothing short of a full-frontal attack on hunting, fishing, trapping, and the very fabric of rural life. Pushed by out-of-touch animal rights activists, this ballot measure aims to strip away long-standing exemptions in Oregon's animal cruelty laws, criminalizing activities that have sustained families, economies, and wildlife for decades.
At its core, IP28 and its proponents are looking to yank most exemptions from the state's animal cruelty laws, which would include no more carve-outs for hunting, fishing, and trapping. No more for slaughtering livestock, artificial insemination (that’s "sexual assault of an animal", brother), and certainly none for taking out pesky gophers on the farm.
c/o Oregon Hunters Association
The pitch? "Protect sentient animals from unnecessary harm."
Sounds nice until you read the fine print which reads something like: the intentional killing or injury of pretty much any animal becomes criminal. The measure eliminates exemptions for "lawful fishing, hunting and trapping activities," making any intentional injury or killing of animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, or amphibians, punishable under expanded abuse, neglect, and even "sexual assault" statutes. This isn't about stopping genuine cruelty; Oregon already has robust laws protecting animals from abuse. It's an anti-hunting agenda disguised as compassion, funded largely by out-of-state donors and seems to be designed to impose some sort of urban elitism on rural Oregonians.
From a business angle, this is peak regulatory overreach meets virtue-signaling economics and the financial fallout would be catastrophic. Hunting and fishing pump serious cash into Oregon via licenses, gear, guides, tourism, and lodging. Ban it, and you crater rural economies already hanging by a thread. And if that’s not bad enough, think about what it would look like after it gutted local agriculture by banning livestock slaughter, standard husbandry like artificial insemination (remember: assault), and even pest control for rodents.
The truth remains that hunters and anglers know better than anyone that true conservation comes from those who walk the land. Oregon's wildlife thrives because of sportsmen who fund habitat restoration through the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson acts, both of which generate billions nationwide. Pull that revenue, and suddenly herds explode, disease spreads, habitat gets trashed and the North American Model itself gets torched in the process.
Admittedly, most initiatives like this are presented and essentially DOA given how ridiculous they are in nature. But in the case of IP28, we might be closer to allowing urban voters in Portland and Eugene to decide that rural traditions are barbaric than we think. While activists behind the measure have said they expect defeat, IP28 has surprisingly managed to gather over 92,000 signatures, or about 79% of the 117,173 needed by July 2, 2026 to make the ballot, thanks to paid gatherers and misleading pitches about "ending cruelty."
This isn't the first rodeo for these extremists either, (see: IP13 in 2022 and IP3 in 2024) who say that even if this one doesn’t make it through, they remain focused on shifting public opinion over time.
“We believe this initiative will help shift society towards no longer using the killing of animals as a strategy to meet human needs,” the initiative's chief petitioner David Michelson said. “Given the radical nature of the campaign, we’re aware that it is almost certainly not going to pass in 2026. Despite that, we believe getting it on the ballot now will make it more likely to pass in a future election cycle, and that it will help us build the organization we’d need to keep getting it on the ballot. Our goal is to be persistent, and we take part of our inspiration from the U.S. Women’s Suffrage Movement, which used the same strategy to get the right to vote.”
David Michelson | Animal Law Podcast
These folks are convicted in their nonsense and should expect to be met by an equal or greater force of opposition. In the same way we unite against public land grabs, unnecessary regs and other issues sought to affect our cherished pastime, I expect this group will soon learn that we are not a segment of the population that should be trifled with.
By now, we ought to all be aware that crazy ideas like this don't die easy. They evolve. We need to keep a watchful eye on this space because if Oregon falls for it, you can be sure that the next state's already in the crosshairs.
So, if someone shoves a clipboard in your face, be sure to tell them where to shove it.
