NRC Dove Hunt Meeting

[Neal]

I want to inform everyone that the mourning dove hunt will be addressed
at the NRC meeting this Thursday, August 12, at the Lansing Center. The
meeting will be open for public comment at 4:30. I would encourage
everyone that can, please come and voice your support.

I deeply appreciate all the effort that everyone has given. Your
activism has made this all possible.

Thanks again, and I hope to see you on Thursday.

Regards,


Susan Tabor
State Representative
71st District

[ERGOMAN]

I recieved info second hand that at the MUCC meeting held in traverse city last weekend someone presented that there is a petition drive started to get 140000ish signatures to stop the dove hunt until election year 2006. They stated that the signatures will probably be easy to get and to plan on hunting doves this fall as the season will be stopped until the elections most likely.

[Adam Waszak]

I heard the same thing earlier I had hoped it was a rumor. Hell we will never hunt doves in Michigan.

AW

[Big Frank 25]

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission, at its regular monthly meeting Aug. 12, discussed a proposed order for Michigan’s mourning dove season and approved the 2004-05 waterfowl hunting regulations.

The proposed wildlife order allows hunters in six Southwest Michigan Counties (Berrien, Branch, Cass, Hillsdale, Lenawee, and St. Joseph) to hunt mourning doves Sept. 10 to Oct. 30. Each hunter’s bag limit is 15 birds, and the possession limit is 30 birds.

If approved by the NRC at its next regular meeting Sept. 9, Michigan becomes the 41st state in the nation to allow mourning dove hunting. The season will be the first in a three-year trial hunt, after which the DNR will review impacts to the species, for setting future season regulations

[Zeboy]

Can you say sore looooosers! The antis are grasping at straws . . . If the NRC sets a season there is no basis for a judge to stop the hunt just because they have enough votes for a referendum. It doesn't work that way.

A law was passed. It passed both houses and was signed by the governor. End of story! There was nothing unconstitutional about it. There is no "technicality" here. It is not like in 1985 when there was a question about whether or not the NRC had the authority to set new laws.

It grinds my butt when we followed the "uphill", bogus (DNR with a gag order) rules for 20 years and finally got it passed according to the law and a bunch of $&*#ing whiners think they are going to stop it with a few signatures. Afterall, there is a reason we elect Representatives, Senators, and a Governor. They did their jobs. If the anti's don't like it, elect new politicians.

Let em go get their signatures. We'll kick their butts on a referendum. Just like the antis got kicked when they tried to end doves seasons in Ohio, Indiana, and Rhode Island or like when they tried to mess with the Bear season in Michigan. Bring it on!

The antis have one major problem. Any referendum would have to be worded in a way to overturn the current law and repeal proposal G. They have relied on a poll that said the majority of Michigan citizens don't favor a dove season. That may be true, BUT, the majority of Michigan citizens aren't opposed to a dove season either, they simply don't care.

I'm confident that when educated, the general population will vote on the side of fact versus that of emotional fiction. We can and will win if the antis try to get it on the ballot.

Let's get out there and harvest some doves this fall. I just got my draw card back from Indiana. I'll be hunting Michigan raised doves in Indiana on September 1. I plan on hunting some in Michigan later in September.

[Hamilton Reef]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 13 AUG 04
Contact: Douglas Reeves, 517-373-1263

NRC sets waterfowl dates, moves mourning dove framework

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission, at its regular monthly meeting Aug. 12, discussed a proposed order for Michigan’s mourning dove season and approved the 2004-05 waterfowl hunting regulations.

The proposed wildlife order allows hunters in six Southwest Michigan Counties (Berrien, Branch, Cass, Hillsdale, Lenawee, and St. Joseph) to hunt mourning doves Sept. 10 to Oct. 30. Each hunter’s bag limit is 15 birds, and the possession limit is 30 birds.

If approved by the NRC at its next regular meeting Sept. 9, Michigan becomes the 41st state in the nation to allow mourning dove hunting. The season will be the first in a three-year trial hunt, after which the DNR will review impacts to the species, for setting future season regulations.

The commission approved orders for the 2004-05 waterfowl season. Ducks, geese, and other migratory waterfowl are regulated by federal authorities, but states select seasons within established federal frameworks.

Early goose hunting season will be the same as last year (Sept. 1-10 in the North Zone and Huron, Tuscola, and Saginaw counties and Sept. 1‑15 in the Middle and South Zones). Daily bag limits for early goose hunting season in Huron, Tuscola and Saginaw counties are increased to five birds. The late goose season in southern Michigan is Jan. 1-30.

“Increased bag limits in these three counties during the early season target our resident giant Canada geese,” said DNR Director Rebecca Humphries. “This provides increased opportunity for hunters, as well as protection for interior migratory flocks, whose populations have been less stable in recent years.”

Regular Canada goose season dates for the entire state are set for Sept. 20-Oct. 10 and Dec. 4-12.

The 2004-2005 hunting dates for ducks (except pintails and canvasbacks), mergansers, coots, and moorhens are:

* Upper Peninsula (North Zone): Sept. 25-Nov. 21 and Nov. 27-28

* Lower Peninsula (Middle Zone): Oct. 2-Nov.28 and Jan. 1-2

* Lower Peninsula (South Zone): Oct. 9-Dec.5 and Jan. 1-2

Pintail season dates are Sept. 25-Oct. 24 (North Zone), Oct. 2-31 (Middle Zone), and Oct.9-Nov.7 (South Zone). Canvasback season is Oct. 25-Nov. 21 and Nov. 27-28 (North Zone), Nov. 1-Nov. 28 and Jan. 1-2 (Middle Zone), and Nov.8-Dec. 5 and Jan.1-2 (South Zone).

A 2-day youth waterfowl hunt is set for Sept. 18-19.

Additional details on the goose and duck seasons are available on the DNR web site, www.michigan.gov/dnr, and in the Michigan Waterfowl Hunting Guide, available Sept. 10 at local DNR offices and wherever licenses are sold.
####

[Hamilton Reef]

Mourning dove decision set for next month - 08/13/04

LANSING -- Mourning dove populations have remained healthy despite being hunted in 40 states, Michigan wildlife officials told the state’s Natural Resources Commission on Thursday.
The commission will decide Sept. 9 whether to allow a trial mourning dove hunt in six southern Michigan counties. The season would begin Sept. 10.

http://www.detnews.com/2004/outdoors/0408/14/outdoors-241531.htm