TRAP PIGEON SHOOTING AS A SPORT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20501, 31 August 1928, Page 3

TRAP PIGEON SHOOTING AS A SPORT.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —You recently published a letter strongly condemning the action of the Dunedin Gun Club for reviving the live pigeon shooting matches which had been abandoned by the club’s last years committee. 1 trust the new committee has seen the propriety of reversing its decision, but, in case jt has not, I hope you can find space for the following outspoken condemnation of the pitiful spectacle to be witnessed at these matches, when so-called “ sportsmen so disregard the finer feelings with which most men are endowed. The extract is from the Sydney Bulletin of a recent date. “ Full Choke Last week saw Melbourne plunge into an orgy of coldblooded butchery camouflaged under the name of pigeon-shooting. Eight thousai d unfortunate birds had been collected tor the world’s bird-slaying championship and other events of the kind, and this was gloatingly chronicled together with the fact that there is £BOOO for distribution among the 200 professional gun; wielders competing. In many parts or the world live pigeon shooting has been banned by law. Westralia, alone among the States of the Commonwealth, has nad the decency to follow this example. The game is not the slightest, use as a training for game shooting, since the professional trapman is a trick shot, firing at known distances, and is usually at sea when up against such flying game as wild ducks in the open. As for the betting aspect of pigeon shooting, the ponies are an open spin and the tin hare a perfect lady hy comparison, neither of them affording anything like the opportunities for working ramps as betting “on the bird ” or “ the barrel.” It is high time that pigeon murdering from traps joined the cock and dog fighting on the index exmirgatorious of undesirable “ sports. —I am, etc., . True Sport.