To the editor:
Sometimes early in the morning one can hear the gentle coo-coo-cooing of a mourning dove.ÝI like the sound and I like to stop and listen to itís special sound.ÝItÝis like no other, although some people mistake it for an owl.ÝThe mourning dove is well namedÝbecause its call isÝone of saddness.
This saddness is also the reason that I am writing this letter. The lives of these birds are at stake.ÝOur legislature is again trying to setÝin motion the bills that would legalizeÝthe hunting of these gentle birds.ÝTom Hackbarth has again brought HF530 to the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. The bill is on its way to the House floor and if passed will go to the Senate.Ý
Hunting of these gentle birds is inhumane.ÝThey are notÝpests or nuisanceÝbirds.ÝThe small amount of food that they would give is less than 2 ounces.ÝIt would take many of them to make a meal.ÝIt is estimated that 20-30 per cent of these birds are not retrieved. When left wounded and unable to fly, they are preyÝfor other animals and suffer a long time.ÝHow we can even consider the killing of these songbirds is not what I think Minnesota stands for.ÝYet sportsmen try year after year to try to legalize the hunt of these gentle birds.
If you feel as I do and want to protect the mourning doves in Minnesota.ÝCall your Representatives and Senators and tell them not to pass the legislation that will harm these birds.ÝWe need to protect our wildlife, not destroy it.ÝWe need to teach our children to protect and respect our wildlife.ÝIf we donít someday soon we will wonder what the sound of a coo-coo-cooing dove was all about.

Verna Hoppe
North Branch

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