Hamilton Reef
08-21-2004, 08:45 AM
Dove hunters won't get own special areas
http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/109292928347110.xml
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION, Thursday, August 19, 2004,
By David V. Graham, dgraham@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6306
There are no plans to create any extensive public dove-hunting areas in the six counties that will be open to the hunt this fall, nor are there any plans to do so in the near future, according to a Department of Natural Resources game bird specialist.
Al Stewart, the DNR's upland game bird specialist, said there is very little public land in the six open counties that are suitable for creating dove hunting areas, especially at this late date.
Michigan's dove hunting season is expected to open Sept. 10, assuming the Natural Resources Commission approves a staff recommendation Sept. 9. Hunters can check the DNR's Web site - www.michigan.gov/dnr - after 11 a.m. on Sept. 9 for last-minute information about the season.
The first Michigan dove season will open in Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, Branch, Hillsdale and Lenawee counties, which border Indiana and Ohio - two of the 41 states that already have a dove season.
Stewart said Michigan is not going to create special, public dove-hunting areas like those found in Ohio and Indiana, mostly because of the lack of public land and resources to do the job.
He said dove hunters are going to have to find private land because only about 1 percent of the land mass in those six counties is public.
He said he suspects some farmers will be charging a fee to hunt their property.
Indiana has eight public-hunting areas that require an advance drawing for permits to hunt there.
Ohio has nearly 40 public-hunting areas that are generally open on a first-come, first-served basis.
Both states plant their game areas with sunflowers and other crops and maintain ponds in order to concentrate the birds for hunters.
Stewart said he doubts that Michigan will follow the Indiana example and create special dove-hunting areas because they are so labor-intensive, especially for managing a permit-drawing system.
He said if the experimental dove season here works and is expanded after the initial three years, it is likely the DNR will plant sunflowers and other crops for doves and other wildlife in state game areas.
Such areas then would be open on a first-come, first-served basis, he said.
Stewart said he has no idea how many Michigan hunters will decide to try dove hunting in their home state this year.
"We don't have any idea, but we will get an idea from how many dove stamps we sell," he said. "Then we will be conducting a mail survey to see how the season went."
http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/109292928347110.xml
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION, Thursday, August 19, 2004,
By David V. Graham, dgraham@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6306
There are no plans to create any extensive public dove-hunting areas in the six counties that will be open to the hunt this fall, nor are there any plans to do so in the near future, according to a Department of Natural Resources game bird specialist.
Al Stewart, the DNR's upland game bird specialist, said there is very little public land in the six open counties that are suitable for creating dove hunting areas, especially at this late date.
Michigan's dove hunting season is expected to open Sept. 10, assuming the Natural Resources Commission approves a staff recommendation Sept. 9. Hunters can check the DNR's Web site - www.michigan.gov/dnr - after 11 a.m. on Sept. 9 for last-minute information about the season.
The first Michigan dove season will open in Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, Branch, Hillsdale and Lenawee counties, which border Indiana and Ohio - two of the 41 states that already have a dove season.
Stewart said Michigan is not going to create special, public dove-hunting areas like those found in Ohio and Indiana, mostly because of the lack of public land and resources to do the job.
He said dove hunters are going to have to find private land because only about 1 percent of the land mass in those six counties is public.
He said he suspects some farmers will be charging a fee to hunt their property.
Indiana has eight public-hunting areas that require an advance drawing for permits to hunt there.
Ohio has nearly 40 public-hunting areas that are generally open on a first-come, first-served basis.
Both states plant their game areas with sunflowers and other crops and maintain ponds in order to concentrate the birds for hunters.
Stewart said he doubts that Michigan will follow the Indiana example and create special dove-hunting areas because they are so labor-intensive, especially for managing a permit-drawing system.
He said if the experimental dove season here works and is expanded after the initial three years, it is likely the DNR will plant sunflowers and other crops for doves and other wildlife in state game areas.
Such areas then would be open on a first-come, first-served basis, he said.
Stewart said he has no idea how many Michigan hunters will decide to try dove hunting in their home state this year.
"We don't have any idea, but we will get an idea from how many dove stamps we sell," he said. "Then we will be conducting a mail survey to see how the season went."