The cruelty of pheasant shooting
06 January 2012

A former shooter and gun club chairman has described pheasant shooting as "a very cruel pastime". Speaking on RTE's Liveline on January 3rd, he outlined that "a high proportion of the birds are not killed" when shot and instead suffer agonising injuries.

"Yesterday, I came across a pheasant dragging its wings along the ground, unable to fly because somebody had shot it and not killed it," he said. "Two days previously, I came across a pheasant with its entrails dragging along the ground and obviously in agony because somebody had shot it and not killed it."

Telling listeners that he was a shooter for 40 years and a former chairman of a local gun club, he stated that "the pheasants pay an extraordinarily high price for our fun and so-called sport."

"Of course, it's not a sport," he added emphatically. "It's far from a sport. It's a pastime and a very cruel pastime."

He went on to express his amazement that some people try to glamorise shooting.

Quotes: pheasant shooting cruelty

"I worked as a Low Ground Beat Keeper, rearing up to 30,000 Pheasants a year & over the years, I've seen hundreds of injured Pheasants in the days following a shoot. In my opinion though, Pheasant Shooting is Not a sport, they are simply shot for? fun & sadly, the way many of those involved treat their dogs is just deplorable." (Comment via Youtube)

"Congratulations to your former shooter who has the courage to tell us the truth about this very cruel pastime. So often we hear a pack of lies from the shooting and hunting fraternity. It's not just the pheasants who get it but any wildlife that gamekeepers perceive as a threat." (Comment via Youtube)

 ACTION ALERT 

Help protect pheasants and other birds and animals. Make your land off-limits to hunters and shooters. Encourage all your landowner friends and family to make their land a haven for wildlife.

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