Hunters do suffer psychologically

The letter by Bill Andrews, Hunting And Mental Health Problems (May 5) is the typical example of disrespect towards fellow humans.

Mr Andrews ridicules the fact that hunters are experiencing mental health problems, claiming it to be just "poppycock". He refers to this fact as being pathetic and argues that "many people are forced to give up their sporting hobby, be it boċċi, golf or fishing, due to many reasons such as ill health, old age or change in personal circumstances, but they rarely end up weeping in a corner clutching a bottle of Valium". Is he implying that anyone forced to give up his life-long form of relaxation, whatever this might be, does not suffer psychologically?

Indeed his understanding of the human mind equals his ignorance of UK hunting matters. He suggests Maltese hunters should breed quail and release them "in specified hunting areas, much as pheasants and grouse are in the UK". His comparison to UK facts are far from correct.

The only birds reared for hunting in the UK are mallard, pheasant and partridge. Regarding the "breeding" of grouse, this bird is no less wild then the game birds hunted in Malta. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) website has this to say as for his reference to grouse "breeding" and hunting in "specified areas": "Grouse rely on young heather as a food source (eating up to 50 grams a day). They are not reared or released by gamekeepers but grow up in their natural environment on the moors. There are 459 grouse moors in the UK covering 1,500,000 hectares. Grouse shooting takes place on moorland as far south as Wales and Derbyshire and as far north as the Highlands of Scotland".

These facts point out that apart from its not being reared, grouse in the UK is being hunted throughout all its habitat, no less than wild Maltese game birds.

As for his suggestion of breeding quail purely for hunting, this really is a good idea. The breeding of quail for this purpose does occur in parts of Spain and is being offered by a British sporting agency to UK hunters 365 days a year. This would entitle Maltese hunters to shoot 365 days a year, no less than hunters in the UK. A very good solution to our psychological problems.

Moreover, lest Mr Andrews starts nurturing any illusions about his "novel" idea, I will inform him that 20 odd years ago our hunting licence fees were increased. The express purpose for this, we were told by the powers that be, was that the extra monies collected had to be channelled towards a "rear and release" progamme for quail hunting. Needless to say this futile promise, like the countless others following it, failed to materialise, exposing it to be nothing more than an additional tax collecting exercise.