Putting up Doves

[BKhunter]

I was walking to my stand this weekend along the field line and the corn is still standing. The walk is a couple of hundred yards and it seemed every 50-100 feet I walked doves with explode out of the corn. I must have put up around 30-50 birds during that walk to the stand and was thinking that it would be a lot of fun to make a day out of hunting them. I know NY does not currently have a dove season, but does anyone know where were at in terms of getting one implemented?

[mike rossi]

“What is going on with getting a dove season in NY?”

 

When Bruce Babbitt became Secretary of the Interior he told conservationists not to expect him to do the right thing, but to make him do the right thing by bringing needed political pressure. (The Department of the Interior or DOI; houses the US Fish and Wildlife Service; therefore ultimately administers federal Pitman Robertson funds.)

 

According to David Johns, School of Government, Portland State University; co-founder of Wildlands Network and Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative: “To build the political support and pressure needed to achieve a goal; too often conservationists take for granted existing power relationships rather than recognizing the need to change them, or they ignore questions of power all together, believing factual information will persuade decision makers whether they are national leaders or communities”.

 

The DEC is still making impartial observations about the issue, but their comments resonate with Bruce Babbitt and David Johns, for example, here are two quotes from the DEC:

 

"If sportsmen show enough unified strength about the issue, we will do our best to support the effort".

 

“There is no biological reason why doves could not be hunted in New York. However, until political support increases to the point that a bill to amend the Environmental Conservation Law is introduced, passes both the Senate and Assembly, and is signed into law by the Governor, we encourage small game hunting enthusiasts to continue to enjoy New York's other game bird hunting opportunities for turkey, grouse, woodcock and waterfowl, available in a variety of habitats across the state.”

 

[BKhunter]

Mike,

 

Any idea if any petitions have been started in order to get a season implemented?

[mike rossi]

Mike,

 

Any idea if any petitions have been started in order to get a season implemented?

 

I am not aware of any. NY Dove Hunting is going to launch a mourning dove hunting petition in the near future, sometime after the smoke clears from the elections and everyone settles down, including the politicians.

[BKhunter]

 

Thanks.....I'm assuming you have involvement with that organization. If so Will you be posting to this boards when it becomes available?

[mike rossi]

Yup. We will post it here and all over. But the reach will be greater if many people repost and/or  share it  on social media.