The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-01-22
Pigeon Shooting.

10 We EuttOT OF He ffeSS:
The article with the above caption by Mrs.
Cavazza in yesterdays PRESS, together
with the editorial comment in the same num-
Der, is so extremely misrepresenting of the
position Of the trap shooting fraternity that
1t seems to call for few words in reply,
more especially as it Is stated that a remon.
STRANGE to our petition is about to be circu-
lated for signatures.
The assertion is made that our only chance
for repeal of the law sis by smuggling it
through under misleading title, or in the
hurry of crowded session." and it must
seem to Mrs. Cavazza that we have wilfully
or ignorantly thrown away our ''only
chance" by introducing our petition under
an appropriate title In the opening days of
the session, allowing ample time for discuss
ion and remonstrance. This was not the
case with the original law, passed in 1888,
which was rushed through with such secrecy
and despatch that very few trap shooters
knew of the movement until it was COM
pleted. And what were the circumstances
under which the 5 2. G; A. was able to Sc.
cure such legislation? Net very creditable,
certainly. Is 1t not an open secret that
combine of clay pigeon and glass ball manu-
facturers furnished plenty of men aud means
to have such laws passed pretty generally,
about that time? With the purpose, of
course, OF compelling sportsmen to purchase
their inanimate targets or put away their
guns. The effect of that legislation was i'm
mediate, In the extinction of the score or SO
of prosperous shooting clubs in Maine, not
one of which has been revived. A few clubs
have organized, practiced at clay pigeons,
dwindled and died; an association Of the
kind which can point to record more than
six months old Is very much like white
blackbird in this state. uncommon to say the
least.
"Practice with clay birds or glass balls ia
equally training and a test Of marksman-
Ship" Every sportsman does, and all others
may, know how incorrect in this statemsnt.)
"And those who cannot be content without
killing or manning some harmless creature
are not of a character to be trusted with fire.
arms in community" All this and most
Of what follows in Mrs. Cayazza's article is
entirely familiar, the old stock arguments
and expressions of the inanimate target
manufacturer. What use could we make of
our guns II the dictum were to be accepted?
We couldn't shoot at duck or goose, hardly
at rat, but keep them only to use at clay
pigeons.
Mrs. Cavazza's pathetic description of an
Imaginary scene, which comes next In her
article is very touching and doubtless valda-
BILE from q literary standpoint, but the lady
has been sadly mlsinfOrmed and argues from
wrong premises. might at this point urge
that eplthet and invective are seldom con-
vinclng argument; in point of fact the trap
shooter is the best abused man to be found,
and his opponents of the Humane Society
are often at a loss for words to describe his
traits and character. However. that need
surprise nObody-"there Is no one so intoler-
ant as the apostle of liberation"
Now, what Is the particular inhumanity in
pigeon shooting, that the s. p. c. A. object
to so strongly? The pigeons are all used
for food, which may be said to be their des-
tiny In any case, and can it be urged that
we'll aimed charge of shot than In the more
vulgar fate of having its pretty little head
twisted off, or nearly so in the humane pro-
cess of wripging its neck? They are en-
phatically not allowed at pigeon shoots to
''fall and left to suffer and die slowly" with
all the agOnlzing accessories so feelingy de-
picted; on the contrary, they are recovered
as soon as the shooter can reach them with
out running, and if still alive and sin pain"
he assured they are instantly put out of
main. But 1t is, or used to be, alleged that
some victims escape, though wounded at the
trap. to suffer and die In the forest, ETC.,
which may all be set down as sentimental
bosh the percentage OF wounded pigeons
that escape at trap shoot Is so small as not
to be worth considering. Far better. on hui
name grounds, to restrict all shooting to trap
shooting, for. In field, bush or boat shooting,
the proportion of wounded fowl that Is lost
to the sportman Is at least ~ times greater
than at the traps
These statements, | fancy, no one who Is
conversant with the facts will dispute; and
hope the S. p. G. A. will agree that, since
pigeons must be killed before being eaten,
we may take our guns aud shoot them, IN
stead Of having them assassinated on their
roOsts. JAS. b. JONES.