Blue Jays -this report I mentioned was from a SSAA photographer in the 1960s and I agree it is inexplicable... but I fear possible. It was on a bird-hunt with beaters in VIC and he was getting some publicity shots for the Game Farm, who was holding the invited shoot. I supposed that someone had got their cartridges mixed up! These were BRITISH size BBs of course.
A bit like a certain american servics USAF gentleman we had shooting woodies(pigeons) in Suffolk in 1960s. We set the decoys and hide and 'left him to it' in a wheat field as he was an expert shot with a 12 bore.
We heard a LOT of shooting and came back 3 hrs later, to pick up his(many expected as he was a Sabre pilot and excetent shot) shot birds, (breasts of which make and excellent pie!)but only found 3...but they were in a real mess, with their insides literally blown out.The pilot retired to the big (manor)house swearing he "should have got 50" and couldn't understand his inaccurate shooting!
We were mystified too ...until the packets and empties were picked up behind him.
On each brown cardboard cartrige was printed "D>D - Lethal Ball" !! (war-time use by home guard - anti personnel) Someone must have sold him them!
So he did quite well after all really.
Any volunteers (Blue Jay?) for a quiet english country-lane walk 600yards away?
Not me
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A thought from 'Big Bunny'...."The sword does not kill, it is a tool in the hands of the killer".... Seneca 'the younger' (circa AD 35)