The start of the hunting season

Ive not taken the dogs out today (due to pulling my back) but they've a large garden to play in so its not so bad,
But as i slowly walked around the garden i heard this sort of squeaking sound coming from under the old farm trailer, It was 5 little baby pheasants all hiding and all scared to death.

It's the start of the hunting season here in france and these little birds ran for cover,

Its about the only side of living here in the country i dont like "the hunting"

Many times we have these so called hunting dogs at our gates late at night "lost" and hungry,

You can always tell these dogs because of the bell around the neck and the fact they get lost due to being tied up most of their lives.

The Bell idea is to scare the young birds out of the long grass and the wooded area's so they can be shot,

The trouble is a shot guns killing range is only about 45 yards after that sort of range the shot spreads and wounds rather than kills the birds and so long after the so called hunters have gone these birds suffer in pain before they die of their wounds or lack of water & food And being blinded by shot.

Ive found many badly wounded birds while out walking the dogs the day after these hunters have long gone and ive offten been shutting up the greenhouse and heard these birds in the trees & bush in pain.

Being an animal lover (more so than some people ive met in life) I cant help but dislike such past times as hunting for hunting sake,

Having been a weapons instructor for many years in HM ARMY i cant understand in this day and age how or why people want to kill,

If these gun totting people really want to learn the skill of shooting then why not go to the shooting clubs and learn and show their skills it hitting the target from a 1/4 of a mile away "time & time again"

And im talking about moving targets not just clay shooting but single shot rifles who's rounds dont spread out,
A hit shows as a hole in the target not a pepper spread.

These 5 little birds are safe for today at least, "Tomorrow?" who know's.