Wolf hunt opponents challenging Michigan on collecting signatures for ballot

[Tallbear]

State law requires each page of a ballot proposal petition be signed by a witness, who must be qualified to vote in Michigan. The plaintiffs, who include the Humane Society Legislative Fund and a Florida woman seeking to help circulate a petition on behalf of Keep Michigan Wolves Protected, allege that the requirement infringes on their free speech rights.


"Michigan’s state residency requirement for petition circulators severely restricts the abilities of non-Michigan-residents – including volunteer members of HSLF and Sherri Ferrell – to engage in core political speech in Michigan and to associate with the organizations and Michigan residents who support the initiatives," the lawsuit alleges.


http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/02/wolf_hunt_ballot_petition_laws.html

[Walther]

The fact that these idiots must resort to a lawsuit because they have to use out of state people to collect signatures just shows how little support they have here in Michigan.

[Bisley12]

The only time people should be able to have a say in laws outside of their own state is in the case of federal laws. States govern themselves based on how it's residents vote (or so they say). If she/they want to save the wolves thats fine. Its their prerogative. But they should have to take up residence in Michigan. Bet its not THAT important to her.

Any hunter who shoots one though, should send a nice framed picture to her.

[that guy]

I say, have those wolf huggers come up here, have one of us drop them off in the Porcupine Mountain area (or any woods) alone, with no firearm, no means of protection and just a pup tent for shelter.

I wonder how they would feel about those poor poor pretty "they never hurt anyone " / "they are god's creatures" wolves then.

The county Sheriff sent a letter to the editor a couple months ago with a photo of a large wolf lying under the Sheriff's daughters swing set. And he lives in the city limit of Bessemer.

We propose live trapping them and transplanting about a dozen or so in the city of Detroit. Sounds like there is enough room for them ;)

[kdet]

just a pup tent for shelter.
;)

would also give Wolf pups a place to sleep and eat!!!!!!!!!!!:wolf:

[sarco001]

I was in Yost's gun shop in Reed City in December. There was a guy in collecting signatures on petitions trying to get a bill written and past that would mandate that Michigan would manage the wolf population by hunting.

This would kill any attempt by the group from Florida to get any thing on the ballot that would benefit their cause.

I wish I could get more information on this petition.

I am from the UP and have family that have farms up there. I hear about the hardships that have come with the increasing wolf population.

[Tallbear]

I was in Yost's gun shop in Reed City in December. There was a guy in collecting signatures on petitions trying to get a bill written and past that would mandate that Michigan would manage the wolf population by hunting.

This would kill any attempt by the group from Florida to get any thing on the ballot that would benefit their cause.

I wish I could get more information on this petition.

I am from the UP and have family that have farms up there. I hear about the hardships that have come with the increasing wolf population.

http://www.migunowners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=273976

[Grott]

We propose live trapping them and transplanting about a dozen or so in the city of Detroit. Sounds like there is enough room for them ;)


I too support a catch and release type of trapping for wolves in Michigan, trap them where they are a problem and release them where their supporters live, Including Florida.

Preferably in gated communities, to create "Wolf Sanctuaries" where wolf supporters can provide food and shelter for the beloved creatures.

:banana:

[langenc]

Catch em and send em to 'the hills'--Irish Hills, Farmington Hills, Rochester and any other places there are 'hills'. Maybe Ann Arbor has some hills. The wolf lovers probably live there by the hundreds.

My wife had the radio on in the kitchen Wed and I thought I heard an announcement that the req nunber of sigs had been secured??

[mattl]

They're hiring petitioners on CL. They pay by the signature.

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/lab/4348585365.html

[langenc]

How many on here have NOT signed the petition to put game management in the hands of biologists.

Some weeks ago there were several that 'didnt trust' MUCC and friends with their project??

If youd like a couple petitions PM me.. Im leaving town for a few days later in the week..

[luckless]

How many on here have NOT signed the petition to put game management in the hands of biologists.

Some weeks ago there were several that 'didnt trust' MUCC and friends with their project??

If youd like a couple petitions PM me.. Im leaving town for a few days later in the week..

That would be me. I have not signed it. I do not trust the MUCC. This is a poorly crafted, well titled initiative.

How are biologists and scientists going to make sure we have a wolf season? HSUS has biologists out the wazoo that argue there is NO scientific reason to manage ANY wildlife with hunting and fishing. Their whole argument is that a proper predator/prey relationship is essential to ending hunting as a management tool. Hunting and fishing for food is "out" too. There is no scientific reason to eat wild game since we have so many chickens and cows to eat. What kind of scientific management can we expect when a liberal governor appoints a liberal DNR director to hire a bunch of HSUS biologists?

Look at what our current DNR biologists are doing to the Baker's pig farm. You want THOSE kind of scientiss running the show? Are they really any better than the HSUS scientists?

The petition, itself, is as unscientific as it can get. What science is behind free licenses for veterans?

The backers of this bill are proud of the fact that this will not affect indian hunting and fishing. How can we scientifically manage the game species while politically giving a segment of the population a free pass on the game laws based solely on their race?

They want to throw a million dollars at preventing Asian carp from getting into the great lakes, FOREVER. This is a federal issue. Until the feds are willing to stop the Asian carp we won't be able to do it ourselves. We lack the jurisdiction to enforce our will on the other states and Canada. What happens to the million dollars until we have a project to spend it on? What happens to the million dollars once the carp are already in the great lakes?

Don't forget, MUCC pushed to get wolves in the UP in the first place. They also worked against the effort to put any in the lower peninsula, to give the Ann Arbor liberals a chance to enjoy them in their own back yard. Why is it "scientific" to have wolves in my back yard but not anywhere DNR headquarters?

MUCC has promoted so much crap that everything they back is to be suspect. "9 out of 10 hunters want their taxes jacked up", is just one example. I suppose 9 of 10 want antler point restrictions, too. Have you ever met ten deer hunters in one room and get nine to agree on anything about hunting deer? They can't even agree on the best caliber to kill one with. That is why I read the petition and did the research on the subject myself.

Kudos to those who are working on this in good faith. However, I don't think this will do what they want and it will be difficult to undo.

This will end up with our scientists, the HSUS scientists and the DNR scientists making their argument in front of a judge who will make a very unscientific, yet legal, ruling that we will all be stuck with. There will be no citizen initiative available to us.

[langenc]

The 'science' is politics..

Bills w/ appropriations (Money) attached are not subject to referendums--ie future petitions.

MI is one of a very few states that has 'citizen initiated legislation'.. ie bottle bill, and more recently abortion opt out of Obamanocare.

[mattl]

Citizens for professional wildlife management is advertising on CL too, They're paying a buck a signature plus bonus 3 times a week!