Save The Doves

In 1994, the special interest sport hunting lobby pushed the Ohio Legislature into passing a bill to allow a mourning dove hunting season, by only one vote in the Senate. Last year, over 400,000 gentle doves were killed and crippled in Ohio-all in the name of fun. Save the Doves-a grassroots coalition of Ohio birders, animal lovers, farmers, and even hunters-is worlking to change the status of the mourning dove back to a protected songbird. The group aims to gather enough signatures to qualify for the November 1998 statewide ballot to let Ohio voters decide in a fair and democratic vote, whether the gentle symbol of peace should remain under the guns of sport hunters. The doves need your help!

Your efforts have placed this issue on the November ballot! Vote FOR Issue 1.
An Initiated Law to Prohibit Mourning Dove Hunting. Click on this link and read the Gongwer Special Report - Ballot Agruments FOR, Against State Issue 1.

Save the Doves needs you to volunter your time to help pass Issue 1. Please call 1-800-868-DOVE (3683) today!
The following information are events leading up to the placement of Issue 1 on the ballot. For the latest updates you can also visit their new website. Have your questions answered about the campaign and about the mourning dove.

Petitions Submitted Christmas Eve To Halt The Hunting of the Mourning Dove In Ohio

The organization, "Save the Doves", submitted more than 100,000 signatures to Secretary of State Bob Taft's Office in an effort to remove the mourning dove from the list of hunted species. "The hunters have 43 species to kill every year. We only became active when they went for a 44th.", said Ritchie Laymon a spokesperson for Save the Doves.
For the petition to have any legal effect, it must have 100,388 valid signatures. If there are too few signatures, the group will have 10 more days to collect enough signatures to make up the difference. It is expected that the local boards of election will complete checking the validity of the signatures by January 16th.
That is why we still need your help! Contact 1-800-868-DOVES for further information and as a signature collection volunteer.

Petitions accepted for Legislative Consideration

2/10/98 - Columbus
Legislators now have 4 months to decide whether they will reverse their earlier vote to hunt the mourning dove or leave it to Ohio voters. It is suspected that the Ohio Legislators will sit on their hands and do nothing. Setting the stage for Petition Drive #2. This is a 90 day timeframe to collect another 100,393 signatures. Be prepared. Contact Save The Doves to help.

URGENT ACTION ALERT!!! - 3/28/98

We have just received word that the Legislature has "indefinitely postponed" our bill, which is basically the same as rejecting it. Our 90 day period to gather an 100,000 valid signatures began on March 12, 1998 and will end June 9, 1998.

Your help is needed now more than ever! The Legislature has decided that the 150,000 Ohio voters who sighned our petition don't deserve a voice on this issue. But we think they do and that's why we will gather another 100,000 signatures and take this issue directly to the voters.

Contact SAVE THE DOVES TODAY!

What is the opposition saying?? From a recent AP article.
Rick Story, from the Columbus-based Wildlife Legislative Fund of America, stated that the group has raised nearly $1 million of the $2.5 million dollars being raised to fight the Save The Doves ballot initiative. "As wasteful as it is to spend all this money on the campaign...it's nice every once in awhile to rub their noses in it," Story said.

Your donations are required to help bring our story to the public. We realize there are many worthwhile causes, however this is a one shot deal. If we lose this year, we will not have another opportunity to save the dove. You've heard it before - Contact Save The Doves to help!!!

Photo by Leo Domyan

Dove Issue on the November 98 Ballot!!!

Long hours, long days and over 200,000 valid signatures later - we are happy to report that come November Ohio voter's will finally be able to STOP the hunting of the Mourning Dove by their vote.
From the stories above you know we still have a long fight. Your donation can make the difference. Hey, how about organizing a fund raiser. Contact us if you can help.
Spreading the good news of a ballot issue at the HORDE festival!

The ballot issue was defeated and mourning doves are now hunted in Ohio. Many of the links above have been discontinued.
The Wildlife Legislative of America, located in Columbus, Ohio, spent millions to defeat this issue. Their television ads showed building on fire, people spoke about the end of animal research, and Jack Hanna came out and supported the killing of the dove. The issue was defeated 59% to 41%.