Bill shouldn’t target mourning doves

There is a piece of a state legislation, A1274/S1598, that will allow the taking of Zenaida macroura, which means the killing of mourning doves. The same mourning doves that millions enjoy feeding and watching. Proponents of the bill have tried to justify it as a way to get kids involved in hunting, i.e. the killing of the birds is fun and a good way to target practice. Shooting mourning doves is scientifically unnecessary and serves no purpose.

There is no overpopulation of mourning doves. They don’t make much of a meal. They are groundfeeding birds that control weeds and provide a natural pest control for agriculture.

Hunters have more than 26 migratory and game birds that they can hunt. Further, if ones looks at the data, there are more people birdwatching and bird-feeding at home than hunting. A 2011 study by U.S. Fish and Wildlife has New York state with a 20 percent participation rate for birdwatching. Further, birdwatching generated $107 billion in total industry output.

The interest in hunting continues to decline, but this does not mean we need more opportunity to kill. There is a shift in interests and values in society. Why keep wasting money that could be spent on fulfilling the needs of New Yorkers who want to enjoy wildlife without killing?

We need to reach out to our legislators and ask them not to support or cosponsor this legislation.

Anthony Ostrander Wynantskill