Federation warns wayward hunters

The Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FKNK) will revoke a hunter's membership if he is convicted of illegal hunting, federation secretary Lino Farrugia warned yesterday.

Mr Farrugia was referring to a report in The Times on Tuesday that a young hunter was allegedly caught red-handed shooting at a Black Kite, a strictly protected bird of prey, from the middle of a major road on Sunday afternoon. He is expected to be arraigned soon.

The hunter had been warned by an off-duty environment inspector not to shoot at the bird but went ahead anyway.

Any person who even dares to be so "stupid, crazy and egoistic" can never be called a hunter, Mr Farrugia said in a federation statement yesterday.

The FKNK will continue to do its utmost to ensure that such isolated, irresponsible actions will not impede in any manner its continuous work towards safeguarding the local socio-cultural traditions of hunting and trapping.

The federation is doing this on behalf of the thousands of law-abiding hunters and trappers, Mr Farrugia said.

The federation has in the recent past often condemned instances of illegal hunting but its statement yesterday signifies a hardening of its stance.

The law states that to obtain a hunting licence one needs an endorsement from a recognised hunter's association. Hence the revocation of membership would preclude the hunter from obtaining a licence.

In what the federation saw as a drastic move, the government last September imposed a curfew on hunting until 3 p.m. to protect migrating birds of prey. The government had brought a sudden end to the previous spring season after a wave of shooting at protected birds.

The federation's statement was posted on the hunters' internet forum, where it drew comments from hunters within a few hours.

All except one supported the tough stand taken by the federation.

The lone objector said he did not agree with the position because the young hunter was not being given a second chance and the punishment inflicted by the courts would be enough.

But others begged to differ, arguing that everyone should know what the law states and that such acts tarnished other hunters and put in jeoprady everybody's pastime.