I was at a loss of words after reading a recent press release from the Colorado Division of Wildlife about the opening of dove hunting season in the state.
The release almost reads like a parody except they are completely serious.
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The release states, “After months of anticipation, eager wing shooters will take to the field Tuesday, Sept. 1 when Colorado’s dove season opens statewide.”
“months of anticipation”
Really?
Are Coloradoans so lacking in creativity and entertainment options that they wait for months with bated breath for the opportunity to blast small, meek, defenseless birds out of the sky?
Apparently so.
According to the release, “Approximately 14,000 hunters participate in dove season annually, making this one of Colorado’s most popular small game hunts. In 2008, hunters harvested over 230,000 doves statewide.”
Gotta love the term “harvested” as if they were out there picking corn. If they are not the least bit ashamed of what they are doing why not be honest and say “blasted,” “slaughtered,” or “killed.”
The absurdity doesn’t stop there. As if all the modern hunting equipment and camouflage didn’t already stack the deck enough against the doves, the release laments that this year “doves may be very widespread and less concentrated at traditional feeding sites.” So, “Hunters may have to work a bit harder to find areas holding large numbers of birds.”
You heard it right, the hunters might actually have to “work” to find ample concentrated flocks of birds to shoot at.
What the release doesn’t say is that doves do not represent a significant or even desirable food source for humans and, as such, are hunted primarily or solely for the apparent pleasure of killing.
Or that in states where dove hunting is allowed, hunters fail to retrieve approximately 30% of the doves shot.
Doves are a favorite among resident birdwatchers, viewed as gentle backyard birds and as symbols of peace and fidelity. Doves do not cause nuisance problems or damage agricultural crops or livestock. In fact they actually assist farmers by eating weed seeds.
And what thanks do they get?
I say it again, “What the heck is wrong with some people?”
Blogging off,
Monica