Of course, it would be unseemly for residents to shoot their peace symbol. So dove hunting was outlawed. But a group called Wisconsin Dove Hunters now wants to legalize dove hunting again. They say that hunting has virtually no impact on dove populations. Most mourning doves live less than one year.
Hunters also note that the mourning dove is migratory.
If Wisconsin hunters don't shoot them, someone else will. Some of the most popular state birds suffer horribly because of habitat loss, pesticides, and pollution. On the other hand, doves are mentioned so frequently in the Bible, they've become a religious icon. Sadly, the mourning dove's larger relative, the passenger pigeon, will never be seen on televison or adopted as a state symbol. The passenger pigeon was once North America's most abundant bird.