If you want a Dove Season in MI

[Steve]

HSUS Propaganda.

If we want to see a Dove Season in Michigan we better phone, fax, and
email our Michigan House of Representative and ask them to support this
bill or the Anti's will kill it.

Lame Duck Attack on Mourning Doves in Michigan

November 22, 2000

A bloc of Michigan hunters has been
concentrating on birds other than
turkeys this Thanksgiving season. Taking
advantage of both the holiday
and the lame duck seasons, the Michigan
hunting lobby is mounting a
massive effort to establish a mourning dove
hunting season. Lawmakers
will hold a hearing on November 28th for
the bills-H.R. 6147 and S.B.
1430-that would repeal the state's
long-standing ban on dove hunts.

Michigan residents have many reasons to
reject a mourning dove
hunting season:
. Doves damage neither crops nor property.
. Dove hunting is inhumane-statistics show
that nearly 20% of doves
shot by hunters are wounded and not
retrieved.
. The birds yield barely a morsel of meat
(which is why hunters often
use them only for target practice).
. Michigan hunters are already allowed to
kill plenty of other birds, such
as pheasants, geese, ducks, and woodcock.
. More scarce birds, such as the American
kestrel and the
sharp-shinned hawk, are often mistaken for doves at a distance, and
will undoubtedly be shot by hunters as
well.
. Dove hunting will contribute to the discharge of lead shot in the
environment. Toxic lead shot poses a risk to
wildlife, especially to waterfowl, who ingest the pellets while
feeding.

What You Can Do
1. Come to the public hearing on H.R. 6147 and S.B. 1430. It will be
held Tuesday, November 28th, at 10 a.m.
in 519 House Building, Lansing, Michigan.
The hunting lobby plans to bring a crowd of dove hunt supporters. Try
to bring along as many opponents as you
can. It is important that you identify yourself as a dove supporter
who is willing to testify for the birds. The
HSUS can help with your testimony. Contact our Great Lakes Regional
Office at 419-352-5141.
2. Call your state representatives and state senator and urge them to
vote against a mourning dove hunt (H.R.
6147 in the House and S.B. 1430 in the Senate). You can reach your
state legislators via the House and
Senate switchboard at 517-373-0170. Links: Hunting http://www.hsus.org/programs/wildlife/hunting/index.html

[ONURNEZ]

Dove hunting in Michigan. Sounds like fun! I agree with you Trout. Thats something I could take my wife and kids out to do. Anything to keep her mind off of invading deercamp!! :c)

[Pat Eddinger]

Thanks Steve!
I have been whining and sniveling for years about not having the legal right to hunt doves.I even badgered my state Rep a bit about it.Looks like I should rattle her cage again,but nicely this time! :)
Also thanks for including the Humane society's pablum concerning the issue.
I love the "They already have birds to shoot at" garbage.It seems those folks really do have shrinking brains!Cheers!Pat

[boehr]

DNR DIRECTOR'S TESTIMONY ON THE MOURNING DOVE SEASON PROPOSAL

Early in 1996, former Chairman of this Committee, Mick Middaugh, hosted a social event in his office to introduce a new DNR Director to his Committee and staff. During that gathering, I was asked to express my personal opinion on mourning dove hunting. My spontaneous reply was one of support and I explained why. This morning, on advice of our legal counsel, I appear before this Committee on my own behalf. Let me explain.

In September 1985, the Michigan Humane Society received a permanent injunction against the Department of Natural Resources and the Natural Resources Commission enjoining and restraining them from promoting an open hunting season on mourning doves.

Because this injunction is still on the record, my comments today are not given as testimony on behalf of the Department but from my personal experience in three states that enjoy a dove hunting season. With me today is Al Stewart, who appears on behalf of the DNR. Al is a wildlife biologist who prepared the fact sheet that you have been given on doves. Al is here to answer any questions you may have on biological facts and to separate emotion and misinformation.

Mourning doves are one of the most abundant and widely distributed game birds in North America and Michigan. The current continent-wide population estimate is over 400 million in the fall migration. For comparison, there were 100 million ducks in the continental fall flight last year. Doves are very prolific birds, nesting two-five times each year and raising two young in each nest. An estimated four million doves migrate from Michigan each fall.

The natural mortality rate for mourning doves is high; approximately six out of ten birds do not survive from one year to the next. Mourning dove mortality is caused by a variety of factors including nest failure, predators, weather extremes, disease, accidents, and hunting. However, hunting is not a major contributing factor to population mortality.

Because mourning doves are a migratory species, the authority to regulate harvest falls with federal jurisdiction. The USFWS supports mourning dove hunting and has offered mourning dove season options for many years, and 39 other states will have a dove season in 2001. Included is South Dakota, where I banded and surveyed doves as a wildlife biologist, and North Dakota and Montana where I served as Director of these respective natural resource agencies. The decision to dove hunt is a judgment made in collaboration with trained professional biologists nationwide—who agree that regulated hunting can be sustained without impacting mourning dove populations.

There are two primary tools used by natural resource agencies to monitor dove population trends both nationally and in Michigan. First is the Breeding Bird Survey. Results from this index indicate that the Michigan dove population has remained stable over the past 34 years. The second index used to monitor dove population trends is the Call Count Survey. The results show a stable dove population over the same period.

These results and analysis are used by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to establish the frameworks for properly regulated dove hunting that will guarantee the resource for future generations. These extensive surveys indicate a healthy dove population in Michigan that can sustain regulated hunting.

Dove hunting in the states where I worked as a wildlife biologist or Director provides additional hunting opportunities during early fall months on upland conditions. In Michigan, it could provide new hunters a safe opportunity to learn shooting skills on an abundant game bird. There is no biological reason not to list the mourning dove as a game species. Doing so would allow the Natural Resources Commission to hold public meetings to determine public support for or against establishing an additional hunting heritage opportunity.

I want to thank you for this opportunity to address the Committee today.

[o town]

Hello guys.
As an old Ohio farm boy who was introduced to dove hunting when I moved South, it's a time honored tradition here that lets one get out and be with the family and friends and get tuned up for the quail/grouse/woodcock seasons.
We have been very fortunate this year to have been invited to several dove hunts on private land.
It's a time to be with old friends and meet with new ones. It's also a time to introduce young hunters to the sport.
Mr Dan is now a confirmed hunter because I convinced him that he had gotten several birds with his BB gun and Ms Lynn is a constant nag about 'where are we going next weekend'?
Trout, I think I emailed you about this a while ago. I saw a lot of doves up at Black Lake this year. I never saw any in 50 years before. Even Doc commented on it.
Hope you all get a dove season. It's one of the truly family affairs here and Mr Dan earned his first shotgun from it. We got 31 doves from the first hunt and 1 pet dove that was wounded and now resides with us in a pet carrier.
Brings me to the next subject; Are doves bulletproof? If you are a good wingshot and can bring down 1 of 10 grouse/woodcock, be prepared to be humbled on doves. They look so easy. They ain't.
Best to all
O Town

[Pat Eddinger]

Folks!
Good news!I just got an E-mail update from MCRGO(What you aren't a member?Shame on you! :))
informing that the dove hunt bill PASSED in the house and is on it's way to the Senate.
Get on the horn and work over your State senators NICELY,and what the heck,cut and paste this page if needed,especially boehrs post with FACTS!It also dosn't hurt to remind them that you and all your hunting buddies support those that support us!
We gotta do this,so we don't have to drive out of state and give our money to that states economy,and so our kids can enjoy a real treat that may get them hooked for life!
Cheers all,and cross your fingers!Pat :)

[3006]

All I can say is that it is amazing that people can lie so much like the animal rights people about dove hunting! I can remember when I was a student at the UM and the last time this was going on. People knew I hunted and I actively supported the passing of the dove bill. Thought the little notes slid under the door and the messages left would never stop.

I hope this thing passes. It will undoubtably show if we have people that agree with the hunting heritage governing our state. If it doesn't happen, I hope someone is keeping track of all those that voted against it. Next election, they get the boot if they have a proven anti-hunting track record.