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Court rules to allow dove hunting in Wisconsin (3/27/2003)

An appeals court has ruled in favor of sportsmen in a decision that will make Wisconsin the thirty-ninth state with a season to hunt the nation's most popular gamebird, the mourning dove.

On March 27, Wisconsin's District Four Court of Appeals reversed a decision by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Moeser. It ruled that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has the authority to establish the mourning dove hunt that was approved by the Natural Resources Board and the legislature in 2000. The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation's Sportsmen's Legal Defense Fund (SLDF) joined the DNR in appealing Judge Moeser's decision, which asserted that the DNR did not have such authority.

"The SLDF was confident from the beginning that the Department of Natural Resources had the authority, according to Wisconsin law, to establish a dove hunting season," said U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation Field Director Tony Celebrezze. "The appeals court decision clears the way for a dove hunting season this fall."

The SLDF joined forces with Wisconsin sportsmen's groups to initially win and later to protect the state's dove season. The Wisconsin Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Wisconsin Chapter of Safari Club International (SCI), Badgerland Chapter SCI, Lake Superior Chapter SCI and others led the way in defense of the dove hunt.

"Thanks to the many sportsmen's organizations that worked to obtain the dove season and defend it in court. We appreciate the many great partnerships that were formed during the legal battle," said Celebrezze.

The Sportsmen's Legal Defense Fund, Sheboygan County Conservation Alliance, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association and two local sportsmen, Craig Johnson from Hudson and Dean Hamilton of Waunakee, joined the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation as intervenors in the case.

CopyrightÓ  U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance- www.ussportsmen.org

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