URGENT - NY State Residents - Help Make Mourning Doves a Migratory Game Bird in NY

[Nick Wansha]

http://www.nramedia.org/...8629/65123043/111/0/

*** New York: Mourning Dove Hunting Legislation Now Pending in Senate
Committee ***
Pro-hunting legislation has been introduced in the New York Senate.Senate Bill 6968 http://www.nramedia.org/...29/65123043/14762/0/
sponsored by state Senator John A. DeFrancisco (R-50), would classify
mourning doves as =E2=80=9Cmigratory game birdsultimately allowing for the creation of a dove hunting season.
Mourning doves are the most popular and abundant game bird hunted in America and there is no biological justification to deny New Yorkers the right to hunt them. Mourning doves are regulated as migratory game birds by the federal government, but they are not classified as such by the state of New York. Because mourning doves are not classified as a
migratory game bird species, the New York Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) is unable to establish a dove hunting season.

Currently, forty of the lower forty-eight states have mourning dove
hunting seasons, and federal regulations allow states in the easternU.S.to
select seasons up to 70 days in length, between September 1 and
January 15, with a daily bag limit of 15 doves. "There is no
biological reason why doves could not be hunted inNew York,
according to the DEC's website. It is about time that sportsmen are
provided the opportunity to hunt mourning doves inNew York.
Senate Bill 6968 is currently pending in the state Senate
Environmental Conservation Committee.*Contact members of the Senate
Environmental Conservation Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them
to support of SB 6968!*

This committee will be meeting here the first full week of June.

Please make your voice heard and support your fellow hunters (even if you don't plan on hunting doves!) to support this bill this week to the following committee members:
*Senate Environmental Conservation Committee*
Senator Mark Grisanti (R-60), Chairman
518-455-3240
grisanti@nysenate.gov
Senator Tony Avella (D-11)
518-455-2210
avella@nysenate.gov
Senator Adriano Espaillat (D-31)
518-455-2041
espailla@nysenate.gov
Senator Owen H. Johnson (R-4)
518-455-3411
ojohnson@nysenate.gov
Senator Kenneth P. LaValle (R-1)
518-455-3121
lavalle@nysenate.gov
Senator Betty Little (R-45)
518-455-2811
little@nysenate.gov
Senator Carl L Marcellino (R-5)
518-455-2390
marcelli@senate.state.ny.us
Senator George D. Maziarz (R-62)
518-455-2024
maziarz@nysenate.gov
Senator Thomas F. O'Mara (R-53)
518-455-2091
omara@nysenate.gov
Senator Suzi Oppenheimer (D-37)
518-455-2031
oppenhei@senate.state.ny.us
Senator Bill Perkins (D-30)
518-455-2441
perkins@senate.state.ny.us
Senator Jos=C3=A9 M. Serrano (D-2
518-455-2795
serrano@senate.state.ny.us
Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-35)
518-455-2585
scousins@senate.state.ny.us
Senator Catharine Young (R-57)
518-455-3563
cyoung@senate.state.ny.us

Thanks! Nick

 

[Kevin B]

Just sent mine to Betty Little.

 

[Nick Wansha]

Thanks Kevin. Don't forget to send an e-mail to them all. This committee needs to clear the way so that this bill makes it's way for a vote on the NY Senate floor.

Nick

 

[Vince Pagliaroli]

Will DO. After 47 years of Dove hunting in PA, I would love to do so in New York, my new home.

For my money there is no better way to get young people involved, and excited about hunting than....taking them DOVE HUNTING.

Thats how the WWII vets taught me how to be a Responsible and Safe hunter, in the field, long before hunter saftey courses.
Safety, and targets first, and then DOVES.

Mentors are the key to our hunting future. DOVE hunting is the perfect opportunity.

 

[Nick Wansha]

Spot on Vince! The youth hunting and mentoring was something that I mentioned in my letter to the state Senators and that dove hunting is often the catalyst in having people start out hunting and purchase hunting licenses in many other states. Youth hunting is something that I have dear to my heart as I have been a volunteer NYSDEC certified hunter and waterfowl education instructor here in NY for the past 12+ years.

 

[Zach Benson]

Thanks for the heads up Nick - emails sent!