Gun club event leads to misunderstanding

IRWIN, Pa. (AP) -- An animal rights group came out with both barrels blazing against a planned pigeon shoot, but the president of a Westmoreland County gun club said it was all a misunderstanding.
Mike Patronio, president of the White Oak Rod and Gun Club, said he received 27 phone calls to his home over the last two days about the event.
"You hear about a bird shoot and a majority of shooters know we're talking about clay 'birds,'" Patronio said.
Members of the Fund for Animals were on hand to record any live pigeon shoot Sunday with video cameras. No such event was planned, Patronio said.
Pigeon shoots do occur, however, and are not illegal in Pennsylvania.
Two years ago, protests by the Fund for Animals helped to stop the Hegins pigeon shoot in Schuylkill County, which had been held every year since 1934.