Is it right pigeon shooting when they’re in poor condition?

At one point I told my farmer that I didn’t want to go pigeon shooting with them in that condition, but he insisted I kept at them, arguing they were pests and needed controlling.

I did what he demanded because I didn’t want to lose the pigeon shooting there, but hated every minute of it. I really do hope this coming winter isn’t as cold because I don’t want to end up in the same situation again.

If it is a bad one, how would you deal with such a problem?

PIGEON SHOOTING
Peter Theobald
Our first consideration has to be the farmer whose crops we are protecting, and on whose goodwill we depend for our, mainly free, shooting.

It is rare for weather to be so severe that pigeons begin to suffer unduly, they can usually move to a part of the country that is not so badly affected, and with oilseed rape universally available, again, it is unusual to shoot birds in poor condition.

However, there were several reports of weakened pigeons being found at the back end of last year, but this was due to disease, and not starvation.

I have seen no reports in the shooting press, as to the identity or extent of the mortality caused by this ailment.