BirdLife says reports of illegal hunting increasing

Richard Cachia Zammit

Mar 28th 2009, 21:36

@I Robinich

I have to admit that maybe I confused you a little bit. It is just that I misjudged your knowledge about the subject. In fact, I thought that at least you knew the basic difference between diurnal and a nocturnal migrants. So, this time, to be on the save side I will quote from two books. One is ‘Birds of Prey, their biology and ecology’ by Leslie Brown (Hamlyn Publication). In the chapter about ‘Migration and nomadism’ on page 146 one finds “All known regular raptor migration takes place by day so that it is easy to watch.” Also from the book ‘Population Ecology of Raptors’ by Lan Newton (Poyser publication), in the chapter about ‘Movements’ on page 194 one finds “All raptors migrate by day”. Maybe being such a good ornithologist yourself you might as well contact the authors or the publisher and inform them about their mistake.

Richard Cachia Zammit

Mar 28th 2009, 21:35

@I Robinich

As a rule birds of prey migrate during the day. Everyone here now seems to agree with that except you. The problem is that to prove your point you are trying to make the exception the rule. Raptors avoid migrating at night by choice but as I have already explained, if they happen to be crossing a stretch of water and it gets dark, they continue with their journey because they don’t have any other option. JUST THE SAME THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY MIGRATE AT NIGHT. Species that are true night migrants start their journey at dusk or during the night, something that raptors NEVER DO. At that time they would be either looking for a roost or already roosting.

I Robinich

Mar 28th 2009, 09:21

@RCS

Dear Friend ,Finally............ Light shone ............... BINGO!!!! I Quote you and your reference "raptors avoid to migrate at night; Although they are capable of migrating across the sea at night, many migrating Marsh Harriers appear to suspend migration" Sooooooooo its not a scientific rule that they only migrate during the day !!!!! Your scientific papers are giving Mr Said and my self the evidence of who is the expert. My God.............. Birdlife militants not only need to study ornithology but unfortunately SIMPLE AND BASIC ENGLISH. No wonder the twist of facts by your comrades. What a difference from Birdlife and your references....... THESE SAY the plain simple truth with no hidden agendas.

M.Said

Mar 28th 2009, 07:26

@RCZ contd.
I witnessed an action like this myself. It was may 2005 and a large flock of honey buzzards came in from the sea and roosting near my field but an ALE korando came and started the siren and all the birds took off to seek shelter more inland and unfortunately that was a great mistake from ALE cos by this action almost all these birds where condemmed to death. Cos beleieve it or not in my area almost all hunters are civilized and law abiding, I think the reason is that all of us are going on 40 till pensioners, maybe.

M.Said

Mar 28th 2009, 07:20

@RCZ
First of all I think you didn't understand my comment or I put it wrong. I didn't mean migrate from Europe to Africa or vice versa but I meant moving from a place to another if disturbed by someone, so I apologize, my fault. But you should now firsthand that harriers start their migration with the very signs of daylight, sometimes its almost dark.
I happen to have a field near the shore and I see most harriers in autumn not now but at dawn the harriers take off, 2 fast turns, I think to remove the dew from their feathers and directlt to the sea direction south/SW, to africa.
So the whole point here is that for example those 12 kites could have roosted somewhere else if disturbed and not like birdlife put it, like all were killed. Am I right here?
They could have been disturbed by ALE for a good reason to go away and not shot. cont.....

Richard Cachia Zammit

Mar 27th 2009, 23:54

@ M Said

(1) I have many times seen harriers circling in the evening until it gets very dark and only than they land to roost. That doesn’t mean that they migrate during the night and that explains why you see harriers taking off from wheat fields when the evening before you had seen none.

(2) The only instance when one can say that a harrier is ‘migrating’ at night is when the bird doesn’t manage to cross a stretch of sea in time before it gets dark. But obviously, in that case, the bird has no other option but to continue flying as it cannot land.

(3) As for your “How can you say that harriers dont migrate at night?” It is a well know scientific fact that harriers, just like other diurnal raptors avoid to migrate at night.

http://www.raptormigration.org/Panuccio&Agostini2006.pdf

“Although they are capable of migrating across the sea at night, many migrating Marsh Harriers appear to suspend migration when faced with a water barrier in the afternoon, electing instead to hunt before roosting at dusk (Panuccio et al. 2002; Agostini & Panuccio 2003).”

But you are the expert so it is useless for me quoting from scientific papers.

I Robinich

Mar 27th 2009, 20:03

Mr Cachia Zammit lets leave the readers to decide who is the expert between Dr Raine yourself and me. In my opinion Andre Raine should respect and honor his PHD by giving expert reliable and fair comments else his credentials are useless. ty

M.SAID

Mar 27th 2009, 19:57

@RCZ Are you for real an ornithologist??? You are 100% wrong in your comment regarding the harriers and kites. How can you say that harriers dont migrate at night? So how come sometimes I stay in my field till its pitch black seeing nothing and the next morning I see harriers taking off from wheat fields? or sometime I see a dozen or more harriers roosting and next morning none takes off???? I would expect more serious answers from a person supposed to be an expert but from what I read I have my doubts. If we mention the honey buzzards, I agree that these birds remain to roost all night and sometimes till 9-10 am!!! pretty lazy:) but regarding the marsh harriers you are completely wrong. P.S And if the harriers take off in the morning they do it at the very break of dawn so they dont need warm air for migrating.

S Mizzi

Mar 27th 2009, 14:15

Just to put things in perspective, Mizieb is an area measuring not more than 1 km2 whilst Delimara is only marginally larger. And nobody is caught.

S Mizzi

Mar 27th 2009, 11:01

Mr Cachia Zammit, it is a fact that broad-winged birds use thermals, can't negate that. But you should also know that if disturbed, even in the dark, they would take off and seek refuge elsewhere. Perhaps they never settled there after all, perhaps ALE were patrolling and scared them off, perhaps a car passed close by and startled them.This report gives the impression that all the kites in question were killed. It is amazing how ALE officers, sent to monitor the Delimara area, hear 25 shots, and cannot locate where they are coming from. Furthermore they don't even detect any torchlight. One cannot move around in the dark through thicket and trees without light. No suspicious people are detected in such a remote and relatively small area and no arrests are made. The following day no dead birds are found and no evidence like feathers or freshly spent cartridges. Likewise in Mizieb. To me this is either the usual exaggerated scam aimed at hyping up the situation to make it seem worse than it really is, or the ALE are utterly useless, or simply purposely don't want to achieve results.

Richard Cachia Zammit

Mar 27th 2009, 10:03

@I Robinich

I'm sorry Mr/Ms Robinich, but it is YOU who is definitely not an expert. We are talking about Black Kites and Harriers, and it is a WELL KNOWN FACT that birds of prey migrate during the day, so much so, they use rising warm air currents to do so, something you don't find at night.

Quote from below site : "Some large broad-winged birds rely on thermal columns of rising hot air to enable them to soar. These include many birds of prey such as vultures, eagles, and buzzards, but also storks. These birds migrate in the daytime. "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_migration

Mr/Ms Robinich, see that you check your facts before accusing someone else. As you see you can see, the joke is on you now.

I Robinich

Mar 27th 2009, 07:23

Whilst I agree that poaching of all forms must be clamped down, I cannot comment on Mr. Andre Raine statement about none of the birds were seen leaving the roost site this morning, I suppose that as an ornithologist he ought to know that such birds leave in the very early hours of the morning (practically in the dark) in a stealth manner. They also migrate at night. Is this possible that he does not know these things ? he is suppose to be an expert in the field holding that position in this organisation !!!!! This is the Spring migration season and all birds including animals are restless until they reach their breeding grounds !

Richard Cachia Zammit

Mar 26th 2009, 16:32

@M. Cardona

Birdlife don't start recording more incidents of illegal hunting now because the traditional Spring hunting season is approaching but because birds have already started migrating and Black Kites, Marsh Harriers, Hoopoes and other birds start appearing only now. More birds around, more different species and more poaching. Isn't that obvious?

As for Buskett, hunting was curbed there because Birdlife (MOS) members for the last 30 years, have been going daily there throughout the bird of prey migration in autumn and kept pressuring the police and the authorities by reporting illegalities, street protests and more.

I agree with you that there are many hunters who are not inconsiderate of nature but there are also many irresponsible individuals who are and not only inconsiderate of nature but even of their fellow hunters. And everybody knows that including you.

M. Cardona

Mar 26th 2009, 11:40

In the name of true conservation and protection there is a real need that,

We finally quit the "daily heartbreak of going through a nature reserve to pick long dead swifts and swallows", we finally quit, "traditional Maltese trapping with mist nets????",
we finally quit " seeking foreign support by networking alliances fed on misrepresentation of facts", we finally quit seeking "unjust, subjective and untruthful or partly truthful local and foreign media coverage",

Last but most of all we finally need to quit "seeking the eradication of the core of Maltese hunting tradition i.e. Spring hunting for turtle doves and quail and trapping for the 7 finch species" in an unrelenting effort to possibly decrease hunter numbers and co-related strength in numbers.

This I'm sure would enhance the possibility to reach better co-operation and true and effective conservation. For those too bliindfolded to see the truth, "THE HUNTING COMMUNITY IS NOT INCONSIDERATE OF NATURE" . Better co-operation would curb illegal shooting, as it curbed the numerous and rampant incidents which used to occur at Buskett? Wasn't it with the help of the hunting community that these incidents were curbed once for all?

It needs Two to Tango?

M. Cardona

Mar 26th 2009, 11:11

@J Borg

Very convenient of you to quote the only part of my argument which suits you!

Yet you opted to say nothing regarding the fact that these incidents denote what the majority of hunters know.....ie. that in the absence of the true hunters, the irresponsible few will have a field day across all terrain and properties! I know why you are so selective in your argumentation.

Meanwhile out of so many thousands of hunters, Birdlife Malta reports 3 incidents of illegal shooting and 5 protected birds shot. Granted that this may not be the sum of all illegal shooting, but don't you think that this actually sums up what so many hunters have been claiming all along.....ie...... That these are isolated cases, the acts of an irresponsible few?

Some more questions,

Despite Birdlife Malta's repeatedly claims of continuous persecution, it's been closed hunting season since January, why such reports by Birdlife Malta start only now? Is it because these are migratory birds which actually never settle on the island anyway? Is it the proximity to the traditional Spring hunting season which spurs the need for TIMELY media coverage?

Richard Cachia Zammit

Mar 26th 2009, 08:30

@J CARUANA plus others

For all those who are claiming that this is due to the fact that now there is a ban on spring hunting and law abiding hunters are not around to report, may I remind everyone that even when spring hunting was allowed, at this time of the year, the hunting season would still be closed. So the situation would have been the same. These irresponsible selfish people just don't care about anything, not even other fellow hunters and that is why I keep saying that THEY are the real enemies of law abiding hunters.

S Mizzi

Mar 26th 2009, 08:16

Alaska is a large state with more coastal miles than the rest of the US combined. It is the most northern, western and eastern state in the union, and has over 20 distinct mountain ranges, thousands of rivers and millions of lakes, and should have three time zones. Population stands at nearly 700,000 and there is a game warden for every 7,000 residents so roughly 100 wardens to police, successfully, an area of 570,000 square miles or 1 for every 5700 square miles.
Malta is a rock in the sea with an area of 195 sq miles. There are roughly 30 game wardens, or 1 for every 6.5 square miles. Great job boys eh! keep it up.

Maria Grima

Mar 26th 2009, 01:16

well for anyone that tought that a close season would be the solution for illegal hunting of protected birds, i assume that he was prooved wrong.Police officers including from all squads are all out there to monitor hunters,with even members of the armed forces patrolling the countryside!!Unfortunately the reality is that it's still IMPOSSIBLE that all illegalities concerning hunting would be totally eliminated,as like all in other instances such as drugs ,robbery ,football bribery ,tax evading ,traffic contraventions ,corruption. ....

ALEX CASHA

Mar 25th 2009, 22:59

I dont agree in all form of illegalities,and in our island illegalities happen all the time,in my opinion there will still be illegalitis happening always because Malta is an island like other islands that illegalities happen more frequent,but i dont blame all hunters because of an illegal act.there s who is responsable for these things,besides am more against that birdlife keep showing this minor things to make people more against hunters,because if someone should say something its not nice to install an idvice to a bird that has to migrate for the whole trip with it to see when the bird return or what had happened,

Joe Camilleri

Mar 25th 2009, 21:31

@ Paul Barrett
It is true that to have a gun you need to be a member of a hunting association, but YOU CAN ALSO be a member of birdlife.
look at birdringing, you have to be a member of birdlife but COULD NOT BE a member of a hunting association

As regards to hunters reporting poachers, the FKNK had advised the govt about green wardens years ago.

MARK MIFSUD BONNICI

Mar 25th 2009, 21:27

Dr. Gonzi.

During a meeting last June, Mr. Alfred Zammit our President and myself, discussed and presented you with proposals that you could adopt in order to rid our country of such abuse and above all ,ways in which hunters will have to be made responsible for their actions

To date you have totally ignored our proposals and advice. In the meantime your wish to see hunting matters dealt by involving Birdlfie and the hunters association on the Ornis Committee has proved nothing but an embarrassment to yourself and Malta.

I might interest you to read the proposals we put forward and hopefully heed our advice.

As thing stand your responsibility as minister for hunting matters has proved to be a total disaster.

Mark Mifsud Bonnici
Secretary
St. Hubert Hunters

Edward Camilleri

Mar 25th 2009, 19:34

It is obvious why illegal hunting continues. Don’t blame ALE, but blame the large number of hunters that practice this!
Shame on whoever has done this.

Sylvana Zarb Darmanin

Mar 25th 2009, 19:32

I start by condemning such illegal acts. I urge the authorities to bring these poachers to justice. As things are, these poachers are enjoying a field days whilst law-abiding hunters are stuck at home. Is this what the Government wants?!

On the otherhand, I believe that BirdLife's systematic reporting when the Spring Hunting period is near is losing its credibility. Malta, being such a small island, facilitates matters in booking law-breakers.

John Matthews

Mar 25th 2009, 19:27

Do not tar all hunters with the same brush. There can be various reasons for this irresponsible act. Poaching, sabotage so that it appears that hunters are to blame, countless other reasons. Until somebody is caught redhanded, assumptions should not be made. Talk about "give a dog a bad name" As andrew Gatt and other readers have mentioned, the government should allocate funds to police these sites. I admit it will be very difficult but it must be tried. With regards to the picture, sensationalism sells papers.

Anthony Formosa

Mar 25th 2009, 18:50

The title say it all, illegal hunting increased because the law abiding hunters is home arrested, how do I know from home if someone was using my land because it's favourable for such birds. It definitely shows that law abiding hunters has effect on the law breakers when we're out in our fields. I was home yesterday and I should not be blamed for someone action.

@J.Borg, are you serious with your comments, Americans you said, I should feel ashamed in front of Europeans? for what? for committing 25 million abortions per year. Come on wake up, I'm against any illegality, but I never see such anger from anyone when we see pictures of dead children related to wars with Americans and European involvement, or killing grown up children is also legal. BTW when I travelled to Europe and in many parts of the world 98% don't know about Malta, but the Africans do.

To all, Turtle dove and Quail are not protected birds, and BLM managed to manipulate the government to take what was ours by right.

s schembri

Mar 25th 2009, 18:35

I would like to put forward the following suggestion: Some time ago ADT introduced the SMSAlert for the public to easily report vehicle emissions. Can something similar be done for illegal hunting? Last Sunday I saw 4 large birds of prey. After about 15 mins a car drove by with 2 people inside and one of them remarked to another person who was on the road that he had heard that 4 birds were spotted. The person outside remarked that they had just settled down and pointed in the direction of the field :! If I had the means to easily report the matter, I would have done so!

ALE would need to move in with discretion, plane clothed and without too much fuss. These people need hefty fines, confiscation of vehicles and prison sentences, (not the usual suspended ones), otherwise they will continue to take us for a ride! Hunting should be stopped. Who wants to shoot can opt for clay pigeons.

@ Edwin Mifsud – excellent suggestion

jimmy vella

Mar 25th 2009, 18:31

Thank so much dear hunters YOU have made this bird looks so pretty all spattered in blood.YOU SHAMEFUL LOT

Joseph E Briffa

Mar 25th 2009, 18:07

Isn't Mizieb an area managed by the hunters' federation? If that is the case I must assume the FKNK have rangers in the area, otherwise they would not be able to manage it properly to ensure that no cowboy hunters are allowed to roam the area.

J. Borg

Mar 25th 2009, 17:43

@ self-proclaimed 'law-abiding' hunters claiming that the vile hunters who kill such beautiful birds, now have a free-hand due to the Spring Hunting Ban.

Excuse me, but could these law-abiding hunters disclose how many such vile hunters they have reported to the police over the years?
Aren't 'law-abiding' hunters staying on their land this Spring (albeit without shotguns)?

M.Cardona spat it out - indirectly confirming that 'law-abiding" hunters are ACTUALLY witnessing such killings (no out of the freezer birds it seems) - BUT instead of reporting such criminals they simply 'ward them off' so as not to get involved / receive UNWARRANTED attention.

Law-abiding hunters are expecting the public to continue making sacrifices by visiting the countryside ONLY on Sundays afternoons, eating vegetables contaminated with lead, pay taxes to mitigate arson attacks, finance ALE, and fund MTA's effort to attract tourists notwithstanding the bad image hunters have given Malta.
Whilst the same hunters themselves do not pull up their sleeves to identify such criminals who are effectively drawing a ban on hunting itself.

During this Spring hunting ban, shotgun shots will imply illegal hunters in action - and anyone in possession of a shotgun in the countryside should be prosecuted.

Andrew Gatt

Mar 25th 2009, 17:20

What do you expect with less than 30 ALE officers to police the whole of Malta and Gozo? Plus their other duties? And when some are sick? Or on leave? This Government is UNABLE or UNWILLING to allocate the necessary resources to rid us of these SAVAGES. All it does is impose collective punishments on the many thousands of TRUE hunters who, like myself, will AGAIN not be hunting from 31st January to 1st September.

The shooting of each protected bird is a crime and the present laws should be ENFORCED. They are already some of the severest in the whole of Europe, so, I ask again: Why, on a tiny dot of an island 17 miles by 9, is this Government such an abject failure on the hunting and poaching issues? First, Government fails to keep it's promise guaranteeing Spring Hunting (for quail and turtle dove ONLY) Second, it allows lawbreaking poaching criminals to operate with impunity, year after year after year, further staining the reputation of thousands like myself and threatening our pastime.

Or is this the intention? To give these scum enough rope to hang us all? And then blame us all to evade responsibility?????????????????

Jurgen Bugeja

Mar 25th 2009, 17:07

Is this photo of 5 years ago as usual!!!! How many hunters were arrested? Every year the same Birdlife during Spring you try to put a bad name to hunters. Last Sunday I was at Imtahleb and I watched some Marsh Harriers and I didn't heard any shots. You're always the same Birdlife!

Paul Barrett

Mar 25th 2009, 16:41

I can understand legitimate hunters getting upset by those that are hunting when hunting is banned but what I cannot understand is how there is a continual claim that the "poachers" are not members of the hunting fraternity. Why do not the legitimate hunters "police" the island on a crackdown against those that are bringing them into disrepute.
To have a gun (and presumably to buy ammunition or gunpowder) you need to be a member of one of the authorised associations (exception I suppose those that belong to a gun club for clay shooting). That being the case, does it really mean that we have so many "poachers" on the island with un-registered weapons with a constant supply of un-registered purchases of gunpowder or ammunition?

J. Grima

Mar 25th 2009, 16:35

@ J. Borg : "Disgusting. How long are we going to turn a blind eye to this outrage. I'm ashamed to call myself Maltese when I travel through Europe; and it's not only the Europeans that know what we do to migratory birds, I've heard the same comments from north americans too".

Wow, you're ashamed of being Maltese when you travel through europe! might i ask why? Cause as far as I'm concerned both Europeans and Americans enjoy hunting on an often basis, even spring hunting. Sorry to say but 'Maltese' people like you are as Maltese as my Scottish granny.

Max Farugia

Mar 25th 2009, 16:31

I am of the opinion that Harry Borda is living in a different country and not in Malta or else he never goes out of his house, when he said that this a damaging campaign by Birdlife.

T Schembri

Mar 25th 2009, 16:18

I always used to think reports of illegal hunting were exaggerated but yesterday in Xaghra I witnessed with my own eyes a drive-by shooting! A guy driving a car with the passenger shooting out of the window towards a field. I didn't see what they were shooting at nor did I have time to get the car reg number. What's worse is that I was in the company of an English couple. What a way to start the tourist season.

S Mizzi

Mar 25th 2009, 16:09

Iblah u kabbocca bla mohh minn wettaq dal-hmieg. Jien kaccatur u nibki nara dal-hnizrijiet. Qed taraw kif xorta jsiru l-illegalitajiet, b'stagun miftuh jew maghluq. Sakemm il-forzi ta' l-ordni jibqaw cassi u il qrati taghna jibqghu jaghtu pieni tat-tfal mahniex ser nimxu il-quddiem.

A. Camilleri

Mar 25th 2009, 15:59

@ d. borg

Naqbel mieghek mija fil-mija! X'gost fiha li tara dal-povru ghasfur mejjet?? Biex imbaghad izommuh bhala trofew il-dar - dak gost!! Mhux ahjar thallu lil kulhadd igawdi dak li provda l-bambin!

d. borg

Mar 25th 2009, 15:48

Shame on whoever shot this beautiful bird. Issa x'gost fih tarah mejjet, mhux ahjar ghal kulhadd, specjalment ghall-ghasfur, kieku nistghu ngawduh haj u ntuh cans ibejjed.

J CARUANA

Mar 25th 2009, 15:40

A BIG THANK YOU TO BIRDLIFE FOR PROVING ALL LAW ABIDING HUNTERS RIGHT
.............................................................................................................................................................

Banning spring or any hunting does protect these protected birds. actually it is making it easier for these few cowboys ( so called hunters ) to shot these birds cause there is no one else to see them or report them. law abiding hunters ONLY want to hunt doves and quail, anything else should not even been called HUNTING in the first place. The federation never supported anyone breaking the law.

PS:. by the way I am not a hunter but I feel that these people (HUNTERS )have been taking for the ride of their life and I am surprised they allfell for it.

Harry Borda

Mar 25th 2009, 15:36

This goes on to show that just because Gonzipn did not open spring hunting for law abiding citizens, the show will go on for law breakers! Having said that I am sure this is all part of a damaging campaign by Birdlife which are well financed and are bent on destroying hunting at all costs.

T Gatt

Mar 25th 2009, 15:29

And then hunters whine because they weren't given their spring hunting season. Lets publish each bird which is shot illegally. Hunters themselves should start acting on illegal hunting especially the shooting of protected species. Before we see any progress ban hunting all year round. Gamiema u summiena my foot.

Chris Finch

Mar 25th 2009, 15:14

This just shows the mentality of some people. It seems that they just can't help themselves. If the FKNK want to do be seen in a good light, why dont all the 'legal' hunters patrol these sites. Don't they realise that it is these people that are harming their reputation and leading to blanket bans much more than the work by Birdlife.
I suppose we will get all the usual apologists attacking Birdlife. I am not a member of Birdlife but I want hunting stopped (all forms) because we continue to see these scenes time after time.

J. Borg

Mar 25th 2009, 15:11

What's the problem with beefing up the ALE to really have a chance to deter such criminal acts? Is it money? Or Votes?

If money.....then simply the vile persons that are apprehended will be compelled to foot the whole bill wages, admin, fuel, mv expenses of the ALE assigned to eradicate such shootings.

If the current situation persists than this Government has more to answer than these criminals themselves!

J Borg

Mar 25th 2009, 15:11

Disgusting. How long are we going to turn a blind eye to this outrage. I'm ashamed to call myself Maltese when I travel through Europe; and it's not only the Europeans that know what we do to migratory birds, I've heard the same comments from north americans too.

Regards,

Another tax payer being ignored.

Edwin Mifsud

Mar 25th 2009, 15:02

Why are gun not deposited at the Police G.H.Q. or some other suitable place during the closed season?

d mercieca

Mar 25th 2009, 15:01

What a shame. I say ban Hunting Altogether. Hunter's are killing protected species for their own selfish enjoyment.

M. Cardona

Mar 25th 2009, 14:57

Maybe now Birdlife Malta will finally realise that Open Season or not, the irresponsible few will still roam around. Unfortunately they'll be enjoying even more freedom of movement as they'll have no hindrance from law abiding hunters.

Time and again responsible hunters have pointed out this fact but this has always fallen on deaf ears. From experience these individuals usually do not own, rent or otherwise any land whatsoever and thus they have little or no sense of belonging or protection for their hunting whereabouts. Under normal circumstances (open season) these individuals were usually warded off lands by the local hunters/trappers then present do did not want any involvement in such acts as well as any unwarranted attentions. Now unfortunately they have "carte blanche" and the majority of hunters continue to suffer a "closed season" at their expense.

Meanwhile, let's keep things in perspective and call isolated cases by their true name!

lmercieca

Mar 25th 2009, 14:37

Shameful that protected species are still shot by these so called conservationist but not surprised at all. And to top it all from Mizieb - the area "managed" by the hunters federation as they say!