Dove hunting bill on the way to the Governor

The dove-hunting bill cleared another big hurdle at the statehouse this morning. The Iowa Senate approved the bill, sending it to Governor Tom Vilsack, who’s threatened to veto it. Senator Dennis Black of Newton grew up eating game like elk, moose and buffalo, but he did not vote for the bill, as he said the dove is “an inoffensive song bird.” He says the older we get the more we like to see life instead of death.Senator Jack Holveck of Des Moines has doves nesting in his backyard, and hears their song in the morning. He said he fears if the bill is passed the only thing that would keep it from being enacted is the governor’s good will.Senator Dick Dearden of Des Moines was a supporter of the bill. He says some of the things groups have said about hunters are wrong. He says hunters do not take pleasure in inflicting pain on animals and hunters aren’t bad people.Governor Tom Vilsack won’t say whether he supports dove hunting, but he has said he may veto the bill because the decision about setting the season is left to the state natural resources commission..