Dear Editor,

I am not against bird shooting. I participate in this sport whenever I get a chance to do so. My history in the bird shooting business is this. I was once a bird boy — the name for one who picks up the birds. Even if you are 50 years old you are still called a bird boy.

A bird boy has great responsibility to his client — the shooter. He sits in the stand (clearing in the woods) and watches for the birds as they fly over towards the stand. He and the shooter cannot fidget and must remain inconspicuous as the birds will react to the movements. The bird boy will shout, “Mark on the right, Sah”, “Mark on the left, Missa John”, “Mark overhead” — all depending on the direction from which the birds are coming.

For levity, just imagine a bird boy — an old friend — who stutters uttering the words above. When the bird is shot, the bird boy will pick it up. At the end of the shoot he would pick and pluck the birds. He would leave the heads on for species identification in case NEPA comes.

Sometimes a shooter can’t shoot, and only wings the bird. Some want you to look for a bird they think they shot and will get agitated. I remember following the trail of blood from a White Wing for about a mile in the bushes and found it under a tree.

My favourite shooter was Mr Alexander; he was a great human being and the best shooter. He was in his late 60s at the time. When Mr Alexander fired his gun, the bird would just spin in the air and drop right in the stand. There was no need to be trailing, going deep into the woods for a wounded bird. He would not shoot more than his bag. In two hours, if he didn’t see any birds, he would say, “Pack up, son, let’s go,” and paid me $2.

In those days, we “little boys” were paid 50 cents to $1 per shoot. Some shooters were quite generous and treated us with respect. Our school supplies were realised with change in our pockets. We also had some very rich cheapskates from Kingston who paraded themselves as “cultured”.

On another note, we are yet to hear from NEPA how they collect data on birds. For what it is worth, NEPA should organise bird shooting jaunts to foreign countries. Our birds can use the break.

Authnel Reid

authnelreid@optonline.net