News

Grassroots Group Calls for Dove Referendum

Published March 31, 2005. By Kate Phillips. Milford Times.
Grassroots group calls for dove referendum

Mourning doves will likely fly onto the ballot next year. More than 275,000 signatures of petitioners were presented to the state this past Monday by the Committee to Restore the Dove Shooting Ban.

Just last year a state bill was enacted to make it legal to hunt the mourning doves. The first hunting season was held in several counties this fall. Dove hunting is now allowed in 41 states.

The group actually gathered 100,000 more than the 158,879 needed to get the issue on the ballot. Even after the signatures are checked and some thrown out, petitioners believe that there will still be more than enough.

"I'm exuberant," said Sunday Harvie of Milford, who gathered 1,000 signatures for the petition. "I was a bit worried that we wouldn't get enough. But we have 73 percent more than we need. I am positive that we'll have enough, even if some are thrown out."

Harvie also assisted with the review of the signature sheets this weekend, getting rid of signatures that didn't follow the required format. She expects that the amount disqualified will be low, because the group screened the petitions before submitting them.

The Michigan Elections Bureau will certify and count the signatures then determine whether the referendum will be on the November 2006 ballot. The process may take several months.

"The dove hunters brought this fight to Michigan after the state's gentle and inoffensive mourning doves were protected here for several generations," stated Michael Markarian of The Humane Society of the United States. "The overwhelming statewide support for the petition drive shows that mainstream Michiganders want to restore the century-old ban on shooting doves. They don't want the state's official bird of peace blasted into pieces."

According to National Rifle Association officials, dove hunting will add up to $87  million [yea, right]  to the Michigan economy through tourism, jobs and sales of supplies.

"Michigan sportsmen should have the same opportunity...to participate in one of America's oldest and cherished pastimes," said NRA spokesman Chris Cox, who explained that the NRA worked with lawmakers to pass the legislation in Michigan.

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