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I got the following e-mail from Fred Neff this morning. Fred was/is involved with the NYSCC and his local federation. He is credited with being the impetus for the NY voluntary habitat and access stamp. Fred also has been a long-time advocate of dove hunting for NY and a key player in it, A change was made to PA's mourning dove season this fall. Can you guess what it was? Well, they added 20 more days to the total season length (including split seasons) - up from 70 days to 90 days. This was the result of a new national dove harvest strategy cooperatively developed by state wildlife agencies and the USFWS that resulted in the 20 day addition in positively affected states in the Eastern Management Unit (EMU) - the 27 easternmost states - whenever dove populations in the EMU exceed 36.5 million birds. Recent EMU dove populations estimates of 95 million doves far exceeded that goal, PA will add their 20 additional days to the front end of the season. And what does NY get? Zero! Nada! Why? Do I really have to go there at this point? The kindest thing I will say at this point is "uninformed state legislators". While we present hard scientific facts and data that proves that sound dove management at both state and federal level (remember that the dove is considered a migratory game bird by the USFWS) poses no threat to dove populations due to hunting, NY legislators (especially our downstate Big Apple who could care less about the matter but have the vote) who fear for their political lives continue to listen to the utterly emotional drivel of our anti-dove friends. I could list a lot, but I'll just list two of the many personal favorites that I've encountered over the years here: "You've driven them to extinction once and they're just coming back". "NY will have major power outages from hunters shooting doves on power lines". Note - I'm still waiting for anyone to show me proof of that one". I've spent 50 years on this one in NY. And I wasn't, and am not, the only one involved in this for sportsmen. And I've heard it all and been through it all. But 40 out of the contiguous US states have a dove season; plus Ontario just opened a dove season. This pretty much sums it up - while on a visit to our home in Utica years ago, my cousin, Ted, from PA, when informed that we could not hunt doves in NY exclaimed, "What is wrong with these people; are they un-American?" What has to happen for NY to get their season is simple: DEC has got to stand up and take a strong a forceful lead in pushing for the reclassification. They hide behind the shield (probably out of fear for their pensions that would be jeopardized should they run afoul of the politicians and antis) that the legislature and the governor must first pass a law that reclassifies the dove as a migratory game bird and then they could saddle their horses and get it done (maybe - the tentacles of NY politics are many and wide). NY sportsmen have got to get off of their butts and show DEC that they will throw their whole weight behind this one as they have in items involving major issues of the day - deer management, habitat and access, etc. But when it comes to doves, we still are the silent majority. Most just don't understand the concept of dove hunting since they've never had it. They remain "underwhelmed" by, and resistant to, the concept. My continuing believe is that if DEC takes a lead role in this, and our states' sportsmen become interested enough to become educated, this will happen. Remember, the 8 states that resist a dove season are mostly northeast states where doves are not overly present. Deer, bear, and moose are. NY is unique in that it has everything in abundance. I once told a friend from the Adirondacks who told me that they don't see doves up there, "Hey, you want to see a dove, come down here to Central or Western NY; I'll show you at least 500 any evening that you want in the fall when the harvesting is going on and the migration is starting. And if I want to see a moose, I'll come up your way. Don't see much of them down here". I can't believe that I just wrote all of this. I think maybe I'm still a bit unrecovered from my bout with the flu. Fred.

The information taught in this free course will be very valuable in understanding the complex layers of science, politics, and controversies inherent to setting hunting policy. NY Dove Hunting recommends and hopes our members take advantage of this free course. Remember this is a free course without a grade, so like anything else, the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it. https://www.coursera.org/course/perceptivehunting

http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/governor-cuomo-vetoes-anti-dec-mute-swan-proposal.html Read story here: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/governor-cuomo-vetoes-anti-dec-mute-swan-proposal.html

Today is Monday, December 15. Governor Cuomo has until Wednesday December 17, presumably until midnight, to act on the anti DEC legislation out of Queens. The legislation is on the governor’s desk, right next to NY Dove Hunting’s petition asking him to VETO it. NY Dove Hunting has reported and informed on this issue for a solid five months. In the future, we need all to pay better attention to what we promulgate and mobilize faster. However, there still is three days. Let’s test how organized we are and our ability to mobilize. One hundred emails / phone calls to the governor’s office each of those three days, up to and including Wednseday. Three hundred contacts POLITELY asking Governor Cuomo to VETO this legislation. NYDH has outlined many useful “talking points” to use in constructing a message about this legislation. At this stage in the game, we are not going to dredge it all up, but it is published online. Some of the lesser used material centers around the need to manage wildlife across government borders. Any Governor with presidential ambitions might be behooved to consider how conservation-minded United States citizens who do not live in Brooklyn and Queens might view this legislation mostly driven out of two boroughs of NYC. Many persons contacting the Governor about this legislation used analogies with snake heads and feral swine. However, the Governor lives in Long Island, essentially NYC. Therefore, he may relate better to Norway rats, black rats, house mice, Pigeons (which are really “rock doves” another Bird of Peace you know); English or house sparrows, and European starlings. All of these came here oversees in small numbers. We might throw in the Quaker parrot or monk parakeet, which have established colonies in “ Tony Avella County; ” however, there currently is also legislation pending which will reclassify Quaker parrots from unprotected wildlife to protected bird. That’s another chapter and another challenge coming up. There really is no need to get into detail at this stage, unless you feel compelled to. A simple, polite contact, perhaps using one or two talking points, or merely saying that you desire the legislation is VETOED is sufficient. Does your rod and gun meet tomorrow? Are you bringing a petition and/or form letters and pressing everyone to engage? Are you on social media and / or contacting your email contacts about this? As stated, after five solid months of promulgating this, the response was not satisfactory. In the same time, the antis generate tens of thousands of petition signatures and managed to bring this through the legislature. Prior to those five months, the DEC held a public review phase, during which we urged the sporting community to engage. The antis were extremely active in the public review of the DEC’s mute swan strategy, while most sportsmen never even heard of a mute swan… The next MODO bill (mourning dove) must be fully engaged. One of the excuses of Senator Grisanti (who was voted out this election ) was that he and other lawmakers heard from plenty of people opposed to dove hunting, and this was the only contact he and others had in support of it. Some of this falls on the erroneous belief that 1) Pro hunting legislation can escape the radar of anti hunting organizations, it will not however. 2) Failure to understand that environmental conservation regulations will almost always be subject to a public review phase, and that public review phase will be advertised. Speaking of Grisanti, his departure opens the door for a new Senate Environmental Conservation Committee Chairman. The Assembly Cahir position of the same committee is also vacated by the retirement of Robert Sweeney. The new appointments will be interesting. The senate version of the mute swan bill was sponsored by Tony Avella, who is on the Senate En-Con Committee. The assembly version of the mute swan bill was sponsored by Cyronowitz, who is on the Assembly En-Con Committee. This is not suggesting that these two lawmakers will be appointed to chair the committee in their respective houses, but it is a possibility. The En-Con chairpersons are the gate keepers to all DEC related legislation. They decide if it moves forward and also if it expires in what they call the “suspense file”…

If you had a chance - To block a measure that would… Be harmful to native wildlife Be harmful to wetland habitats Be harmful to the conservation fund Blocks new hunting opportunity Allows Animal Rights Organizations to over-rule the DEC Emboldens animal rights organizations and sets new precedents on policy decisions Would you act on that chance? Here is your opportunity. Sign this petition and ask others to do the same! http://www.thepetitionsite.com/832/485/616/veto-s-065889-a-and-a-08790-a/

http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/new-insights-into-the-mute-swan-issue.html

We all heard about Maine's "Question 1" which sought to ban the use of bait, hounds and foot snares to take bears... This was not the only hunting-related referendum that was up for grabs during the November 2014 general election across the US. A complete link to the story below. The most interesting and most significant IMO is Michigan Proposal 2: Proposal 2, Michigan Natural Resources Commission Referendum Michigan voters rejected two proposals on November 4 regarding hunting. Proposal 1 would .... Proposal 2 would have allowed the Natural Resources Commission to directly designate game species and determine hunting seasons, rather than game animals being designated through legislation. Remember: Michigan was the state that the HSUS ran TV ads to gather petition signatures which enabled them to allow Michigan to put the fate of dove hunting up for vote in 2006. The majority vote was to ban Michigan's newly created (two year old) dove season. What if whitetail deer hunting was put on a referendum, would the outcome differ? Read more here: http://wildlife.org/wildlife-management-issues-on-the-ballot-last-week/

We want to close our mute swan petition this month and ask for more people to help out by signing it and encouraging others to sign it. We will be launching a petition to legalize dove hunting in the near future and certainly hope the response is much better than we have had with the mute swan issue. For those of you think we are a lone wolf in this hunt, read the first link below from Maryland DNR. This has been brewing in the Atlantic Flyway for some time, including a supreme court decision in our favor. However, in NY, the legislature sided with animal rights organizations over the DEC, FWS, Atlantic Flyway Council, Universities, and large conservation organizations. The second link below is to the petition. You can read the signatures and see if you know anyone. Rick McGovern and Tom P, from this site who run the Crossbow Coalition have signed it. Rick is also on our face book page, by the way. The president of the NY Trappers Association has signed, So have many others you all know. Please also sign and share right away. Refer to this: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/infocus/comments.html Please sign this petition to allow NY's state wildlife agency to continue to make management decisions about mute swans that are consistent with the rest of the Atlantic Flyway Council. In addition to the importance of eradicating this deleterious introduced species; interference with policy regarding mute swans can set a precedent for politics to guide policy regarding other alien species and ultimately, all native species as well. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/832/485/616/veto-s-065889-a-and-a-08790-a/

Kevin Stocker is a 2014 Republican candidate for District 60 of the New York State Senate. BattlegroundRace.jpg This candidate is running in a "race to watch" in one of the 20 chambers identified by Ballotpedia as a battleground chamber. State legislative battleground chambers, 2014 The majority of state legislative chambers with elections in 2014 are not at risk of flipping majority control. Using data on partisan balance, seats up for election and competitive districts, Ballotpedia staff has identified the top 20 state legislative chambers to watch. NY State Senate District 60 Buffalo and surrounding area! Read about this and 19 other Battleground chambers: http://ballotpedia.o..._chambers,_2014 A win for Stocker in Senate District 60 is a huge win for sportsmen. If you live in the Buffalo area, be sure to vote and be sure to vote for Stocker. If you know people from district 60 in and around Buffalo convince them to get out and vote and for Stocker! Regardless of were you live follow second link to volunteer for his campaign. http://www.stockerfo...m/about_stocker http://www.stockerfo...nge.com/contact Stocker is opposing Mark Grisanti who got voted out of the republican party and is running as an independent. Grisanti voted for the safe act, killed the dove bill, and sponsored multiple laws designed to punish dog owners. Grisanti is currently the chairman of the senate environmental conservation committee and in such a position he decides what hunting-related legislation gets moved for a vote and blocks whatever he pleases to.

State legislative battleground chambers, 2014 The majority of state legislative chambers with elections in 2014 are not at risk of flipping majority control. Using data on partisan balance, seats up for election and competitive districts, Ballotpedia staff has identified the top 20 state legislative chambers to watch. NY State Senate District 60 Buffalo and surrounding area! Read about this and 19 other Battleground chambers: http://ballotpedia.org/State_legislative_battleground_chambers,_2014 A win for Stocker in Senate District 60 is a huge win for sportsmen. If you live in the Buffalo area, be sure to vote and be sure to vote for Stocker. If you know people from district 60 in and around Buffalo convince them to get out and vote and for Stocker! Regardless of were you live follow second link to volunteer for his campaign. http://www.stockerfo...m/about_stocker http://www.stockerfo...nge.com/contact Stocker is opposing Mark Grisanti who got voted out of the republican party and is running as an independent. Grisanti voted for the safe act, killed the dove bill, and sponsored multiple laws designed to punish dog owners. Grisanti is currently the chairman of the senate environmental conservation committee and in such a position he decides what hunting-related legislation gets moved for a vote and blocks whatever he pleases to.

A win for Stocker in Senate District 60 is a huge win for sportsmen. If you live in the Buffalo area, be sure to vote and be sure to vote for Stocker. If you know people from district 60 in and around Buffalo convince them to get out and vote and for Stocker! Regardless of were you live follow second link to volunteer for his campaign. http://www.stockerfo...m/about_stocker http://www.stockerfo...nge.com/contact

A win for Stocker in Senate District 60 is a huge win for sportsmen. If you live in the Buffalo area, be sure to vote and be sure to vote for Stocker. If you know people from district 60 in and around Buffalo convince them to get out and vote and for Stocker! Regardless of were you live follow second link to volunteer for his campaign. http://www.stockerforchange.com/about_stocker http://www.stockerforchange.com/contact

But the game isn't over yet.... Can we at least equal the number of lawmakers whose decision we are protesting? That would be ONE more signature.... Can we equal the total number of lawmakers? That would be 26 more signatures.... Sign on at the link below and share it among hunters! http://www.thepetitionsite.com/832/485/616/veto-s-065889-a-and-a-08790-a/

Assemblyman Lalor is hosting a clay shooting event locally. Please support his campaign, thank him for being one of the 25 out of 250 lawmakers who voted appropriately on the DEC/ mute swan controversy, as well as the safe act, and ask for his support for a mourning dove hunting season after the smoke clears after November's election. And vote for him in November! http://secure.campaigner.com/Campaigner/Public/t.show?7bwxz--3qihk-ydbvlc4&_v=2

Tony Avella's Anti- DEC mute swan bill (S-06589A and A-08790-A) passed both houses today and will be sent to the governor. All we can do is email Governor Andrew Cuomo and request he veto's the mute swan bills because the DEC knows more about managing wildlife than the humane society. This having passed both houses is now in the hands of the senate which can deliver it to the governor any time they feel. The governor would then have 10 days to either sign it into law or veto it. As of just now, the senate still has it. We need to IMMEDIATELY contact the governor and urge him to veto this proposal. This bill was expedited through the legislative process and finalized the very day before they all break for the year. The 17 sponsors in the Assembly and the 5 sponsors in the Senate made sure they completed this political favor for the animal rights organizations that endorse them before breaking until the fall!

Assemblyman Lalor is hosting a clay shooting event in Dutchess County. Please support his campaign, thank him for being one of the 25 out of 250 lawmakers who voted appropriately on the DEC/ mute swan controversy, as well as the safe act, and ask for his support for a mourning dove hunting season after the smoke clears after November's election. And vote for him in November! http://secure.campaigner.com/Campaigner/Public/t.show?7bwxz--3qihk-ydbvlc4&_v=2

If you have not signed and shared our NY Dove Hunting's Petition, please do so! The petition allows comments, but it is not at all necessary to add additional comments. We will be publishing talking points once or twice a week that could be used as comments or for individual letters to politicians and/or newspapers. Here is the first Talking Point. Talking Points on Mute Swans I) The plan of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and states within the Atlantic Flyway Council which includes NY; was to eradicate mute swans, not “manage” them. Legislation passed in June of 2014 by the NY Senate and Assembly prevent the DEC from eradicating mute swans and mandates mute swan populations are to be sustained and management efforts are to give preference to non-lethal methods. The ten year revision of mute swan strategies among the FWS and the Atlantic Flyway Council focused on addressing a failure in controlling the size and distribution of mute swan populations under current strategies. The new strategies proposed were based on Best Available Science and Best Management Practices. These strategies are not only the most effective, but less costly. New legislation forces the DEC to default to more expensive and less effective strategies. The long term costs of managing and sustaining a mute swan population will compromise conservation funds available for at-risk species, non-game species, game species and wildlife habitat. The long term costs of not using Best Available Science and Best Management Practices will compromise conservation funds available for at-risk species, non-game species, game species and their habitats. The cost of remediating mute swan impacts will compromise conservation funds available for at-risk species, non-game species, game species and their habitats. The DEC is legally mandated to remediate impacts to native wildlife and their habitats – “doing nothing” is not an option; therefore an impact to conservation funds is inevitable. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/832/485/616/veto-s-065889-a-and-a-08790-a/

https://twitter.com/nydoveHunting Use hash-tag: #NYDoveHunting

Post the about the seats you become aware of that will be challenged this November. I will post the first one so if you don't know what I mean, look at the following post...

DEC Waterfowl Identification and Hunting Courses Open Now A certificate from this course is required to get an access permit for select National Wildlife Refuges and state lands open to waterfowl hunting. While this course is not required for waterfowl hunting in general, it is recommended and of value to attend. http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/hunter-education-class-waterfowl-identification-class.html

I just signed the petition: "VETO S-065889-A and A-08790-A" Will you join me in supporting this issue? http://www.thepetitionsite.com/832/485/616/veto-s-065889-a-and-a-08790-a/

The organization with the longstanding National Initiative to Ban Mourning Dove Hunting and National Initiative to Ban Pheasant Stocking in trouble - AGAIN! http://kycir.org/2014/07/17/how-a-congressman-his-wife-and-a-lobbyist-mixed-politics-personal-finances/

First Ever National Dove Hunter Survey Published This Week! Introduction: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/introduction-to-first-national-dove-hunter-survey.html Frequently Asked Questions about the National Dove Hunter Survey: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/frequently-asked-questions-about-the-national-dove-hunter-survey.html Read the National Dove Hunter Survey: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/national-dove-hunting-survey-2013.html

NY Dove Hunting Quarterly Newsletter July 2014 Our petition to the Governor of NY about mute swans continues until the senate delivers the bill to him. Learn more and sign the petition at: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/mute-swans.html Forty-five NY sportsmen’s organizations wrote letters of support for a dove season in 2011. Learn which clubs and read the story at: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/list-of-ny-hunting-clubs-that-support-dove-hunting.html How many mourning doves are found throughout NY and how good would the hunting be? You asked and this article answers the question: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/mourning-dove-hunting-activity--harvest-around-new-york--2012-2013-for-ontario-can.html Read about some of the mourning dove milestones that occurred across North America: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/mourning-dove-hunting-milestones.html

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/06/24/voters-head-to-the-polls-to-cast-ballots-in-long-island-primaries/ http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/06/24/rangel-espaillat-face-off-in-primary-election/