Dove Bill may become a Ballot issue in 06'

[Neal]

From the Fund for Animals website:

NEWLY FORMED BALLOT COMMITTEE SEEKS TO PUT MOURNING DOVES' FATE IN HANDS OF MICHIGAN VOTERS

With Michigan's first dove hunt in decades set to begin as early as mid-September, the newly created Committee to Restore the Dove Shooting Ban announced at an August 5 press conference in Lansing, Michigan that it intends to gather the 158,000 valid signatures required to put a dove hunt referendum on the 2006 ballot to reverse a law passed earlier this year and signed by Governor Jennifer Granholm in June.

"There has been a century-long Michigan tradition of protecting the gentle and inoffensive mourning dove from target shooting, and we want that tradition restored," said Michael Markarian, president of The Fund for Animals. "Michigan voters will have the final say on whether the bird of peace should be blasted to pieces."

The charter members of the committee include the Michigan Audubon Society, Detroit Audubon Society, the Kalamazoo Humane Society, and the Michigan-based Songbird Protection Coalition. The national organizations represented in the coalition include Animal Protection Institute, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Doris Day Animal League, The Fund for Animals, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and Society for Animal Protective Legislation.

[Huntin Horseman]

That will be great if that happens, I think that's what should have happened in the first place. Have they come up with any seasons/rules/regulations yet?

[kbkrause]

HH you have it wrong, I think. This is to repleal dove hunting in Michigan...
With Michigan's first dove hunt in decades set to begin as early as mid-September, the newly created Committee to Restore the Dove Shooting Ban

[Buddy Lee]

Isn't the dove hunt in the hands of the DNR/NRC now? Is this legal?

[Huntin Horseman]

Oops I didn't read it right:) Even if this does go to the ballot I don't think we haev anything to be afraid of.

[Neal]

Isn't the dove hunt in the hands of the DNR/NRC now? Is this legal?

Yes, they are working to get a season this September

Oops I didn't read it right Even if this does go to the ballot I don't think we haev anything to be afraid of.

Think again

Neal

[Hamilton Reef]

Dove hunting opponents prepare game plan

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Opponents of mourning dove hunting were to detail their attempt to block a hunt in Michigan on Thursday.
Opponents declined to reveal their game plan this week.

http://www.mlive.com/sportsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/sports-8/1091669949238490.xml

[Ebowhunter]

We will vote in '06.

158,000 signatures - easy. Head to the big city bird feeders.

Unfortunately, there are enough city folk in Michigan to make it close.

Eric Davis
(spent 4 years in East Lansing, 1 year in Canton, 1 year in Wixom, 7 years in Waterford, almost a year in a farmhouse outside of Owosso)

[Byron]

If it's true that only 158,000 people can negate a law from taking effect until 10,000,000 people vote on it, I'm outraged. A mere 1.5% of the population can block a law affecting the other 98.5%?! That's BS. :rant:

If the signatures simply allowed it to remain in effect and guarantee that it went to a vote in November 2006, that would be fine. This stinks, though.

We could win the vote if we have three successful seasons leading up to it, but I'm not so sure if we have only a limited 2004 season and none in '05 an '06.

Best Regards,
Byron

[Neal]

You are right on Ebow,

Getting a issue on a ballot is relatively easy. It's just a matter of money. They will hire a petition singing company to do the leg work and claim how many of their dedicated volunteer went house to house to easily get it signed. When in fact the company hires people paying them per signature. These people getting paid will tell you anything to get you to sign it, I have seen them going table to table at places people congregate (i.e. bowling, post office, etc). They will often convince you to sign it by selling it as something that it is not, they will tell you "sign this to get insurance lowered" knowing most people will sign it, without reading it.

I had one of these people visit the bowing alley years back soliciting signatures to support Prop "D" (anti-bear hunting). Her comments were "help prevent the slaughter of baby bears"

Let just say, I don't think she will be back at that alley again ;)

What we need to do is use these next two years to show Michigan Citizens how beneficial this hunt can be. let all set aside a portion of our properties to dove habitat, and lets all buy a dove tag, whether we hunt them or not. The DNR has had the gag order lifted and can how speak their opinion on the results of these hunts. wouldn't it be great if the dove Numbers INCREASED and a significant amount of money was generated for the DNR and Non-game species from the hunters?

Neal

[Byron]

Neal,

Did you catch the same comment I did in that article? It said that 158,000 signatures will essentially repela the law, preventing any dove season at all in 2005 and 2006. This would severely hamper the effort to prove the season to be a good thing.

Best Regards,
Byron

[Neal]

I thought the only they could suspend the season is through a court injunction....I'll look into this more.

Neal

[Hamilton Reef]

Dove-lovers petition to repeal hunting law
Siganatues would block2005 and 2006 seasons

LANSING -- A lot of mourning doves will die first, but animal lovers hope to save more later with a statewide ballot to call off dove hunting next year.

They announced a campaign Thursday for a November 2006 ballot proposal to repeal the dove-hunting law approved in June by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

http://www.freep.com/news/mich/dove6_20040806.htm

Also:
Opponents of mourning dove hunting to mount petition drive aimed at 2006

LANSING -- Opponents of mourning dove hunting said Thursday they will mount a petition drive aimed at the 2006 election. They want to give voters the final say in whether dove hunts should be allowed in the state.

http://www.detnews.com/2004/politics/0408/06/metro-233823.htm

[Neal]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug. 6, 2004

Tabor Unsurprised by Mourning Dove Referendum Petition

State Rep. Susan Tabor today said she is not surprised that
opponents to Michigan's new law
designating mourning doves as a game species would mount a petition
drive to overturn the legislation.
"We've faced this type of thing from the anti-hunting
movement before," said Tabor, R-Delta Township. "We beat them then
and we will beat them now."
Tabor is referring to Proposal D, a 1996 ballot initiative to
restrict bear hunting in Michigan. Voters overwhelmingly rejected the
measure, despite the limited number of bear hunters in the state.
Earlier this year Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed Public Act 160,
ending a statewide ban on mourning dove hunting enacted in 1905 and
authorizing the Natural Resources Commission to establish a hunting
season for the game bird.
The NRC is expected to set an experimental season in Berrien,
Cass, St. Joseph, Branch, Hillsdale and Lenawee counties this fall.
"This anti-hunting coalition shows the true agenda behind
opponents to mourning dove hunting," Tabor said. "These radical
anti-hunting groups want to completely wipe out our outdoor heritage
here in Michigan; they would ban all hunting and fishing if they
could."

[Neal]

More from the Fund for Animals:

In order to qualify this measure for the 2006 ballot, we need to amass approximately 225,000 signatures within six short months through an all-volunteer effort. As daunting as this number sounds, remember this: Governor Granholm heard from over 14,000 Michigan residents who asked her to veto H.B. 5029. If each of those concerned individuals collected a mere 16 signatures, we would reach the 225,000 signature goal. Please help us restore the protection of Michigan's official bird of peace. We cannot do this without you! If you'd like to help us collect signatures, please contact:

The Committee to Restore the Dove Shooting Ban
P.O. Box 81183
Lansing, MI 48908
(517) 321-DOVE
(517) 886-3683 (fax)
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[Randy Kidd]

We need to make sure that these hunts prior to 2006 are a success by buying the tags and stamps even if we don't plan on using them, hitting some of the small sporting goods stores in the counties that the hunts are held in and buy a box of shell or two, In other words we need to show that this is going to be a good thing for the State and local busineses. And above all we need to start working on all of our family and friends who are either sitting on the fence about dove hunting or just plain against it. If it comes down to a referendum I would love to see it stomped on.

[Hamilton Reef]

Dove hunting petition drive misses the mark and the science

Well, the first shot shell has yet to be fired at a dove in Michigan and already the anti-hunters have announced they will begin a petition drive to prohibit dove hunting. Or, to use their terms "to Restore the Dove Shooting Ban," as they've named their committee.
That in itself illustrates exactly how they're going to frame their argument: around semantics, not science.

http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/statewide/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1092161418326910.xml