Media Coverage - Proposal 3: Bird Watcher verses Bird Hunter
Published October 25, 2006. WJRT ABC News
MID-MICHIGAN (WJRT) - (10/25/06)-- Proposal 3 has pitted bird watcher against bird hunter. Both appreciate mourning doves, but each has a different opinion about the question.
Marc Somers travels the world hunting big and small game. He's been to Africa and has hunted mourning doves in Argentina.
Meanwhile, Howard Schultz is content to enjoy the wildlife in his Genesee County back yard. Both like mourning doves, but have very different opinions about hunting them. "We can't justify it in our minds that, that the bird we enjoy seeing and ah, and Michigan's bird of peace, possibly, is going to just be killed for no reason at all," Schultz commented.
It's a great sport. It's a great source of food," Somers said.
It's the hunt that has Somers excited about legalizing mourning dove hunting in Michigan - not just for the game, but also for the economy. "We can sell more small game licenses and it's a great entry-level hunt," he said.
Schultz thinks otherwise. He says the peaceful bird should be left alone and there's absolutely no reason to hunt them. "There are 40 other species of birds to hunt in Michigan. Why should the mourning dove be added to this list?"
On election day Schultz will vote no on Proposal 3. He wants mourning doves to remain protected. "Doves are not overpopulated. They do no harm to the environment. They do no harm to people. They do no harm to other species."
Somers, on the other hand, is set to vote yes, in hopes of someday being able to hunt mourning doves right here in Michigan. "I'd love to take my kids out dove hunting. Again, it's a low-cost hunt. You just need a gun and a field to hunt."
