turkey shoot?
Pennsylvania club pleads no contest to using live turkeys as archery targets
Published: Friday, March 9, 2007 | 6:37 PM ET
Canadian Press
MANHEIM, Pa. (AP) - A sportsmen's club was fined US$400 on Friday for using dozens of live turkeys as targets in an archery contest.
Authorities said about 40 domestic turkeys were killed in the Elstonville Sportsmen's Association's Sept. 9 contest.
Participants paid $12 for three attempts to shoot at the birds, which were secured to straw bales at their feet but able to flap their wings. Archers who drew blood won the birds, authorities said.
"The club's conduct was egregious that day and they've now been held accountable," said prosecutor Christine Wilson.
Since the event, the club has adopted a rule forbidding the use of "any living entity" as a target, the club said in a statement.
The club pleaded no contest to eight summary violations involving the cruel treatment of animals and offering live animals as prizes in a contest. It was also ordered to pay court costs.
"Although we did not set out to cruelly mistreat the animals involved, nor did we intentionally violate the laws of the Commonwealth, we have chosen to plead 'no contest'...in order to put this matter behind us and focus on restoring our reputation as responsible citizens and sportsmen," the club said.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
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