Shooting blackbirds

[dewman]

Do any of you fellas shoot blackbirds/starlings or anything considered a pest? We've been inundated with them the last few days. I shot 44 today alone, will be glad when they're gone. I need to get back to the crappie bite.

[PigHunter]

A bluebird was the last pest bird I shot. Used a 410 on the little arsehole. He was in the habit of fighting his reflection in my 4x4's side mirrors and would attack his mirrored image in the breakfast nook window of the house. In the process, was flinging crap all over the glass. #8's from Pighuntress' single shot ended that

[Red Angus]

I usually do, but didn't this year because they weren't as prevalent as usual.

[99explorer]

I shoot starlings, but not bluebirds.
Bluebirds are not pests.
They are beautiful songbirds that eat a lot of insects that are bothersome to gardeners.
I do not shoot robins either.

[PigHunter]

I shoot starlings, but not bluebirds.
Bluebirds are not pests.
They are beautiful songbirds that eat a lot of insects that are bothersome to gardeners.
I do not shoot robins either.

Well then, what do you call it when a bluebird spends a year attacking his reflection? I call that a pest. I also took down the nesting box after the elimination. Issue solved.

[bowhunter75richard]

Well then, what do you call it when a bluebird spends a year attacking his reflection? I call that a pest. I also took down the nesting box after the elimination. Issue solved.

Damn PH, you are a real hardnose. Shooting Bluebirds ! Just because they made you mad, not a very sound reason to kill a protected species of nature ! If we all killed something that made us mad, this could end up as a very empty planet. I had the same problem with a Robin that was fighting it’s reflection in a bedroom window at the break of dawn. It can be annoying, but maybe not to the extent of termination ! Relax, get hold of your anger and just enjoy the little buggers !

[dewman]

My first thought was I agreed that whacking a bluebird was a bit harsh, even mean spirited. BUT. Rethinking this has led me to a couple of thoughts. First: PH is not randomly blasting bluebirds, only a single individual who was a legitimate annoyance and he did take further steps to insure the situation didn't arise again. Second: I myself don't shoot every snake, raccoon, possum, or cat/dog I come into contact with on my own property. Except for coyotes and armadillos I wait for them to make the first move. Thus I think PH showed reasonable restraint, especially compared to the yahoos who live around me.

[bowhunter75richard]

I think you are probably correct Dewman, my remark was more tongue-in-cheek than anything else, but that is not so easy to come across in type. I have the same problem with ‘chucks in my area. If they say away from my home and outbuildings, I leave them alone, but when not, then they are likely to come down with lead poisoning. My patience extends much further in some instances veruses other issues. Next time you have PH over for coffee, tell him I was only teasing him !

[99explorer]

BHR - Sorry to see you backing off in your dispute with PH.
You should know by now that he lives for "the thrill of the kill."
He brags about killing a raccoon with a kitchen knife. Macho man.
The North American Bluebird Society is dedicated to promoting the recovery of this beautiful bird.

[bowhunter75richard]

Yeah 99, I probably buckled on that rather easily. I was quite upset about the issue initially but softened a smidgen in my reply to Dewman. More regarding Dewman than PH, and I am sure I kind of sold myself down the river in that situation ! I myself have done some things in the past I was not proud of either, so.........

[dewman]

Yeah 99, I probably buckled on that rather easily. I was quite upset about the issue initially but softened a smidgen in my reply to Dewman. More regarding Dewman than PH, and I am sure I kind of sold myself down the river in that situation ! I myself have done some things in the past I was not proud of either, so.........

Exactly mi amigo. Casting the first stone type of thing. We all could look in the mirror a little more often. Some of the things I'm reading on the F&S section are sliding out of control. Just my 2 cents.

[99explorer]

PH also announced his preference for finishing off a wounded pig with a knife to the heart instead of a gunshot.
Killing them with a knife will result in a screaming pig for one - two minutes. They scream loudly and horribly. A heart stab is not humane, but is incredibly painful, and it can take up to two minutes for them to lose consciousness.

[bowhunter75richard]

Exactly mi amigo. Casting the first stone type of thing. We all could look in the mirror a little more often. Some of the things I'm reading on the F&S section are sliding out of control. Just my 2 cents.

I have seen natural disagreements on F&S Dewman, but I don’t know that I would call them out of control. I am sure we will never see 100% agreement on any issue presented, so I can not say that I totally agree with the ‘out of control’ statement either. I won’t ask for examples, but if you wish to offer, I will not ‘not read’ them !

[dewman]

I've got 4 recent instances of name calling and outright insults from F&S written down here already BH but I can't reprint them here without starting something so this will be my last comment here on the issue.

[PigHunter]

Dewman, thanks for the support.