Game & Fish

Minnesota’s bird hunters would enjoy a mourning dove season for the first time since 1947, under a bill (HF530) approved by the House Environment and Natural Resources Policy Committee March 18 and sent to the House floor.

A second bill (HF529) that would establish both a mourning dove season and a $5 mourning dove stamp was approved and referred to the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee.

Both measures are sponsored by Rep. Tom Hackbarth (R-Cedar).

Mourning dove hunting would add to the approximately $62 million in retail sales generated annually by upland bird hunters, DNR Wildlife Division Assistant Director Ed Boggess said in support of the bill. Southern and western Minnesota counties would stand to gain the most from the estimated 50,000 hunters who would participate, Boggess said and mourning dove population levels would not be affected.

Opponents testified that many people consider mourning doves to be songbirds rather than gamebirds and questioned the ethics of shooting birds that yield approximately 2 ounces of meat.

Sen. Pat Pariseau (R-Farmington) awaits hearings on her companion bills (SF697 and SF698) in the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee.