To not want DH to shoot birds in Yorkshire?

[g1itterati]

AIBU or a bit "precious" please? I'm quite wound up about this since Saturday.

I'm a rep at The DC's school with 2 other mums. One of them is quite a "character" - e.g. she turns up to school runs in green wellies, tweeds and a Barbour jacket as if she's on a farm in god knows where, when in actual fact we're in Central London. She talks loudly that she has to dash as she's late for "the shoot" - though I never quite brought myself to enquire where and what she will be shooting.

When we held a coffee morning at her house, she was about to get her "guns" out (yes, actual guns from a gun cupboard) but fortunately most people had to make a quick exit because of the parking metres. She is from Yorkshire and makes no bones about the fact that she wants to move back up there asap, leave her DH working in London for a few more years and put the DC in a boarding prep. Anyway, each to their own. She is very friendly and actually quite funny.

They asked DH and I over for lunch this weekend. I had told her I was vegetarian to which she said, "Why?" I said I was fine to just have veg and sides, so that was that. Anyway, when we got there, she was making a big thing about how she orders whole dead pheasants from Yorkshire and plucks them herself! Apparently she has then hanging in the "pantry!" Then, after lunch, talk turned to shooting and they proceeded to get out what can only be described as a whole arsenal of guns and then talked us through what they have shot with them!

My AIBU is - her DH has now asked my DH to invest in something or other and he has invited him on a two-day shoot of birds in Yorkshire in Jan! DH has accepted this.

This morning I thanked her when I saw her briefly and she said (laughing) "Your DH is a dark horse, how did you two get together?!" Basically, she is alluding to the fact he was once trained and has used guns professionally and I'm anti- the whole thing.

AIBU to ask DH not to go because I am totally anti- fox-hunting and what is the point of shooting birds for no reason as a sport? Personally, I think it should be made illegal. Or should I just accept that some people are different to me and let it go?

Harshbuttrue beat me to it. Have you seen footage from the abbatoirs? It makes for very sobering viewing.

Despite being in a very urban location, I know people who shoot so I generally have a brace of pheasants in the freezer. I will sit and pluck pigeons my yard owner has just shot and bring them home for the dog. Doesn't bother me at all. Many yards have people who will come and shoot bunnies and pigeons because they're just pests. I count 15 yards all about 5 miles from me. There's plenty of casual shoots going on.

I don't think saying you only use a 'bit of milk' is great, BTW, it doesn't make everything alright. The milk industry is in a parlous state and as mentioned, it's the bolt for most male calves.

If the shoot is only for fun it’s extremely cruel

thought she must be going to a clay pigeon range. That would be weird enough.

What the hell is wrong with clay shooting? Why is it weird she might be doing it?

Presumably your husband is an adult with his own views and can make up his own mind? If he wants to go, that’s his choice.