The 2007 season cow bird hunting season is now officially open.From this point any cow bird found on our property is in mortal danger. For many years, the hubster has shot as many of these parasitic birdies as he can, but every spring there are more. And every spring an expanding collection of spent shotgun shells lines up on our back porch shelf. The avian body count may exceed the number of empty shells because the hubster not infrequently hits two birds in one shot. One time, I do believe, he got a triple. Believe you me, it's a real challenge to avoid any collateral damage of shooting some nice birds or the feeder. Our shotgun lies in waiting on our kitchen table so it can be grabbed quickly any time a cowbird is spotted.
We have had only one complaint from a neighbor but there is no way a shot gun pellet could go that far as he claims it did. He's the nervous type, don't you know. When we fire our rifles, we only shoot at targets because a bullet can travel a lot farther. The sound of gun shots do make people nervous, more so after an event like the one at Virginia Tech this week; however country people use their guns for pest control among other things. And cowbirds are definitely pests. They lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and the larger cowbird hatchlings will push out the bonafide hatchlings. The result is an increase in the cowbird population and a decrease in songbirds. Other pests of the two legged variety can be discouraged from coming around as well.
In a few weeks, I will be going to a shooting clinic for women sponsored by the NRA. I hope to pick up some pointers which will improve my aim and my comfort in handling firearms. I have bird shot filled bullets in my .38 revolver. Maybe it's time to help the hubster in his species cleansing campaign. Wait...there's one now!
No comments:
Post a Comment