Canned Pigeon Shoots-Hunting/Not Hunting

[theo]

Full Disclosure: My Dad owns a property (family owned since 1920's) adjacent to a gun club that shoots live pigeons. The Gun Club was formed in January 1877. December 1887, a member was found guilty by the Commonwealth of PA for Cruelty to Animals. The club was supposed to stop, but because of its remote location, kept shooting live pigeons.

The club was issued a Cease and Desist order in 2002 and agreed to stop shooting live Pigeons and would just shoot clay pigeons.

They started to shoot live pigeons again the beginning of this year. They President was cited for DC and the charges were thrown out because he made an agreement to stop shooting live pigeons, and go back to clay pigeons. This month they started shooting again and went back to live pigeons (they don't shoot in the summertime because they try to hide their pigeon shoots).

As I do some hunting, I do not think canned pigeon shoots are much of a sport. The pigeons are let out of boxes and a lot of them don't fly. If they don't fly, a kid throws a ball to get them off the ground, as they cannot shoot them on the ground. There are a lot of dead and wounded pigeons on my Dads property.

Just wanted your input as to if you think live pigeon shoots are considered hunting/sport.

[HiredGoon]

Full Disclosure: My Dad owns a property (family owned since 1920's) adjacent to a gun club that shoots live pigeons. The Gun Club was formed in January 1887. The following December, a member was found guilty by the Commonwealth of PA for Cruelty to Animals.

Did you mean to write 1987 there? or 1997?

I voted NOT HUNTING in the poll.

[theo]

Did you mean to write 1987 there? or 1997?

No, 1877 is correct.

http://www.pgc1877.org/

[LorDiego01]

while FAR from an animal activist, I think that canned pigeon shooting is the lowest form of the firearm sport.

I'd go as far as saying I would socially ostracize those who engage in this activity.

If you want to stop dead pigeons on your property, talk to the club owners/president, and when they ignore you; get yourself a video camera and get some footage.

Then figure out how far you want to take this.

[DonSmithnotTMD]

Nope not hunting. Around here they used to donate the pigeons to soup kitchens, etc.

[max384]

I voted that it is not sporting/hunting. It's like going deer hunting at a petting zoo.

Your dad should video tape what he can, as Lordiego said, and take that to the police. They have received enough warnings and obviously have no plans to stop.

I am far from an animal activist too, but that gives all hunters a bad name.

[87th PVI]

Hunting is when you go out & find the prey in their natural habitat. Canned live pidgeon shoots are not hunting. Sport, maybe in a stretch of the term, but even then...Wouldn't clays be cheaper?
Sounds like this is just for people who want to kill something. They'd be better off volunteering to help farmers with varmit problems rather than engage in this "sport"

[Dredly]

no its not sport.

[theo]

while FAR from an animal activist, I think that canned pigeon shooting is the lowest form of the firearm sport.

I'd go as far as saying I would socially ostracize those who engage in this activity.

If you want to stop dead pigeons on your property, talk to the club owners/president, and when they ignore you; get yourself a video camera and get some footage.

Then figure out how far you want to take this.

Thanks for all the replies.

The President says they will keep shooting.

We have video and have some footage.

The Police did not want to get involved last time. They referred it tio the Public Safety Director, and of course he was not available.

My Dad just has to figure how far he wants to take it.

[knight0334]

I think canned pigeon shoots like that is a "shooting sport", it isn't hunting. Meanwhile, I believe the act of harvesting game, also known as "hunting", isn't a sport - that its an outdoor activity.

With the pigeons being personal property(livestock), no law should be put in place to stop the sport shooting of the birds.

But that's my opinion on the subjects. One should not confuse a shooting sport with hunting, like the anti's want you to do. Its like the pro-wrestling thing, its not considered a sport, but rather "sports entertainment"..