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PIGEON SHOOTING
Some charitable souls have been disturbed by the massacre of pigeons in social shooting competitions. Sportsmen are accused of killing, in these competitions, carrier pigeons even wearing their identity or competition rings, which are then captured and then sold to shooting suppliers.
In social centers, several thousand pigeons are reportedly slaughtered each year, and many more are undoubtedly injured, which will perish far away in the countryside.
In some centers on the Côte d'Azur, the English have apparently imposed the replacement of live pigeons with dummy pigeons, the famous "clay-beard" pigeons, launched by trap-ball.
Fans of this exciting sport also counter that, in serious shooting, only Spanish wild pigeons, the famous zuritos, or English rock pigeons are allowed. Therefore, no domestic pigeons are slaughtered. They also add that pigeon shooting is a good training ground for aircraft gunners. Finally, a serious administration ensures that any wounded pigeon is immediately collected and killed.
It is true that some English people threatened to boycott Mediterranean resorts that used live pigeons.
But the French organizers retaliated by asking the islanders to first stop their coursing, where so many innocent hares are torn to pieces. And their hunts with hounds...
It is very difficult to reconcile human sensitivity, the taste for pleasure, and the interest of sport...
Faidherbe.
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