Friday, 26th September 2008
Lament of a law-abiding hunter
I have never shot protected birds, never hunted outside the open season and always respected non-hunting reserves; I make sure I observe the law. So why should I be concerned with the CABS and BirdLife watch? For those who are not completely biased against hunting, the answer is simple.
CABS and BirdLife's ultimate objective is very clear - they want hunting in Malta and probably everywhere else in the world abolished altogether. Their excuse of protecting raptors is a false pretence. In pursuing their objective they resort to all kinds of deceiving tactics including inflated numbers of birds shot over Malta and the use of photos of birds artistically placed to produce an emotional affect. I also question whether the same birds have been used to support more than one story. This would, at least, be as bad as the shooting of protected birds.
CABS and BirdLife are simply biased, self-appointed policemen who show little respect for private property, provoking law abiding citizens and using fiction to plea with the government to apply a blanket punishment on all hunters; we trust the government to be wiser than that.
Many argue that this policing, albeit illicit, is necessary because hunting organisations fail to curb illegal hunting. Why, I ask, should this be the responsibility of say FKNK? Although hunting organisations are expected to co-operate with the police, they should not be held responsible for illegal hunting nor for its control. Otherwise, by the same argument, we should be accusing all other organisations, be it sports, professional or ecclesiastical. Or do criminals exist only among hunters?
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Comments
It should be your duty as a law abiding hunter, as it should be your federations duty, to get rid of these indescriminate killers, because youre just the screen they hide behind, you just cant see it can you, wonder how you can hit a turtle dove.
Illegal hunting exists and how, if these people try and stop, its more than we can say about you, so keep hunting legally cause if you cant stop illegal hunting someone else can expose it and force the govt to control it.
By the way does anyone know the hunter caught on video with his three dogs, surely he must have a law abiding hunter mate or maybe some hunting official knows him, or maybe not...
It is also gives a factual opportunity to decimation of protected species, pollution with lead pellets, and an excuse to have numerous shotguns readily available (especially in vehicles) that can lead to tragic outcomes (as evidenced very recently).
It is also a burden on our Police force and also on our poor overworked politicians who gamble our taxes with unilateral interpretations of EU regulations and postpone overdue sensible decisions to please a more often than not arrogant and egocentric minority!
Apologies but its definition in avian dictionary hasn't been deciphered yet, albeit guess it is obvious as well...
I would enjoy reading sensible comments regarding the worldwide legal practice of hunting. By now, the problem of the law-breakers has been dealt with ad nausea. Please, please let us know what you have to say regarding LAWFUL HUNTING.
When a bird shot dead, is resurrected, then yes maybe hunters’ actions are reversible.
As hunters vs poachers issue – I simply drew the attention that an organisation is penalised even for the action of ‘some’ of its potential members…
If you can see without bias, whatever hunters do to the countryside is reversible, if not embellishing. wherever you look the countryside is destroyed for ever surely not by hunters.
Also, something that irks me a lot is that most of the contributors do not know the difference between hunters and poachers.
I have not entered into any of the many threads on hunting as I don't really have a strong view. I am certain however that there is some truth on both sides. I fully accept that there is a great deal of exaggeration from the various bodies monitoring the hunting however one thing I have noticed is that despite the continual statements from FKNK about not allowing illegal hunters to remain within their organisation, I don't recall reading of anyone being expelled. this would be very positive PR for the organisation. In other words, to both sides :Put your money where your mouth is.
What fine should be served on FKNK for the annual abuse in the countryside?
Sure...its must be one of those perverse CABS members shooting at protected birds!
Well said Publio.. It seems that on this tiny little rock of our's the only wrongdoings are done by the hunting fraternity. But don't we all know why.. the sensationalism, over inflating of figures, the very obvious biased English media and fanatical abolitionist techniques by the ilk of CABS, Birdlife and IAR all put forward for our gullible public to digest have led to all this. FKNK have been very clear about illegal hunting and the statement recently issued shows their true commitement towards stamping out this blight as do all other law abiding hunters. Collective punishment is definetely not the answer to solve this problem although it seems that for a government not capable of enforcing laws on an island this is the only plausible solution.