Thursday, 27th March 2008
Hunting dogs are no dummies
Hunting dogs do what they do best: Hunt. In view of the letters by Kenneth Cassar and Joe Aquilina (March 11) one needs to stress the facts that prove the above statement.
Comparing dummies to game birds is just another gimmick which can blind those people who are not familiar with the subject. I believe that Mr Cassar especially, given his knowledge of animals, should know better. For example, he should know about the particular scent released by a migrating game bird, which is not even comparable to that of a bird raised in captivity, let alone to a dummy.
When saying that dogs hunt, it means they participate in full before, during and after the taking of the bird. Flushing dogs, such as Pointers are used to hunt quail and not just to fetch the dead bird. Quail is very hard to flush, especially in spring, because of the dense grass and high wheat stems, not to mention wasteland in which the quail blends in perfectly to an invisible level. Attempting to hunt quail without a well-trained dog is a non-starter, indicating the origin of the old Maltese proverb that "għas-summien kelb ta' mitt lira u senter ta' sold" (in the case of quail, [what you need] is a Lm100 dog and a one penny shotgun).
During quail hunting, the dog plays the most important role and, believe me, they would know what is happening and they feel satisfaction and pride after the job. The fetching part during quail hunting is the easy part as the bird would have lost its cover and the drop zone would be already identified.
On the other hand, turtle doves are very wary and dogs must remain almost motionless while the occasional dove is approaching.
This while keeping an eye on the whereabouts of the drop zone in order to obtain a quick fetch and earliest return to the hiding place.
A well-trained and experienced dog on many occasions is another pair of eyes for the hunter as a quick look at the sky by the dog would surely signify an approaching bird that might still be unnoticed by the hunter.
I trust that the little information shared above may enlighten readers that a dummy is just a dummy in whatever way you use it.
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Comments
Incredible!
On the other hand, something that I would like to add is regarding the reasoning of Mr. Farrugia, who seems to be very worried about nature, "God's gift". So in this instant I ask: Where was he when started the project of Smart City? All those fields and trees blasted down? What is he thinking about the Mistra Case? Isn't he worried about all that nature distruction?
Your letter might serve to explain what dogs do and feel whilst they hunt and people will learn from your writings. However people like Cassar and Aqulina are not bothered about learning but are more intent on ridiculing the hunter by what they write.
Anyone with the slightest degree of common sense realises that their arguments are nothing but a waste of space, no one can deny the truth. Gun dogs do hunt and hunters are the ones to prove it.
So, let's deny the birds and the fowl of flight from 'what they do best', which is the bolster the gift that God has given us through Nature. The birds sing their hearts out in praise of what God has created - and the human being, who was meant to be God's own image, tries to stifle them in order for them to end these pseudo-macho section of the population in their soup bowls or arraying some sitting room or garage!
That before the election, they decided to enter the political fray and have encouraged not to support the current government is known to everyone.
On 11th March with their own press release, they had to eat their own words and accept to work with Dr Gonzi again.
Now this...I am happy about having so much concern for their dogs which is only one of the animal kingdom, but then its highly justifyable and contradictory for them to shoot birds out of the sky leaving them in a bloody mess, just before going to breed