Posted on 10/21/2016 7:08:55 AM PDT by Daffynition
A pigeon racing enthusiast avoided jail Wednesday, but was fined $5,500 and ordered to volunteer in an animal shelter for killing federally protected hawks that were attacking pet birds he spent years raising in Stamford.
The case against pigeon racer Thomas Kapusta was the first major prosecution in Connecticut under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Neither side got everything it wanted from the sentence that was imposed after debate about whether the lives of some creatures have more value than those of others.
(Excerpt) Read more at courant.com ...
I understand. I also understand that the guy is raising birds that are considered a food source for birds of prey. It sounds like he did not have a mew (or at least if he did it was very small) so his pigeons could take flight in an enclosed space during periods where there are large numbers of hawks in the area (e.g. during migration). Maybe he could not due to where he lived. Mews that are built for rehabbing birds of prey have to be pretty large.
I know people that got several chickens and used regular chicken wire. They became very attached to them. I cautioned them that a Great-horned Owl would tear that type of wire apart with no effort in trying to get to the chickens. They lost several until they used welded wire panels, which stopped the problem. But they were pretty sad they lost the chickens they did, because as you said, people do get attached to them.
Maybe, but my understanding is that the whole point of owning pigeons (and I'd never want to own any) is to let them fly around (and let them crap all over everything in the vicinity).
You should be able to kill whatever you want on your own property, even more so if it poses a threat to you, your family, pets or livestock. How can anyone call themselves a conservative and support the Federal government intervening in something like this? What specifically enumerated Constitutional power gives them the authority to tell you can’t kill a predatory pest on your own property that is destroying your property and causing real unrecoverable losses? I’m shocked that some folks here are siding with the Fed.
Too bad he didn’t set up a wind-farm, probably could have gotten an exemption to whack any number of raptors..... Wonder if a private individual would be prosecuted if his windmill was found to be killing birds?
My *pigeons* are mourning doves; I dearly love them. They are so sweet, with their bobbing heads as they waddle around the seed I put out.
When I lived in Boston, part of my walk was down Commonwealth, a tree-lined esplanade with park benches. Often, I would observe a very distinguished looking elderly gentlemen, Brooks Brothers garbed, carrying a large black valise.
One would suspect he was an attorney, on this way to the office; he would sit down on a bench, open his valise, and pigeons from blocks away would flock to him ... It was almost like St. Marks Square. The valise was filled to the brim with popcorn. Pandemonium.
I hoped I wouldn't get *plopped* on. I learned to hate pigeons.
But pets, I do draw a distinction. During the World Wars, homing pigeons had their place.
I have sharp-skinned hawks and and peregrine falcons, pick off my *chillins*. It’s sad, b/c the doves mate for life. But that’s nature.
I’ve often seen it happen on the ground, not airborne.
Neck is snapped instantly. Done. Lift-off.
It got to be more trouble than it was worth.
Don't get me started about wind turbines :(
CRIKEY! That'll wake the neighbors. LOL
You'll need a bigger pigeon to make it worthwhile
You don't need to kill all the foxes.
You only need to kill one fox while one of the other foxes is watching.
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