BILL NUMBER: S1598

SPONSOR: O'MARA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
including the mourning dove within the definition of "migratory game
birds" and to allow for their taking

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Relates to including the mourning dove within the definition of "migra-
tory game birds" and to allow for their taking.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Subparagraph 1 of paragraph a of subdivision 2 of section
11-0103 of the environmental conservation law, as amended by chapter 47
of the laws of 1976, is amended to read as follows: "Migratory game
birds" means the Anatidae or waterfowl, commonly known as geese, brant,
swans and river and sea ducks; the Rallidae, commonly known as rails,
              

American coots, mud hens and gallinules; the Limicolae or shorebirds,
commonly known as woodcock, snipe, plover, surfbirds, sandpipers, tatt-
lers and curlews; the Corvidae, commonly known as jays, crows and
magpies; the Zenaida macroura, commonly known as the mourning dove.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Currently the mourning dove is not classified as a migratory game bird
and illegal to hunt in New York State. Mourning dove hunting ranked 8th
in hunter participation back in 2011 with 1,271,000 dove hunters in the
41 dove hunting states which include the US territory of Puerto Rico;
three Canadian providences (British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec), and
throughout Central and South America.

In the 1980s, Cornell researchers estimated New York's mourning dove
population to be around 10 million birds. With the future land use
changes that includes reduced till agriculture, and permaculture are
likely to increase both the continental population and New York's popu-
lation of mourning doves. Establishing the mourning dove within the
definition of "migratory game birds" would make it consistent with the
federal classification and allow NYS DEC to implement a mourning dove
harvest strategy and hunting season for hunters to enjoy the full bene-
fits of wildlife in New York State.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2018 - S7202

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that the
commissioner of environmental conservation shall promulgate any rules
and regulations necessary for the implementation of this act on or
before such effective date.