Thousands Invested In Anti's Effort To Ban Michigan Dove Hunt
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Thousands Invested In Anti's Effort To Ban Michigan Dove Hunt





The campaign to ban dove hunting in Michigan is not driven by grassroots activists, but is instead financed by out-of-state, national animal rights groups. They have paid the money necessary to get their anti-hunting agenda on the ballot.

According to financial statements by the Committee to Restore the Dove Shooting Ban, the anti’s ballot issue campaign committee, more than $272,000 has been raised to stop the hunt. A considerable amount of that money was spent to pay people to gather the signatures needed to place the issue on the November 2006 ballot.

The anti’s ballot issue committee paid PCI Consulting, a California petition management firm, more than $112,000 to ensure that a sufficient number of valid signatures were collected and submitted to the Secretary of State’s office. On June 2, the Board of State Canvassers certified more than 275,000 signatures, qualifying the issue for the ballot.

“Anti-hunters would have the public believe that Michigan residents starkly object to the state’s dove hunt and that efforts to ban the hunt are driven by a grassroots campaign,” said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance vice president for government affairs. “Information from the Michigan Bureau of Elections shows that the signatures were obtained by paid signature gatherers and that the Humane Society of the United States has contributed more than $153,000 to this campaign to date.”

There are no contribution limits for a ballot question committee. Couple that with the fact that the Humane Society Legislative Fund, the Humane Society of the United States’ new political arm, is touting its ability to spend an unlimited amount of money on legislative and ballot campaigns and sportsmen have cause for concern.

“Anti-hunters pumped nearly $800,000 into a 2004 anti-hunting ballot issue campaign in Maine before the establishment of the HSUS lobbying division,” said Sexton. “Michigan sportsmen must get on board with the Citizens for Wildlife Conservation Committee to ensure their hunting heritage is safe.”

All sportsmen’s help is needed to protect Michigan’s hunting, fishing, and trapping rights. Sportsmen’s contributions to protect Michigan’s hunting heritage can be sent to the Citizens for Wildlife Conservation Committee, 692 W. Coy, Hazel Park, MI 48030.

For more information about how to protect Michigan’s dove hunt, contact the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance at info@ussportsmen.org or call (614) 888-4868.

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