What happened to the dove bill?

Nothing yet that I can tell. Here is a link you can try.


http://michiganlegislature.org/isapi/nls_ax.dll/BillStatus?LegSession=1 999-2000&DocType=HB&BillNum=6147

[This message has been edited by Hunt4Ever (edited 12-08-2000).]

********* ATTENTION HUNTERS! *********
Anti-Hunters Challenging Dove Hunting In Michigan


Legislation adding the mourning dove to the list of huntable species in
Michigan (HB6147) is in need of help from conservationists, hunters, their
families. After passing the House of Representative on Wednesday, November
29th, the bill has moved over to the Senate, where a vote could come as soon
as Tuesday, December 12. Thousands of animal-rights extremists, many from
outside Michigan, are flooding Michigan Senators phone lines, fax machines
and e-mail boxes with impassioned pleas for the senators to vote against
HB6147. Editorials are appearing in the major state newspapers stating
"these slow-moving, backyard birds will be gratuitously killed and
slaughtered from your birdfeeder and power lines, for the sole purpose of
target practice, thus creating a society of violent youths bent on shooting
up their schools and killing each other." If these lies and deceits don't
make your blood boil, I don't know what will.

This is the closest that Michigan has come in the last 95 years to getting a
dove season. Legislation adding the mourning dove to the list of huntable
species has never successfully gotten through committee on the second side
of the Michigan legislature. The past 3 times this legislation has been
tried, the furthest it has gone is making it through the Senate, only to be
stopped in the House of Representatives in 1995 because of broken promises
that had been made by Representative Mick Middaugh. Now we have finally
succeeded in getting it through the House, only to have the Senate appear to
be wavering in their support for this issue. It is up to you to give them
the support they need, in the form of phone calls, faxes, e-mails and
letters to your local newspapers.

If hunters let the antis win this issue, you can be sure that our victory
against them on Proposals D and G in 1996 will go out the window as a
deterrent to future ballot initiatives against hunting in Michigan. A vote
against HB6147 will be a vote for the ANTIS!

HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO HELP!

Action Item #1: Write editorial letters to your local newspapers
supporti
ng
House Bill 6147. Point out that dove hunting is a wonderful additional
recreational opportunity, especially for young, old and physically disabled
hunters, at little or no cost to the state.
Action Item #2: Call, write (fax your letters) and send e-mail to
Governo
r
Engler, your Senator, Senate Majority Leader Dan DeGrow and Senate President
Dick Posthumus
Action Item #3: Contact your friends, family members, and every
hunter an
d
conservationist you know and have them do the same! Make copies of this
flyer and give them to everyone you know who supports hunting here in
Michigan.

If you do not know who your state senator is, follow these instructions:
* Go to the Wildlife Legislative Fund of America web site at www.wlfa.org.
* Scroll down and click on "Guide to the States" (bottom right box at bottom
of web site).
* Click on the state of Michigan on the map.
* Under "Find your Legislators" Enter your Zip Code (+4 if you know it - you
may need that to determine which senator is yours if a zip code is split)
and click on Search
* Find your senator listed under "MI Senate"

If you don't have Internet Access, contact your County Board of Elections to
find out the name of your senator and then call (517) 373-2400 for that
senator's contact information.
Name P Phone Fax E-Mail

Governor's Information
John Engler R 517-335-7858 517-335-6863 Go to
the fo
llowing web page and
fill
In the information you want to mail to
Governor Engler:
http://www.state.mi.us/migov/gov/index.htm

President of the Senate's Information
Dick Posthumus R 517-373-6800 517-241-3956
[email protected]
c.state.mi.us

Senate Information
Loren Bennett R 800-704-6299 517-373-9228
SenLBenne
[email protected]
Bill Bullard R 888-736-2855 517-373-0938
SenBBullar
[email protected]
Dianne Byrum D 517-373-1734 517-373-5397
[email protected]
senate.state.mi.us
John Cherry D 800-551-1636 517-373-1453
[email protected]
senate.state.mi.us
Kenneth DeBeaussaert D 517-373-7315 517-373-3126
[email protected]
Dan DeGrow R 517-373-7708 517-373-1450
[email protected]
enate.state.mi.us
Chris Dingell D 517-373-7800 517-373-9310
SenCDinge
[email protected]e.state.mi.us
Mat Dunaskiss R 517-373-2417 517-373-2694
SenMDunas
[email protected]
Robert Emerson D 517-373-0142 517-373-3938
SenBEmer
[email protected]
Joanne Emmons R 517-373-3760 517-373-8661
SenJEmmon
[email protected]
Harry Gast R 517-373-6960 517-373-0897
[email protected]
ate.state.mi.us
Mike Goschka R 800-336-6453 517-373-3487
SenMGoschk
[email protected]
Joel Gougeon R 517-373-1777 517-373-5871
SenJGougeo
[email protected]
Beverly Hammerstrom R 888-477-8238 517-373-0927
[email protected]
George Hart D 517-373-6820 517-373-3101
[email protected]
nate.state.mi.us
Philip Hoffman R 517-373-2426 517-373-2964
SenPHoff
[email protected]
David Jaye R 517-373-7670 517-373-5958
[email protected]
ate.state.mi.us
Shirley Johnson R 517-373-2523 517-373-5669
SenSJoh
[email protected]
Donald Koivisto D 517-373-7840 517-373-3932
SenDKoi
[email protected]
Burton Leland D 517-373-0994 517-373-5981
SenBLelan
[email protected]
Thaddeus McCotter R 517-373-1707 517-373-3935
[email protected]
George McManus R 517-373-1725 517-373-0741
SenGMcMa
[email protected]
Arthur Miller D 517-373-8360 517-373-9230
SenAMille
[email protected]
Raymond Murphy D 517-373-0990 517-373-5338
SenRMurp
[email protected]
Walter North R 517-373-2413 517-373-5144
[email protected]
senate.state.mi.us
Gary Peters D 888-273-8377 517-373-2983
[email protected]
senate.state.mi.us
Mike Rogers R 517-373-2420 517-373-2764
[email protected]
enate.state.mi.us
Bill Schuette R 800-393-5875 517-373-2678
SenBSchue
[email protected]
John Schwarz R 517-373-3447 517-373-5849
SenJSchwar
[email protected]
Dale Shugars R 517-393-0793 517-373-5607
SenDShugar
[email protected]
Kenneth Sikkem R 800-774-1174 517-373-5236
SenKSikke
[email protected]
Alma Smith D 800-344-2562 517-373-5679
[email protected]
nate.state.mi.us
Virgil Smith D 517-373-7748 517-373-1387
[email protected]
senate.state.mi.us
Glen Steil R 517-373-1801 517-373-5801
[email protected]
nate.state.mi.us
Leon Stille R 517-373-1635 517-373-3300
[email protected]
senate.state.mi.us
William VanRegenmorter R 517-373-6920 517-373-2751
[email protected]
Jackie Vaughn D 517-373-7918 517-373-5227
SenJVaughn
@senate.state.mi.us
Joe Young D 517-373-7346 517-373-9320
[email protected]
te.state.mi.us

Thanks for the info Steve. I surely hope that you all get a dove season up there.
Right now I'm going to email and write to about 9 of my neighbors up at Black Lake. While we're all non residents, we all pay as much in property taxes as the average person up there and I think we deserve to be heard.

When I first moved south over 30 years ago, a friend took me out on a hunt and I've been hooked ever since. Since we have little public land down here, I've been fortunate over the years to have been invited to a lot of places to hunt on private land.
We've been to 4 hunts this year down at a friend's cattle ranch near Okeechobee and have had an absoulte blast every time. If you want to experience Southern hospitality, go on a dove hunt. This year there are about 15 hunters but about 30 others. Everyone from Grandpa and Grandma to little guys and gals come along to watch, retrieve, cook and socialize. Jim constantly patrols the perimeter on an ATV with cases of shells and doles them out to dummies who forgot to bring at least 5 boxes or have overshot in a frenzy. He wants everyone to have a good time and sees to it.
Ms Lynn took up shotgunning last year and has become a real nutcase. This year was her first on doves and it's gotten worse. She's already on me about next weekend. Little Dan had his first ever/anything hunt this year as we let him take his BB gun. His birthday was saturday and he got his first shotgun. He earned it.
The end of the day brings everyone to the campfire to share food, stories and frosty beverages. It's very relaxing and family oriented.
I would think that the ammo mfgs. would be lobbying like crazy up there. If you think these little jets are easy to hit, you'll get a lesson in humility real quick. 5 per box is really good for the average shot, 10 is world class.

Anyway, I'll muster some non-resident MI taxpayers at this end and would urge every Wolverine to get involved, even if you don't care about dove hunting. It's good for us all.

Dear Mr. Carter:

Thank you for contacting me with regard to House Bill 6147 (HB 6147).

As you may already know, this legislation would reclassify the mourning dove as a game bird and is sponsored by Representative Susan Tabor. HB 6147 was introduced on November 14, 2000, and passed the full House on November 28. The bill has been reported favorably from the Senate Committee on Hunting, Fishing and Forestry, and referred to the full Senate for consideration.

I support this legislation because it provides continuity and protects Michigan's interests. Thirty-nine states have adopted the mourning dove as a game bird, including Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. In addition, the demand for hunting the bird, not as target practice but for consumption, has driven countless Michigan hunters out of their own state. As a result, neighboring states will benefit financially at the expense of small Michigan communities that depend on revenues from hunting enthusiasts.

However, it is important to note that the passage of HB 6147 will not create a hunting season for mourning doves. It is up to the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) to review the facts, take public comment, and research the impact before deciding whether there should be a hunting season in the State of Michigan.

I hope this information is helpful, and if I can be of further assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

LOREN N. BENNETT
State Senator
Eighth District