Live pigeon shoot criticized

[Dean Romig]

Aren't they cute.... including dogs and cats, thus ensuring the bill will pass. Anyone who votes against this bill, by definition, supports using dogs and cats as targets in trap or bx shoots..... What a deception - What a disgrace!!

[Steve Hodges]

These folks, the anti's, have a well thought out agenda and plenty of money. As generations become more an more separated from the reality of where there food comes from we will be facing this type of nonsense increasingly. As a hunting and shooting community we need not fight amongst ourselves over particular taking methods of game if legal. That only separates our strength as a voting block and allows the anti's room to move in. Right now there is a critical Bear hunting referendum on the ballot in the state of Maine that would outlaw bear baiting, hounding and trapping. Now I may not like the fact that bears are trapped, but the reality of it Is that is a long standing tradition in Maine and is well regulated. If this passes it will devastate the already fragile economy of Northern Maine. And it will have a negative effect on the efforts to re-build the struggling deer heard there. More bears will mean more predation of fawns in the spring by bears. Folks that have guided for generations will be flat out of business. And if you think for one minute that this is there end game, think again. Bolstered by a win there they will move on to each type of hunting one by one until we cannot hunt anymore. Please stay united on such issues. It is the only way we can win. If you can held this effort please take a minute and send them a donation. Even a small amount can help. JMHO.

http://savemainesbearhunt.com/

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

George and Destry,

Cease and desist from any form of, even an inference of a personal attack. Do not disparage another on the PGCA forums.

Attack the idea not the person.

I trust that from this point forward that all will try to conduct themselves as gentlemen.

Thank you in advance,
Mark

[Opening Day]

Originally Posted by Mark Ouellette

George and Destry,

Cease and desist from any form of, even an inference of a personal attack. Do not disparage another on the PGCA forums.

Attack the idea not the person.

I trust that from this point forward that all will try to conduct themselves as gentlemen.

Thank you in advance,
Mark

Guess I missed those posts.. Why not leave them and shut the thread...

[Sam Ogle]

Reading the newly passed legislation is so very upsetting: "Dogs, Cats & Fowl."
The "Antis" have won a real victory.
By throwing in Dogs & Cats; it SEEMS a reasonable bill. Gee Whiz.....
Sam Ogle

[Bill Murphy]

As I understand it, under the proposed regulations, a chukar is not a game bird in PA, so we can no longer shoot chukars in dog training or game farm shooting. I guess I didn't read it right.

[MarketHunter]

Just had email from the PA Flyers. They've gotten the bill killed. Apparently pigeon shooting is still legal.

[Brian H]

PA house does not bring bill up for vote:


Sportsmen planning to participate in pigeon shoots that are scheduled for the upcoming months can get their guns ready. The shoots will go on as planned now that the latest attempt to outlaw them in Pennsylvania has failed.

Legislation that would have explicitly banned this activity along with making it illegal to process, sell or serve dog and cat meat for human consumption died due to inaction by the House on Monday, the chamber's last voting day of the two-year legislative session.

House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, had no comment when asked why the bill, which passed the Senate last week by a 36-12 vote, wasn't voted.

However, Republican lawmakers said the legislation drew vociferous opposition in private caucus discussions from members who are advocates of gun rights. They, like sportsmen club members, saw the ban on pigeon shoots as a prelude to bans on other hunting and fishing activities.

"A lot more is at stake than what has been seen on the surface," said Lowell Graybill, president of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs. "We know very well the minute we let the Legislature take a proverbial inch, they'll take a whole yard."

But opponents like Steve Hindi, president of SHARK (SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness,) called that insane. He said other states, such as Oklahoma, have long since stopped pigeon shoots but are still regarded as big hunting states.

"That's like saying if you don't allow drunk driving, it's a slippery slope that'll lead to ending all driving," Hindi said.

Numerous attempts have been made over the years to outlaw pigeon shoots in the state. Graybill said after seeing how this latest effort arose as an amendment to a bill that had to do with eating cats and dogs, he's convinced "this is not the last time this will come up. The question is how long it will be until it comes up or surfaces again."

Rep. John Maher, R-Allegheny, introduced the original bill that dealt strictly with closing a loophole in food safety laws that allowed for the slaughter of cats and dogs for human consumption.

When the Senate added the pigeon shoot ban language, Maher remained supportive of the legislation. He said he considered it in keeping with the anti-animal cruelty theme of his bill.

Maher was disappointed at the prospect that his cats and dogs bill that he offered in response to requests from animal shelters and animal rescue organizations in Western Pennsylvania wasn't going to reach the governor's desk for enactment.

He said he thought Born Free USA's bringing a Jindo, a popular breed of dog that is killed for its meat in Asian cultures, to the Capitol on Monday helped drive home the need for his bill to pass. Maher wasn't immediately available for comment at the end of the session.

With the bill's demise, Graybill said pigeon shoots that are scheduled will go on as planned. However, he voiced some concern that the "radical fringe" that supported the legislation may try to disrupt those events.

Hindi was baffled by Graybill's concern. "They're concerned that peaceful people are going to disrupt the gun-toting inbreds? It shows you the paranoia and cowardice of these people."

[King Cobb]

Um Hindi is an idiot. Pigeon shoots still occur in Oklahoma and what is with the "gun-toting inbreds" remark.

Classey Hindi.

[MarketHunter]

Hindi is a lunatic, he's all about being famous and making big money from donations.

DLH