Media Coverage - Mich. Protects Birds, Measure to Hunt Mourning Doves Decidedly Rejected
Published November 8, 2006. By Stacy Range. Lansing State Journal
Mourning doves are safe in Michigan, for now at least.
“The voters have spoken decisively: they are against the shooting of doves,” said Julie Baker, director of the Committee to Keep Doves Protected.
A referendum that would allow hunting of mourning doves was overwhelmingly defeated Tuesday. The state’s ban on hunting mourning doves had stood until 2004.
Former state Rep. Sue Tabor, an avid hunter from Delta Township and a leader of efforts to hunt the mourning dove, said the proposal was defeated because its backers didn’t do enough to combat the well-financed and emotional campaign put forth by opponents who had the support of the United States Humane Society.
“A few yard signs won’t win a statewide campaign,” Tabor said.
She suspects the issue now is dead.
“I don’t see how we’re going to change people’s minds on this,” Tabor said.
But Sam Washington, executive director of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, said he’s not giving up.
“It’s not something I’m projecting anytime in the near future,” he said. “But it could be something we ask people to study and rethink further down the line.”
Supporters of dove hunting said hunters should be allowed to pursue the game birds as they can in 40 other states. In advertisements, they alleged that opponents want to eventually stop all hunting.
Dove-hunting opponents denied the charge. They said there’s little reason to hunt a bird cherished mostly as a backyard songbird.
The limited dove hunting season was suspended after the first of a three-year trial season after opponents succeeded in obtaining enough signatures to qualify the referendum for the ballot.
The dove hunting measure was one of five on the ballot Tuesday. A proposal repealing affirmative action was approved. Another to provide yearly funding increases for public schools appeared to fail. Other ballot proposal results:
-- Proposal 4, to restrict eminent domain, was approved. With 51 percent of precincts reporting, a measure to prevent governments from claiming eminent domain to seize private property for certain private economic development projects was approved.
Supporters said it would bolster basic property rights in the state.
-- Proposal 1, to protect conservation funds, was approved by voters. The measure provides constitutional protection to 13 conservation and recreation funds, keeping them from being raided for other uses.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
