Pigeon shooters say they cant be bought

$70,000 mystery offer leaves Hegins residents, backers irate

September 7, 1984

The Patriot-News (Harrisburg, PA)

By Bill Saviksky Jr.

Hegins – Supporters of the annual Labor Day pigeon shoot in Hegins can be assured there is no deal under way to cancel next year’s shoot in exchange for cash from animal-rights activists, spokesmen for shoot organizers and opponents said yesterday.

Many townspeople in this small Schuylkill County farming community, along with far-flung supporters of the controversial live bird shoot, have become irate over published reports that shoot organizers are considering negotiation with an anonymous donor pledging $70,000 to cancel the shoot, said organizer Christopher Tobash.

“It’s completely ridiculous, the idea that we’ve half-folded already. There is nothing of the sort going on,” Tobash said.

An offer was made Friday through a New Jersey attorney to cancel Monday’s shoot for that sum, but that deal is done said spokesmen for the shoot and a wealthy shoot opponent.

“There is no offer on the table. Our offer was refused over the weekend and it is now dead. There are no negotiations and absolutely nothing happening now,” said Gary C. Franconi, a Rutgers University law professor who represents the anonymous client who made the last-minute bid to halt this year’s shoot.

“There was no demand to stop the shoot next year, and that subject never even came up,: he said.

Franconi said his client now will wait to see whether the Pennsylvania courts of legislature will halt the shoot.

An appeal of a lawsuit filed by three state humane officers claiming the Hegins shoot violates state animal cruelty statutes is pending before state Superior Court. Also, the state legislature failed by just three votes to ban live-bird shoots in the commonwealth last March, and the issue is likely to be considered by lawmakers again, said Franconi.

Shoot organizers said they never took Franconi’s client’s offer very seriously, in part because it came too late to halt this years shoot and in part because of the amount offered.

Also, organizers had no proof the single telephone call involved in the offer from Franconi to organizers’ attorney James P. Diehl was anything more than a hoax, said Diehl.

“Personally, I thought it was a lot of bull. Anyway, it was too little, too late,” said Diehl.

Diehl said it would take a lot more than $70,000 for organizers to consider halting the 61-year-old annual tradition for even one year. And, he said, organizers might not halt the shoot for any price because of the “moral position” involved.

Still, both sides left the door open for future talks if the legal climate and the price are both right.

“If nothing happens in the courts or legislature, then perhaps we will be talking in advance of next year’s shoot. But as of now, we have nothing to talk about.” Said Franconi.

Diehl emphasized that the shoot raises about $50,000 annually for local charities, and any offer to halt the shoot would have to amount to an annuity equaling that yearly financial boost to the community.