Karen and others,
In my humble view Michael Leunig is as woolly-minded as they come (I still
have a very sad recollection of his sulky/cruel reaction to my comment on
his comment after my sole crossword puzzle win in 'Nation Review' - I think
that's where it was - obviously many many many years ago; though I did
treasure the el cheapo prize pen for years!) .
But every word you say about duck hunting is spot on!
Yes, I'm an occasional carnivore and I'd eat duck. This very rarely as it
happens - and last in Beijing itself about 10 years ago. Not to mention
that I even ate forced i.e. stuffed Swan yonks ago at a Cambridge May Ball.
And I recall many reports of early settlers in Oz collecting many native
species for the pot - e.g. swans when Henry Hacking returned from the Huon
in Tasmania on Xmas Eve 1806 with "100 swans which were delivered to the
prisoners" (and if you've been to the Adelaide saltfields recently you'll
know that wouldn't have made the slightest dent in numbers - sorry!).
These days one might perhaps hope that only farmed poultry (native or
imported) would be used.
Shooting ducks today in the bush (usually with little or no chance of
identifying the species) as some sort of 'sport' is something altogether
else. Though one does understand why the duck-shooters wish to go into such
lovely regions.
One does wonder how many birders, with binos, could identify the targeted
species in the time it takes to load and fire .. So what hope do the
shooters have ....
It would be good if birders and shooters could get together and talk it all
through.
JAP
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