I wish I could post this anonymously, because I don't want to take a side, but I can't post without giving up my identity. When we examine these wonderful birds in Audubon or under a glass after we kill them, they are beautiful and obviously a gift from God beyond compare. However, some day, as we do, they die. How they die is not pleasant, regardless of how it happens. In nature, these wonderful birds die horrible deaths, as they do at flyer shoots. It's the same at slaughter facilities or anywhere else. Almost any form of death is probably preferred by the pigeon to poison in an urban atmosphere, where many flyer shoot victims would die if they had not been trapped. I will continue to attend the occasional flyer shoot when I feel I can perform well.
I can see where my posting the Henry Beston quote could lead to a misunderstanding. I have no objection to pigeon shooting. My post was in reply to Stan's post, specifically the part about animals having no emotions. I respectfully disagree.
I can understand Eightbore's reluctance to take a side. If you do, it can really draw some intemperate responses on this site. The theory of Narcissism of Small Differences may explain why.
