Michigan

Songbird Protection Coalition

President Bush Breaks Law in Flyby Shooting

The mourning dove shares habitat with most species of songbirds, gamebirds, and raptors.  Many avian species (including protected, threatened, and endangered) are often mistakenly shot by mourning dove hunters who target birds on the wing...and the misidentification of fast erratic flyers is an unfortunate fact that has happened to both experienced and inexperienced hunters alike...it can even happen when hunters bring with them an entourage of professional people and a game warden hunting guide.

Hockley TX--September 2, 1994 Republican George W. Bush and Governor Ann Richards in an annual Texas ritual went dove hunting on the first day of the season with the press in tow.

Unfortunately, the GOP hopeful found out that one of the seven shots he fired off had hit and killed a federally protected killdeer.  Recognizing he'd bagged the "wrong" bird, Bush admitted his mistake to the game warden and announced his desire to pay the fine.

"I thought it was a dove," Bush said, "I made a mistake and I'm going to pay for it."  GW was fined $130 for shooting the bird with a 20-gauge shotgun during an hour long dove hunt in a field northwest of Houston.

Richards, neither bagged a bird nor was fined.

Source, including but not limited to: AP, Houston Chronicle, NBC, Media Watch.