The shooting and trapping of passenger pigeons really had very little to do with their demise. They were the most numerous bird in North America and possibly the world. A study was done several years ago, wish I'd have kept a copy. The results were that there hadn't been enough lead shot manufactured in the US up to that time to have killed all the birds. The reason they became extinct was because they couldn't adapt to the cutting of the huge tracks of hardwood timber in the Eastern and Midwestern parts of the country. They nested and fed in flocks of millions, once the stands of trees that could support that activity were gone so were the wild pigeons. I'm not saying shooting and trapping didn't play a part, but even if that hadn't have been done there still wouldn't be any passenger pigeons today.
Destry
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I was as virtuously given as a gentleman need to be; virtuous enough; swore little; diced not above seven times a week; went to a bawdy-house once in a quarter--of an hour; paid money that I borrowed, three of four times; lived well and in good compass: and now I live out of all order, out of all compass. Falstaff - Henry IV
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