My First Birding Moment

by Fred
(Ohio)

I was 8 years old when I got my first BB gun. I loaded it and went outside and spotted a bird high up in a tree. I aimed and fired a direct hit and the bird fell on the ground near me. I was so excited, I had shot and killed a bird way up in a tree on my very first shot - hoorah! I was excited and ran and picked up that bird and examined my prize. I discovered that I had shot him between the eyes and it was a very small sparrow like bird.I had an epiphany right there and then. I was stunned and started to CRY. I had shot such a tiny little cute bird and he did not look like I thought he would look like. He was cute and tiny and very dead.From that day forth I did not shoot any live animals. I did not care for that sort of thing I had discovered. I did go hunting with my father and brother but I would cry when they killed the rabbit or pheasant. I was not a hunter. I had discovered i love wild animals and care for them all from that first BB gun shot.

It was like this bird but probably a sparrow since back in the 50s it seems like sparrows,doves and pigeons and the Bobwhite is all us boys noticed.

I became a cop and still enjoy HELPING not harming.

I like shooting but at inanimate targets.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Comment
I'm sure you were a very good cop.
Thanks for sharing your story. I see in the photo you have a number of feeders. Susan