News
Wisconsin Judge Halts Shooting Season
The Honorable Daniel R. Moeser, on Tuesday August 28, 2001 granted a temporary injunction to stop Wisconsin's first mourning dove season, which was scheduled to open Saturday, September 1st.
WISCONSIN - After a year of citizen fundraising, Wisconsin Citizens Concerned for Cranes and Doves (WCCCD) filed an official complaint challenging the legality of the new open season on mourning doves.
The legal action, taken by WCCCD, is entirely funded by individual citizens of Wisconsin (or with close ties to Wisconsin). The WCCCD represents the interests of a large cross section of state citizens. While members may disagree on many things - all members do agree that the mourning dove, Wisconsin's official 'Symbol of Peace,' should not be hunted in Wisconsin!
An out-of-state hunting activist group, which has pushed dove hunting in several dove-safe states, has filed to intercede on behalf of Wisconsin shooters - claiming that the Attorney General's office and DNR cannot adequately defend the rights of hunters in the state. The majority of Wisconsin citizens have openly opposed out-of-state fringe element groups influencing unwanted change in Wisconsin's wildlife policies. A poll conducted last year by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research indicated 64% opposed dove hunting, 24% favored dove hunting, and 12% were undecided.
The legal argument is a simple one. This isn't about "hunters' rights" vs "anti-hunters," this is about a state agency over-stepping its authority. The State of Wisconsin, through the Department of Natural Resources, claims that ALL wild birds in the state are considered "game" and can be subject to hunting. The WCCCD contends that the Wisconsin State Statutes clearly define which types of wild birds are "game birds" and that ALL of the rest are non-game species.
Judge Moeser cited a 1971 action in which the state legislature removed mourning doves from Wisconsin's list of "game birds," and that this removal of the species is additional evidence that the Legislature did not intend to have mourning doves included in the state game list. Moeser concluded "that there will be irreparable harm" if the motion for a preliminary injunction was denied.
Donations to the WCCCD legal action fund may be sent to: WCCCD, P.O. Box 103, New London, WI 54961.
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