USA Live Pigeon Shooting

[Foxyboy43]

Well, not really “Available”.
The sainted Lady FB surprised me this a.m. by producing this souvenir of a trip to Pennsylvania a few years ago. It reminded me of a visit to a Farm Supplies shop in the depths of darkest Pa where I spotted a sign on the community notice board asking for live pigeons. My american pal winked at me and straight-faced asked the store owner why they would want such a thing. Of course he was a bit taken aback at such a direct question from a stranger and muttered something about some locals liked to keep them darn barn pigeons….
Turns out live pigeon or “Trap” shooting was a very big thing in that part of the world but of course in these more informed times no-one would possibly do such a thing. Honest…..

 

[Button]

There is videos on YT were the protesters get rather heated at shots in PA, which I believe is one of the few states where it still takes place
My wife bought me Cyril Adam's book on Live Pigeon Shooting, great read!

 

[maxtheflyinghorse]

I’m in PA and I need to find this out now

 

[Foxyboy43]

Easypeasy!

 

[webley701]

It’s mostly a Latin American based sport now.

There used to be pigeon rings at Monaco until Grace Kelly put her foot down (they were changed to Helice/ZZ). I’m not sure if the Somontes Club near Madrid still has a working ring - one of my former pigeon guns (an AYA sidelock O/U with two sets of barrels) was originally owned by US diplomat who used it on pigeons at Somontes in the 1970’s. The Bois de Boulogne in Paris retains the site but not the sport sadly.

Below is a photo of my own pigeon gun with some cartridges I had Eley print to commemorate Don Whittaker who was one of the leading Live Pigeon shooters in the 1960’s

 

[Smellydog]

Some of the guns from the muzzleloader period were quite large gauge. But not always.
Interesting sport.

 

[Zio65]

Campionato del mondo in Rome
Coppa del Re Vittorio Emanuele

 

[Zio65]

Una volta , ormai qui da noi è storia , vietato dal 1970 mentre in Spagna è ancora in uso
Sport dei nobili e facoltosi, i poveri stavano fuori le reti a raccogliere quelli feriti che allungavano

 

[webley701]

Some of the guns from the muzzleloader period were quite large gauge. But not always.
Interesting sport.

They shot relatively light charges for the bore size though.

 

[webley701]

Here’s a couple of images of my copy of the programme for the 1st World Championships in 1930, for both Live Pigeon & Clay Pigeon.

 

[webley701]

Here’s the great Don Whittaker shooting Bois de Boulogne.










Also at the Bois de Boulogne is Carola Mandel.
Not a training shoe in sight - wonderful.

 

[Zio65]

La storia – Circolo Antico Tiro a Volo

www.anticotiroavolo.com

Il Circolo – Circolo Antico Tiro a Volo

www.anticotiroavolo.com

La seconda foto postata da @webley701 è dove lavoro, ora è una club house e un circolo sportivo perché negli anni hanno costruito molti edifici intorno e il rumore dei fucili era fastidioso

 

[Button]

It’s mostly a Latin American based sport now.

There used to be pigeon rings at Monaco until Grace Kelly put her foot down (they were changed to Helice/ZZ). I’m not sure if the Somontes Club near Madrid still has a working ring - one of my former pigeon guns (an AYA sidelock O/U with two sets of barrels) was originally owned by US diplomat who used it on pigeons at Somontes in the 1970’s. The Bois de Boulogne in Paris retains the site but not the sport sadly.

Below is a photo of my own pigeon gun with some cartridges I had Eley print to commemorate Don Whittaker who was one of the leading Live Pigeon shooters in the 1960’s

View attachment 379150

That is lovely, can you give some more details/spec please

 

[Foxyboy43]

That is lovely, can you give some more details/spec please

A bit more on my Fred Coleman Memorial tee shirt…
“For more than half a century, a public pigeon shoot was held every Labor Day in Hegins, Pennsylvania. Held annually from 1934 to 1998, this live pigeon shoot, known as the Fred Coleman Memorial shoot, once drew around 10,000 people. It was finally called off in 1999 following years of protests by animal rights activists and a legal battle that ultimately went all the way to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.[1]”.

And…. Live pigeon shooting was included in the 1900 Olympics (and no - I didn’t shoot there) and was once very popular in Monaco, to the extent that a special stock was designed for it - enter the “Monte Carlo” comb!
You are welcome…

 

[User00056]

Shooting at live pigeons for sport??

How barbaric, how backward, how cr......

Oh....wait