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<DOCID>Duck_Duck_Duck_DOVE.doc.txt</DOCID>
<AUTHOR>Aaron Kopitz</AUTHOR>
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Its that time of the year again; hunting season (or if you are a local, huntin season) has begun. Its small game for now and then bigger things to come. What were here to focus on now is the upcoming vote on November sevenths general election on whether or not mourning doves should be considered a game bird. There is a bit of an uproar on both sides, those wishing to ban the practice and those who support the sport. Both sides have very good arguments with footholds of facts.

Coming to you from the Michigan secretary of states website is Proposal 06-3 which is a referendum on public act 160 of 2004- an act to allow the establishment of a hunting season for mourning doves. This act would allow a regulated hunting season, require hunters who hunt mourning doves to purchase a two dollar dove stamp and require the DNR to address responsible hunting practices for all ages.

The question is why are people upset when it comes to hunting the mourning dove? A lot of people discourage the hunting of mourning doves. Many reasons are environmentally based. According to Tanya Mulford, a writer for the Humane Society of the United States, allowing this dove hunting would poison the environment. Between five and eight shots are used to capture one bird, which releases large amounts of lead into the environment. She also claims that it is harmful to the environment if the bird isnt retrieved. If it gets lost in the field, this leaves the opportunity for predators to ingest the lead.

Another point that is made by those who are against a mourning dove season is that the mourning dove will become another passenger pigeon that we will hunt to extinction. This isnt true according to the Michigan United Conservation Club (MUCC). They agree that it is true that over-hunting of the passenger pigeon led to its extinction, although the difference between then and now is that there are restrictions placed and laws set to protect the dove from over-hunting.

There are lots of arguments to be made for and against hunting the mourning dove and this reporter has only brought you a couple. The point is that before you vote in the November general election you should take the time and research what you want to become a reality. Do the Lake State students approve proposal 06-3 or do they agree with the way it is now?



http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10363_10958_31877-77390--,00.html



http://www.mucc.org/DoveHuntingQA.htm



http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/issues_facing_wildlife/hunting/restore_michigans_dove_shooting_ban.html?print=t



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