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Around 2008, the DEC published this: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/59626.html In response, around 2014, NY Dove Hunting published this: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/is-lack-of-interest-credible.html During March 2016 the DEC circulates this: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/2016-dec-webless-migratory-game-bird-survey.html Thus: if you received a DEC survey be mindful about how you answer each question so that you do not communicate a message you did not intend! If you did not receive a survey, NOW is prime time to write to the DEC in support of hunting mourning doves, woodcock, snipe, and rails. Contact NY Dove Hunting at the following link for the address to send your correspondence, or send us your letters and we will get them to the proper channels. Contact NY Dove Hunting: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/contact-us.html

Next 3 Days are Prime Time to Write Your State Reps! Why? Because Humane Lobby Day is April 12. 2016, and on this day 150 activists will be in Albany working out their agenda to slash bird hunting opportunity in NY including discouraging future legislation which would allow dove hunting! Write to your senate and assembly reps. TODAY! Tell them not to make any promises to block dove hunting legislation, eliminate the state pheasant stocking program, and ban hunting of woodcock, snipe, and rails! Next 6 Days are Prime Time to Write to the DEC! Why? Because the DEC is canvassing hunters about their interest in hunting dove, woodcock, snipe, and rails until April 15, 2016! Write to the DEC TODAY! Tell the DEC you want them to seek legislative change necessary to allow dove hunting and that you want the opportunity to hunt woodcock, snipe, and rails to continue! Where to send your letters or emails: If you prefer that NY Dove Hunting forwards your correspondence to the appropriate channels use the contact form on our website located at the following link: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/contact-us.html If you prefer to contact your senate and assembly reps directly, you can find out who they are and obtain their contact information by using these two links: Letter Number 1: To find you assembly rep: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/search/ Letter Number 2: To find your senate rep: https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator Letter Number 3: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Contact NY Dove Hunting for Proper Channels Have you signed the petition to reinstate dove hunting in NY? If you have already signed, there is no need to sign again. However, it is extremely important that you help get other NY hunters to also sign on! If you have not already signed the petition, please sign it TODAY and help us sign up other NY hunters! The petition can be accessed and electronically signed at this link: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/petition.html

5 More Days! In 5 days 150 activists will be in Albany working out their agendas with the Legislature. We have been urging the bird hunting community to write to their state representatives in the upcoming days. The message of your letters should be that elected officials should learn the facts and challenge the assertions of these activists rather than naively believe what they say without fact-checking. In particular mention reinstating a dove hunting season and protecting the state pheasant stocking program. Also convey that you seek a general improvement in game bird hunting opportunities and policies which govern same, including relaxing the regulations pertaining to using training birds on public land. Or, simply use the form letter on our website. No doubt, we will be talking about Humane Lobby Day again this time next year. Hopefully the response from the bird hunting community will be stronger and more focused. We don’t need nay-saying we need activists. For example, can someone come up with ten good form letters by next year? If you do will get them to our constituency. Get involved and be proactive, don’t wait for the other guy there is no such thing. There are 8 days left to complete the DEC Webless Migratory Game Bird Survey If you received one by mail or email: Most of the survey asks questions about your level of interest in dove hunting in NY and about changes in your interest over the past 5 years in hunting woodcock, snipe, and rails. Be mindful when completing this survey to avoid conveying a message you did not intend! Specifically, we are concerned that the scale system of the survey will conclude “lack of interest” when that was not what the respondents wanted to convey. If you did not receive this survey: By all means write to the DEC TODAY in support of reinstating a dove hunting season and in preserving the existing hunting opportunities for woodcock, snipe, and rails! If you want NY Dove Hunting to forward your correspondence to the appropriate DEC staff or Legislators, send it to us through the contact page on our website and we will make sure they receive your input.

April 12 and April 15, 2016 April 12, 2016 is Humane Lobby Day in Albany. Over 150 activists will meet with legislators or their staff to advocate for policy which reduces your opportunity to hunt doves and other webless migratory game birds and train your bird dog or retriever gun dog. Action to Take Today: Go to this link find your senate and assembly representatives and copy a form letter to send them: http://nydovehunting.weebly.com/humane-lobby-day.html April 15, 2016 is the last day the DEC will accept responses to its Webless Migratory Game Bird Survey. This survey asks questions which apparently are intended to assess the change in interest level of respondents toward hunting webless migratory game birds over the last 5 years. Action to Take Today: First be aware that there is a national movement to eliminate hunting for webless migratory game birds, including woodcock. One of the justifications given by those seeking this policy change is that there is a “lack of interest” in hunting mourning doves, woodcock, snipe, and rails. Thus, think – out your responses so that you do not relay an unintended message. This survey was sent by either postal mail or email. If you were not selected as a respondent, then by all means write to the DEC prior to April 15 in support of hunting webless migratory game birds. Be sure to include in your correspondence that it is important that mourning dove hunting is reinstated in NY.