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One Vote Kept Doves Safe From Hunt

A  brief history: In 1985 the Natural Resource Commission voted to establish a mourning dove hunting season in Michigan.  The court ruled that only the legislature can designate a species as game. The court also issued a permanent injunction against the DNR and the NRC with regard to promoting the hunting of mourning doves (which is why the director of the DNR appeared before the House committee to speak only as an individual citizen of the state and not as the DNR director).

In Dec 2000: If passed, bill 6147 would have allowed the Natural Resource Commission to open season as of June 1, 2001. The bill also would have repealed the section of MCL 324.40110 that currently makes the designation of new game animals the exclusive prerogative of the legislature.

Arguments offered by proponents of the bill list mourning doves as an excellent "recruitment" tool for hunting - to attempt to offset declines in the number of young people sport hunting due to the other more popular recreational activities. Doves are not as wary as other animals, they are said to offer inexperienced hunters easy targets to learn shooting skills on - "mourning doves are fun to hunt, their fast, erratic flight patterns make them a challenging shot."

Other citizens believe strongly that killing animals for "fun," much less teaching children to kill animals for "fun," is not only unnecessary but wrong. The majority of the state's citizens oppose the hunting of mourning doves. As a state natural resource mourning doves belong to all of the state's citizens, not just to the minority who want to hunt them. To make such a major policy change as this, the majority opinion should prevail.

Both sides agree that hunting is not needed to "manage" the mourning dove population, which is stable.

Moreover, despite the testimony about what a delicacy mourning dove meat is, opponents argue that the one ounce of breast meat a dove can provide demonstrates the desire to use the birds as target practice rather than a food source.

Bill 6147 was pushed through marathon sessions in the House and Senate, possibly to avoid constituent opposition. The measure would have ended a 95 year ban on hunting mourning doves and taken the power away from the legislative body who is to represent the voting public's interest with accountability.

Senators voted 19 to 15 in favor of the measure, with four Senators absent. 20 votes were required for passage, so the bill died Dec 2000. As a result, the legislation would have to be reintroduced in the next session to be considered.

Rep Susan Tabor, R-Lansing, (who sponsored the bill) is quoted as being very disappointed the bill failed, "I don't know why some of the senators decided to vote against it."

Sen Walter North, R-District 37, said he switched his vote from 1995 because that's what the voters in his district wanted. "I've got more contact on this than any other issue in my six years in office," North said. Calls were running six to one against and most supporting it lived outside his district.

Sen Diane Byrum, D-District 25, (who sponsored this bill in 1995) also switched her vote, "I have received hundreds of letters, telephone calls, and e-mails from people throughout the 25th District about this bill, with an overwhelming majority opposing the bill," Byrum stated.

Sen John Schwartz, R-Battle Creek, also voted against it. "I just don't see what useful purpose is served by adding another animal or bird to the list of game," he said.

Sen Mike Rogers, R-District 26, voted for the bill, "House Bill 6147 does not create a mourning dove hunting season, but classifies the mourning dove as a game bird.  Therefore, it would be the responsibility of the NRC to establish if and when the season would occur and set the rules for the hunting of mourning doves," Rogers stated.

The NRC has already voted to establish a mourning dove hunting season in Michigan.
Did they represent your vote?

How will the House and the Senate vote next time?
Will your interest, or special interest, prevail?

"Lameduck shot at MI doves", Animal Channel Video © December 2000. Download free RealOne Player.

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