...guns are being fired in our community killing some of the creatures we admire and enjoy.

We deserve consideration from those that should be giving it to us.

I have read posts extolling the 'sport' and telling how enoyable it is. Not one single birdshooter showing any understanding of the anxiety and disgust their fun causes.

So, Aunt B, you are on the scene. Organize! Petition for the slaughter to end!

BLUE GOLD is an excellent documentary about how the multi-national corporations are privatizing the world's water supply.
Bechtel privatized Bolilvia's water supply, and the people could not afford to buy their water back. The people revolted, staging protest after protest, big protests, till the government, in cahoots with Bechtel, finally gave in to the peasants and returned THEIR water back to them.

BLUE GOLD is an inspiring movie on many levels. The way to effect change is by organizing numbers of people.

If the peasants of Bolivia could do battle with Bechtel, a major corporation, and their own government, the people of TB should be able to kick out the hunters who are slaughtering beautiful creatures and endangering humans in the bargain. Petition! Protest! Make up signs, and gather LOTS of people to hold those signs while the hunt is on.

I know bird hunting is legal. I know the birders make good contributions to a lot of people at Christmastime. I know this is a bad season for rentals so people take what they can get. Because bird hunting is legal what the birders give back could not technically be called a bribe. It still feels that way to me. We look the other way when they are shooting close to homes and close to people. We look the other way when they exceed their legal catch. If one person gets shot by accident, how many water drums is that person's life worth.

Bowl said:
"Leave the Bird Shooters alone, let them have their very expensive fun. They come to Treasure Beach and they rent lots of villas for six weeks, they hire some 30 to 40 youngsters to pickup the birds. They pay them very good, they spend a lot of money in the area. They suply the youngsters with waterboots t-shirts, feed them well at bird bush, at Christmas and Easter they load up bags and bags of goodies and distribute to the families of these youngsters.
They gave a nice cheque to the Sports Park, they gave 12 water tanks (black drums) to 12 most needy family in Bluntas and Lewis Town, and I could say more. These youngsters would be very upset if they hear anyone say something negative about these people. Some of the boys are hired from as far back as June to bait up fields (feeding ground) of the birds."

Coppa said:
“I have lived in TB for years and though this hunting is said to be "controlled", the poachers involved are killing more than the law allows for. I have been on these trips with "the rich men" from Kingston where they paid me to retrieve their birds. They do indeed fear the law as they were hiding the excess birds they killed, and were sending people back to the villa early with some of the birds so it would not appear to be as much. As for Spooky's comment about his grandfather, there were not as vigourous forms of hunting as we have today 100yrs ago. Also, there are ALOT more hunters in current times. The problem is not the hunting, it is the way in which it is NOT be regulated, and punishments not being handed out.”

Think about it said:
“I know bird hunting is legal. I know the birders make good contributions to a lot of people at Christmastime. I know this is a bad season for rentals so people take what they can get. Because bird hunting is legal what the birders give back could not technically be called a bribe. It still feels that way to me. We look the other way when they are shooting close to homes and close to people. We look the other way when they exceed their legal catch. If one person gets shot by accident, how many water drums is that person's life worth.”

I am saying:
Some people are complaining about the noise. Some are saying hunting offends them. There will always be people who complain about anything. No one is saying it is illegal.
The arguments that make the most sense to me are those that directly affect our residents. These are:
Even though the youngsters hired get good compensation, they are also being paid to lie. What lesson does this teach them?
There appear to be no laws for not shooting dangerous weapons near homes and innocent people, including children. We have been lucky that no innocent bystanders have been accidently shot or killed. Our luck will not hold forever.

Really, about how much contributtion they bring to the community, I think is only when they hired people to collect the birds they kill and to take care of them, cooking and cleaning..other than that, I do not think they come in.

born and grow up in treasure groundove and pedove are always caught in sweeps hundreds of them per day if you think about all the young boys that were setting sweeps.the teals and duck were shot in great pond by those who have guns. I realise at this point that most of the negative comments about any projests that are posted on the web site are from those of us that are not living in Jamaica any more. We are in foreign country making a living for our self and the truth is some of us are selfish and dont even give back to our family friends and community. What I really want to say "leave the people of TB alone they need to survive" It would be nice if we dont think ourself above them and say hello when we visit. That is what we need to work on.

Space debris could fall on us at anytime, or waterspout could land a fish on your head or a car could hit you down! Geez cant anyone have a little enjoyment! People are suffering, no jobs, no income, do you want them to go hungry while birds fly free? Ask the hunters to keep a reasonable distance, but don't try to kill what for many is a welcome break. I swear if someone decided to take up rat hunting there would be people finding reasons to stop it.

Count your blessings that in TB they are shooting birds, here in MoBay they are shooting people.

Thank you Friend Of TB and Spooky Dude (though I don't believe it's really His Dudeness himself). Also Bob. I personally used to set sweep myself and caught a few of those nice fryers myself. I remember Maas Magnus and others coming down with their rifles and bagging teals and ducks. Good ole days dem. Everybaddy lived nice and happy and no one complained. Now everybaddy a halla and bawl because a few people having a likkle fun and partaking of Nature's bounty. I think we have more important things to worry about like criminals and politicians.

That is all people want, for THEM TO KEEP DISTANCE from our HOMES...PLEASE, have consideration. If it was your home they were intruting, you will have the same feelings.

That's the point Distance. Consideration while enjoying their multiple discharges and rare flesh.