These birds are inedible and…

These birds are inedible and thus should not be considered game birds. The numbers that could be culled, given the allotment per hunter, are very large over the proposed hunting season and certainly will adversely affect the sustainability of the species. Since the birds will not be collected for food, they will no doubt remain in the area where they have been killed or wounded, thus decomposing and causing pollution and a possible source of disease. In addition, other birds species breeding in the same vicinity will undoubtedly get killed or at least have their breeding period severely disrupted. If this becomes a mass slaughter with no effort made to collect carcasses, it may also attract unwelcome predators and scavengers.