Aberdeen News
Michigan seems far away. It's not, and the outdoor issues there could very well impact you and me in South Dakota. I recently attended the Michigan Pheasants Forever state convention and national PF board of directors meeting in Lansing. There are great things and scary things happening there.

Enthusiasm reigned supreme during the state meeting. Chapters received awards for goals met, individuals were recognized for their outstanding support of PF and habitat, and Quail Forever was highlighted as the newest conservation organization in the country.

Although Michigan has a low pheasant population compared to ours, PF members there are dedicated and put their money where their mouth is. Conservation programs are popular in Michigan, and PF members have made huge contributions to restore and create pheasant habitat. Their hearts are in the right places.

Michigan is a paradox, however. Although there are large metropolitan areas and tons of concrete, there are still rural and forested areas where hunting abounds. Hundreds of housing developments became visible as my plane flew over Detroit. I felt sorry for children in those houses. Most of them never see beyond concrete and television or computer screens. They have no idea what the outdoors has to offer and may never have the opportunity to find out.

Michigan PF members take that situation to heart. They not only care about habitat for the future, they care about youth and hunting traditions. PF's education arm, Leopold Education Project, received a huge shot in the arm at the convention's concluding banquet when more than $10,000 was raised for its education projects in 2006.

Michigan conservationists and hunters are probably more concerned about the future of hunting heritage than we in South Dakota are at this point. The most powerful anti-hunting organization in America is behind the push to ban dove hunting this year in Michigan.

In January 2005, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the nation's largest animal rights organization, merged with the Fund for Animals, a radical anti-hunting organization. The newly formed group listed the elimination of dove hunting in Michigan as its top priority. They didn't stop there. They also listed banning bow hunting as a priority.

Not to be confused with your local dog and cat shelter, the HSUS in Washington, D.C., has nearly $100 million in annual revenue at its disposal to take our hunting rights away. It doesn't operate a single animal shelter and lobbies aggressively to end hunting in America.

These organizations tell their members the plan is to start with the easiest "sell" - trapping, bear hunting with hounds and dove hunting. Then they'll move on to pheasants, wild turkeys, grouse, deer and ultimately fishing. That's why they've placed a voter issue on Michigan's November 2006 ballot to ban dove hunting.

When the antis win in a state, they come back again and again, stripping away more hunting rights.

We South Dakotans must watch this closely. We cannot let this happen here. All states except Hawaii, Iowa and the extreme northeast allow dove hunting. Michigan is now under attack. If Michigan succumbs, are we next?

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance is contributing funds and manpower to help stop this action in Michigan. We South Dakotans must closely monitor hunting issues outside our borders. What happens in Michigan could very well happen here.