Linda G.
12-29-2003, 08:27 AM
This one's worth thinking about:
We are the ones to blame
By Tony Hansen
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Tony Hansen
Don't blame Mark Schauer.
If the dove bill finds its way to the Senate and a vote is held and the measure draws just 19 of the 20 votes needed to pass and Mark Schauer, a Senator from Battle Creek, voted 'no', don't you dare blame him.
Because it's not his fault.
It's ours.
The dove issue should not be foreign to anyone who hunts.
For nearly 100 years, dove hunting has been illegal.
But more and more states are allowing hunters to target doves.
The science has shown that hunting doves has almost no impact on the overall population numbers.
Doves who frequent backyard feeders are seldom the doves hunters see while afield.
But this is an extremely emotional issue. Those who oppose dove hunting do so because they see the birds as gentle, cooing creatures who love to eat the suet cakes and sunflower seeds they scatter on the back porch.
Those who want to hunt them, see them as a sustainable wildlife resource that can put food on the table and generate a substantial amount of revenue from hunters.
State Representative Susan Tabor introduced a dove bill in 2001 but it failed by a narrow margin.
So she's giving it one more shot.
The bill passed the House this fall and hunters were certain they would be hunting doves next fall.
But I don't think we will.
Why?
Because we're complacent. Silent. Naive.
We don't make ourselves heard.
Mark Schauer voted in favor of dove hunting in 2001.
And what was his reward?
A barrage of negative backlash from constituents in his district who oppose dove hunting.
Did hunters call Schauer and thank him for his vote? Did we show up at the polls and cast a vote his way as a sign of thanks? Not hardly.
Schauer is a Democrat and all hunters know that only the Republican Party is a friend of hunters, right? Wrong.
Mark Schauer voted for us in 2001 and we did nothing to return the favor.
Even now, when a dove season is so close, we sit on our hands.
Schauer said he has heard from very few hunters who want a dove season.
Proponents of the dove bill think 19 of the needed 20 votes are there.
We need just one more.
In 2001, Mark Schauer was that vote.
In 2004, he may vote on a dove bill again and he'll vote the way he feels best represents his constituents.
Schauer is a fair man whom I believe truly listens to those he represents.
And so far they're telling him to vote 'No.'
We are the ones to blame
By Tony Hansen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tony Hansen
Don't blame Mark Schauer.
If the dove bill finds its way to the Senate and a vote is held and the measure draws just 19 of the 20 votes needed to pass and Mark Schauer, a Senator from Battle Creek, voted 'no', don't you dare blame him.
Because it's not his fault.
It's ours.
The dove issue should not be foreign to anyone who hunts.
For nearly 100 years, dove hunting has been illegal.
But more and more states are allowing hunters to target doves.
The science has shown that hunting doves has almost no impact on the overall population numbers.
Doves who frequent backyard feeders are seldom the doves hunters see while afield.
But this is an extremely emotional issue. Those who oppose dove hunting do so because they see the birds as gentle, cooing creatures who love to eat the suet cakes and sunflower seeds they scatter on the back porch.
Those who want to hunt them, see them as a sustainable wildlife resource that can put food on the table and generate a substantial amount of revenue from hunters.
State Representative Susan Tabor introduced a dove bill in 2001 but it failed by a narrow margin.
So she's giving it one more shot.
The bill passed the House this fall and hunters were certain they would be hunting doves next fall.
But I don't think we will.
Why?
Because we're complacent. Silent. Naive.
We don't make ourselves heard.
Mark Schauer voted in favor of dove hunting in 2001.
And what was his reward?
A barrage of negative backlash from constituents in his district who oppose dove hunting.
Did hunters call Schauer and thank him for his vote? Did we show up at the polls and cast a vote his way as a sign of thanks? Not hardly.
Schauer is a Democrat and all hunters know that only the Republican Party is a friend of hunters, right? Wrong.
Mark Schauer voted for us in 2001 and we did nothing to return the favor.
Even now, when a dove season is so close, we sit on our hands.
Schauer said he has heard from very few hunters who want a dove season.
Proponents of the dove bill think 19 of the needed 20 votes are there.
We need just one more.
In 2001, Mark Schauer was that vote.
In 2004, he may vote on a dove bill again and he'll vote the way he feels best represents his constituents.
Schauer is a fair man whom I believe truly listens to those he represents.
And so far they're telling him to vote 'No.'