Don’t look now, but there are literally dozens of rural Illinois counties passing referendums to secede from the state that is wholly dominated by Chicago politics. Oregon could be next.
That’s due to a small handful of urban and coastal politicians dictating the state’s direction over objections from its vast rural sporting population. The insanity reached critical levels in 2026 when these densely populated enclaves tried to literally stamp out hunting and fishing.
And they got further than any reasonable person would expect, which means they will try again.
Irreparable harm would be unleashed onto Oregon’s rural population
Oregon Initiative Petition 28 (IP 28) sought to ban hunting, fishing, and even a major chunk of the food industry under the guise of protecting animals.
After initially appearing in May to reach the signature threshold required to put the proposal on the November ballot, IP 28 failed this week and restored a modicum of sanity. The Secretary of State’s Office announced that the initiative fell over 10,000 certified signatures short of qualifying.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the firearms industry trade group, announced that only 104,262 valid signatures were collected, far short of the mandatory 117,173 needed.
Cooler heads prevailed in Oregon–at least for now
NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane noted the absurdity of the ballot initiative in a state with a vibrant sporting tradition.
“The proposal would have, without question, destroyed Oregon’s rural communities, outdoor economy, and abundant wildlife,” Keane correctly noted. “Hunters are the original wildlife conservationists and are crucial to sustained propagation of managed wildlife for future generations.”
He added that it is commendable that Oregon voters blocked “this short-sighted and politically-driven agenda.”
Alarmingly, over 100,000 voters supported IP 28. It was carefully worded to tug at heartstrings over good sense, and many were duped into signing. This victory for common sense is positive, no question about it, but the small areas that dominate Oregon politics will undoubtedly try again.
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