News

Vast Majority of Michigan Residents
Oppose Creating Dove Season

New EPIC-MRA Poll Numbers Consistent With Polls Dating Back to 2004

An EPIC-MRA poll shows that a vast majority of likely Michigan voters oppose shooting mourning doves. The poll of 600 likely voters surveyed May 1-8 found that 57 percent of Michigan residents wish to continue Michigan's 100-year-old protections for mourning doves, while only 32 percent favor creating a new dove shooting season. Eleven percent were undecided. 

The numbers are consistent with polls dating back to 2004, including polls conducted by pro-dove shooting organizations. According to the Flint Journal,a poll by the U.S. Sportsman's Alliance, a pro-dove shooting organization, found that approximately 60 percent of those polled -- including more than 50 percent of hunters polled -- said they are opposed to a dove shooting season in Michigan. Other polls have consistently shown that a majority of hunters oppose the shooting of mourning doves.

"We continue to be heartened by poll after poll showing that Michigan residents wish to keep our state's century-long ban on shooting mourning doves," said Julie Baker, Director of the Committee to Restore the Dove Shooting Ban.

The Committee to Restore the Dove Shooting Ban seeks to restore Michigan's 100-year ban on the shooting of mourning doves by urging Michigan voters to vote 'no' on the mourning dove referendum in the November 7, 2006 election. The group collected more than 275,000 petition signatures to place a referendum to stop the shooting of mourning doves on the November ballot. 

"Shooting mourning doves, Michigan's official bird of peace, does not reflect Michigan's values," said Baker. "Shooting mourning doves doesn't make sense, especially since they pose no danger to people or property, are not a viable food source, and are not overpopulated. This poll, like those before it, show that Michigan voters believe there's just no good reason to shoot doves."

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Page Updated: 06/30/06