News

Dove Decision Set for Next Month

Published August 12, 2004. Detroit Free Press.
Mourning dove decision set for next month

LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Mourning dove populations have remained healthy despite being hunted in 40 states, Michigan wildlife officials told the state's Natural Resources Commission on Thursday. The commission will decide Sept. 9 whether to allow a trial mourning dove hunt in six southern Michigan counties. The season would begin Sept. 10.

Natural Resources Commission Chairman Keith Charters said that while allowing a hunt appears probable at this point, it's not a done deal. The commission will gather public comment for 30 days and will hear testimony before voting on the recommendation from the Department of Natural Resources to allow a trial hunt. "Is it etched in stone? No, it's not," Charters said. "We're going through a process. We will listen to the public comment."

A law that allows the Natural Resources Commission to establish a mourning dove season was signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm in June. She signed the bill based on a compromise the would allow limited hunts in three annual seasons in Berrien, Branch, Cass, Hillsdale, Lenawee and St. Joseph counties. The DNR would monitor the impact on the dove population before allowing other hunts, according to the deal. All of those Michigan counties border Ohio or Indiana, where mourning dove hunts are already allowed.

Hunts in other states haven't appeared to hurt dove populations, said Al Stewart, a DNR wildlife biologist. The population in 27 states in the eastern part of the country has remained stable or has increased since the 1960s, he said. SPC Note: According to the USFWS, the mourning dove is significantly declining in the United States and "dove populations from groups of non-hunting states (including Michigan) in the Northeast and Upper Mid-east have had much higher annual survival rates [USFWS, Mourning Dove Breeding Population Status Reports,multiple years]. Michigan's population is stable over the last 38 years, while downward trends are specifically noted in both hunting states to our south - Indiana and Ohio (and others).

At least 4 million mourning doves migrate from Michigan each year, according to conservative estimates. The birds -- which look like slender, streamlined pigeons -- are most prevalent south of a line stretching from Bay City to Ludington.

Dove hunting opponents are mounting a petition drive to let Michigan voters decide the issue in 2006. They hope that effort will be enough to convince state officials to hold off on a decision this year. "Voters should have a chance to weigh in before a hunt is allowed," said Michael Markarian of the Fund for Animals, a member of a coalition called the Committee to Restore the Dove Shooting Ban. The committee would need the valid signatures of more than 158,000 registered voters to get the issue on the ballot.

Hunting advocates appear confident that doves will be fair game this year. The season would last until Oct. 30, with a daily limit of 15 birds per hunter. Hunters would be required to buy a $2 dove stamp. State Rep. Sue Tabor, a Republican from Eaton County's Delta Township, championed the dove hunt in the Legislature. So far, so good," Tabor said of the process toward establishing a hunt. "I've got my spot picked out and I'll be hunting doves on opening day."

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