BirdLife criticises government 'for relaxing hunting derogations'
Photo: BirdLife Malta
BirdLife has criticised the Office of the Prime Minister for further relaxing future spring hunting derogations.
In reaction to an amendment to the spring hunting framework legislation last Friday, BirdLife said this amendment failed to address concerns raised by the European Commission and further relaxed future spring hunting derogations which the OPM seemed to be committed to give to the hunting lobby.
The amendment removes the previous limit of 2,500 hunting licenses, as demanded by the hunting lobby after last year’s spring hunting derogation.
The time limit during which hunting may take place has been extended from midday to 3 p.m. from Monday to Friday, increasing the daily hunting hours by three for each hunting day.
BirdLife noted that the European Commission had stated it was concerned that the new framework legislation seeking to permit spring hunting in future years did not comply with the European Court of Justice ruling.
It decidedto issue a Letter of Formal Notice under ongoing infringement proceedings.
The Commission also warned Malta that “if the necessary actions are not taken by the Maltese authorities, the Commission may decide to take Malta back to Court to request financial penalties.”
BirdLife said that the amendments did not specify the conservation status of the turtle dove and common quail in Europe.
“This is despite the fact that both species are listed as suffering population declines in Europe, and that in its Sustainable Hunting Guide – the guidance document to the Birds Directive, the Commission specifically states that no derogations should be allowed for species of Conservation Concern in Europe.
“Prior to the elections the Prime Minister promised to prioritise nature protection. Yet, the government instead favours an unlimited number of hunters, killing birds with declining European populations, prior to their breeding season thus preventing them from replenishing their population,” conservation officer Nicholas Barbara said.
“It seems like the Prime Minister is ready to risk the country being taken back to court, this time facing hefty penalties due to another spring hunting derogation.
“This is all to appease an aggressive hunting lobby that already has five months of hunting season from September to the end of January,” Mr Barbara said.
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Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Mar 17th 2011, 08:44
V Falzon, are you conveniently missing the point?!
Franco Farrugia, the Maltese hunters rights are derived from the Law! "It is unbelievable that there are those who think that they are educated, well, 'educated', yet" are unable to accept this Law.
J. Borg
Mar 15th 2011, 20:27
Hunters insist they are the stalwarts of culture and social ethics by killing birds that they do not own (and let's just limit ourselves to unprotected ones!)
They also deem that throughout Autumn and even Spring they have a right over the countryside - effectively compelling the rest of the population to remain in urban areas.
They also dismiss that their lust to kill (and hopefully) eat birds, entails lead pellets polluting cultivated fields and thus the vegetables we eat.
They and the spineless politicians we are currently lumped with also pretend that the rest of the population will willingly pay taxes to finance fines that may come our way.
But alas, such egoism is not hatred and neither extremism for some....
Johnny Xerri
Mar 16th 2011, 21:34
Dear J Borg,
A few eye openers for you and your ilk. You claim that we do not hvae a right to game birds...for our own personal consumption...then can you care to explain to me why foriengers in the remaining EU26 have a right to hunt game birds? Can you also care to explain to me why fisherman not only have a right to catch fish for own consumption, but also to sell them? Now that we are at it, why can fish be caught & sold, and yet birds cannot be caught and eaten by a hunter?
Re your second point, irrespective of whether spring, summer, autumn/winter season is banned or else, you and your ilk will be compelled either to th 45 nature reserves/no hunting areas, or to your land...since even in closed season private land will is still off limits...and currently most of the countryside is private.
Johnny Xerri
Mar 16th 2011, 21:51
The lead issue has been discussed and ridiculed more than enough...lead oxidizes and is not water soluble...thus it can never effect the veggies...at least the cultivated type...it may have infiltrated through some other ways into couch potatoes...but not the cultivated type...so much so that my kind is cultivated and after more than 100 years of hunting on the land the veg & olives still manage to be lead free and qualify as organic.
The spineless politicians may be closer at home than you would like us to believe...they are spineless not because they may allow hunting, but because they did not honour a pre-referendum and election manifesto, resulting mor in vote thieves than democratic politicians. Even if we get fined, that would be the price of stolen votes, votes that without Malta would most likely not be an EU member.
If you permit I will correct and extend your last sentence..."But alas, such expectations are not egoism, and are not hatred and neither extremism for some"....it’s simply expecting that they enjoy a hobby similar to what the other EU hunters enjoy...it’s simply about expecting that government honours the pre-referendum manifesto...
John Matthews
Mar 15th 2011, 19:24
Similar to what Sylvana Zarb Darmanin has to say, I also ask the question as to the intentions of the new CEO. Surely it is his job to instruct his staff and followers to print facts or is he to weak to fulfil his role and falls in line with the usual BLM waffle. By doing this will only ridicule BLM even more.
Andrew Gatt
Mar 15th 2011, 19:16
“This is all to appease an aggressive hunting lobby that already has five months of hunting season from September to the end of January,” Mr Barbara said.
REALLY? Mr. Barbara conveniently fails to mention that turtle dove and quail (note: the ONLY 2 species we're talking about here) are minimally present in the first 2-4 weeks of September. And in limited parts of the Maltese Islands. As CONFIRMED by the ECJ ruling on Spring Hunting. Plus, the same are classified as "prolific and non-endangered" by none other than Birdlife International.
As to the 5 month season Mr. Barbara mentions, well, perhaps he should also mention that migration is subject to the weather conditions prevailing over the Central Mediterranean, because Birdlife's "main mega migration route" is nothing more than a figment of their imagination. And that a good number of the 32 species huntable in Autumn are aquatics and do not venture inland. And that the last 2 months are usually poor in the extreme.
Appease the hunters? You gotta be kidding. Just a small step forward in delivering the pre-Eu Accession promises, which, in a nutshell, were that hunters would be BETTER OFF in the EU.
Go figure.
r sammut
Mar 15th 2011, 18:45
So we’re over the first hurdle, BridLife Malta have accepted the fact that derogations are there and applicable, as otherwise how can these be relaxed by the Malta Government!
And what about the conservation status of the turtle dove and the common quail? YES please visit sites by BirdLife International http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/userfiles/file/Species/BirdsInEuropeII/BiE2004Sp194.pdf
http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/userfiles/file/Species/BirdsInEuropeII/BiE2004Sp2498.pdf
as supplied by Geoffrey Saliba BirdLife Malta Campaigns Coordinator.
One can then judge for oneself the conservation status of the two species that BLM is so alarmingly talking about.
V Falzon
Mar 15th 2011, 22:30
"BridLife Malta have accepted the fact that derogations are there and applicable"
In your wildest dreams! By what warped logic do you guys arrive at such conclusions?
Henry Fenech Azzopardi
Mar 15th 2011, 18:27
Birdlife statemens are full of inaccuracies to try and make a argument out of nothing.
The public should know that we are talking of a Spring Season for only two speciies, namely turtle doves and quails.
The Federation never accepted a licence for 2500 hunters, quite the contrary, we all refused such an unfair requisite where hunters wil be drawn by lot.
We do not have five months Autumn season for these two species, but just 10 days and if we are lucky, and in only part of the Island. So much so that I do not practice hunting in Autumn.
It is an incorrect statement to say that these two species are in any way endangered. If this was the case by now they should have been extint.
There are no such votes to be won becuase the hunters already lost three SPRING HUNTING SEASONS. I doubt very much if the hunters and trappers forget the written promises.
The two birds in question are two eatable birds which are consumed just a much as chickens rabbits etc.
Birdlife I believe, that your efforts should be concentrated on illegal huntng where FKNK are ready to cooperate.
LEGAL SPRING HUNTING TOSTAY.
V Falzon
Mar 15th 2011, 22:21
"your efforts should be concentrated on illegal huntng"
And that is exactly what BirdLife is doing. No matter how many loopholes the government chooses to slip through, spring hunting is and will remain illegal in EU countries for as long as the Birds Directive stands.
V Falzon
Mar 15th 2011, 22:40
... and where exactly is there stated that these birds are endangered?
They are not classed as Endangered (yet), but they are Depleted and Declining, meaning they have a problem because their situation is clearly not sustainable, or they would not be declining, would they now? A seven-year old can handle this.
Alfred Debono
Mar 16th 2011, 05:43
Ha!
What's the use having a room full of dead birds for an egoistic pleasure, and an object of a passing attack of proud and empty boast? If God ever created you to live - let other unprotected God-sent creatures live and let other people be happy enjoying live nature.
Never a hobby can be object of sheer selfishness! A dead bird, can never be considered a trophy!
Why don't we, - instead of a deadly rifle - buy a good binocular - and enjoy "shooting" them with a good camera, alive, roosting, building their nests, sheltering their young - in flight or in their natural habitat. That is a HOBBY and "passatemp"! Killing birds is not a sport - even if they were simple sparrows, "who, according ot Jesus, enjoy God's concern and feeds them every day" (Jesus in Mt 6, 25 )
When egoism has been ingrained as a lifestyle, who can change our trend to satisfy our ego, especially with regards to God-sent and nature's beauty, seen in innocent flying creatures? They give plenty of maltese folks such a pleasure just by enjoying their short pilgirmage across Malta.
Shame!
Henry Fenech Azzopardi
Mar 16th 2011, 18:44
@ Alfred Debono.
Your comments shows quite clearly that you do not know what you are talking about. Quails and turtle doves are not hunted for trophies but for human consumption just like you buy a chicken or a rabbit, unless you are a vegiterian.
Birdlife and the antis should accept the European Court of Justice judgement and concentrate on the iLlegal aspect of hunting. That is where your argument makes sense and the selfishness of trophies.
I can assure you that I shall back any body who takes this line of illegal huntiing but I keep on fighting for my rights for practicing legal hunting.
Birdlife are not sinciere in their arguments. They do not really want to tackle the problem of illegal hunting because in so doing they will not have an argument to abolish hunting altogether.
The above report is all half truths as explained in my comments .
Joe Camilleri
Mar 15th 2011, 18:26
So the Hunters were ALWAYS RIGHT. *** SPRING IS LEGAL***
Is there a chance that I become a BLM's executive director?
my agenda will be :
1) Tell BLM's gullible members that I have a Secret Weapon
2) Pull them by the nose into a LOST BATTLE
3) After making a quick buck, I will do what a rat would do to a sinking ship, ABBONDON IT.
Also re-picture, is this the only picuture BLM have?
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Mar 15th 2011, 18:23
Well, it appears that there has been a change in leadership of BLM but not in the deceitful, extremist and intolerant manner of presenting media articles!! Primarily, the photo accompanying this article is of a turtle-dove which can be shot in a LEGAL manner. This bird is consumed similar to rabbits, chicken, fish and meat. Furthermore, when are BLM expected to accept the ECJ ruling? When are they expected to accept that even the EU has stated that "Spring hunting is possible for Malta"?!
Finally, BLM and Co must realise that the thousands of Maltese hunters have rights like everybody else. Backed by their families and many other individuals who are not bothered at all with hunting, they will endeavour to obtain what is rightfully theirs. And Yes, votes do count and the Government must realise that he is being judged as to whether he keeps his guarantees or not!
V Falzon
Mar 15th 2011, 22:17
Er, hello! The picture shows a turtle dove simply because the press statement is about the hunting of turtle doves. Surely the connection is not too elusive for you to grasp.
Franco Farrugia
Mar 15th 2011, 23:15
Don't try making us believe that only such birds are shot down. Facts, prove otherwise! Facts, prove taht hunting and trapping takes place indiscriminately. There are no 'rights' to defend; there is no 'right' to kill indiscriminately anything that moves in the sky. You have no right to those birds because they belong to everyone and so, belong to nobody! If we do not look after Mother Earth, Mother Earth will desert us in our moment of need. It is unbelievable that there are those who think that they are educated, well, 'educated', yet find nothing wrong with this so-called pastime.
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Mar 15th 2011, 16:30
Birdlife once said spring hunting was illegal in the EU and even dragged a few fools into wearing black tee shirts. Now it criticizes Government for "realxing' what is once called illegal. Will the Direction of Birdlife Malta make up its mind or at least remain constant in its arguments.
Time will tell who has been deceitful, militant in its ways, damaging to our country and who purports to be non aggressive yet when upon reading most of its supporters' comments, the hatred for hunters and what they do is so clear.
Sure hunters can hunt for 5 months. I really would like to see you all smile when you pass by a hunters hide and see the first bird shot in autumn that is after we've all had our legal share this spring. Hypocrites of this sort are hard to come by but I guess if you said you loathed hunting you would have a hard time convincing anyone of your not being extremists.
V Falzon
Mar 15th 2011, 22:44
"I really would like to see you all smile when you pass by a hunters hide and see the first bird shot."
Yeah well that is not going to happen. You see, not everyone gets an adrenalin rush out of seeing a bird being blown to bits. I strongly suggest you seek the smiles and the applause elsewhere.
Fabian Borg
Mar 15th 2011, 15:51
Nice catch ! How does birdlife acquire its dead birds for such detailed photo sessions ? Please advise.
C.Xuereb
Mar 15th 2011, 15:42
@M. Mizzi
jien naqbel mieghek illi din ghal voti saret pero' ghalkemm jiena m'inhiex kaccatur u lanqas ma nzommarmi dar minn dejjem ma qbiltx li delizzju, passatempghidlu li trid li ilu sa minn qabel l-Kavallieri pprattikat hawn Malta kellu jinqata hesrem hekk. Anke ghal insib jiena ma naqbilx. Ara kieku l-Gvern ddecieda (ghalkemm kienet tkun ingustizzja wkoll) li min kellu l-licenzja tal-kacca u jew insib jibqa jipprattika dan id-delizzju u l-licenzja tmut mieghu. Hekk kieku (ghalkemm nerga nghid li hija ngustizzja wkoll) ma kienetx tkun daqshekk imhanzra l-kwistjon tal-kacca u l-insib ghax issa x'qed jigri (skond kif naqra u nisma) li min jista qed isiefer ghal kacca u issa anke ghal-insib ukoll u min hu tan-nofs ma jistax. Gahlhekk jiena naqbel li dawn il-kaccaturi nghataw xi haga milli kien hadihom il-Gvern lura u anke lin-nasaba hekk ukoll ghandu jghamel biex issir gustizzja ma kullhadd. Nerga nghid li jiena la jien kaccatur u linqas nassab imma kapaci ngharaf u niggudika dak li hu sewwa u dak li hu hazin. u nerga nghid li l-ikbar kaccatur f'din il-kwistjoni ser ikun il-Gvern ghax biha qed jikkaccja ghal voti minhabba xi haga li gejja fil-qrib li mhux ir-referendum.
E. Azzopardi
Mar 15th 2011, 15:38
Enjoy this season whilst it lasts as this will, in all probability, be the last time we have "legal" huntiing in Malta. There is no doubt that rules and regulations will be broken again and again at random, as has been regularly done in the past and the EU will blow its top this time. Then it will be bye bye to our tax relief promise.
Johnny Xerri
Mar 15th 2011, 20:57
Like it did with the germans? oops
http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/?p=3717
or maybe Ireland? oops
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/raptor-poisoning.html#cr
or UK? oops
http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/?p=3751
Poaching occurs all over the EU, and allover the world...but no one single country opted to ban legal hunting because of poaching. So much so that in the ECJ court case when the commission challanged Malta's right for a derogation poaching was not even mentioned.
Dear E Azzopardi...leave your 'babaw' for the little children...hunters already proved to be mature grown ups when they refused last year's lottery scheme...and exposed BLM autumn alternative fallacy through the ECJ...
HUNTING IS PRACTICED ALLOVER THE WORLD, EVEN IN THE EU AND THUS WE EXPECT A SEASON JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE HUNTERS FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD. MOST CERTAINLY WE WILL NEVER ACCEPT BEING TREATED AS INFERIOR EU CITIZENS,NOR WILL WE EVER ACCEPT BEING TREATED AS YOUR OR THE EU'S SCAPEGOATS...MALTA WILL NEVER BE THE EXCEPTION AND AS LONG AS HUNTING IS PERMITED IN THE REMAINING EU MEMBER STATES....THEN I AND ALL MALTESE HUNTERS WILL NEVER OIL OUR GUNS AND HANG THEM UP, NO MATTER WHT YOU, CABS, BLM OR ANY OTHER FOOL SAYS OR DOES.
S Vella
Mar 15th 2011, 15:29
Spring is in the air....!
The government should realise that all BirdLife wants is the complete ban of hunting and when there is a little hope for us they make sure they start their antihunting lobbying.
The government should give them a taste of their own medicine and giv us what was guaranteed to us before the referendum!! After all it is the fourth year that we are facing another Spring hunting season stolen from us hunters!!!
Yes I agree that the government may be hunting for votes now that only 2 seasons are left before the election, but that is up to the voters then to decide who is credible and who is not in the election!!
Jason Borg
Mar 15th 2011, 15:38
The first line of your contribution is a perfect summary of what follows. You could not have done it better, Mr. Vella.
Franco Farrugia
Mar 15th 2011, 16:04
What would you say if one had to give you a 'taste of your own medicine', what you do to birds? Certainly you wouldn't like it, and that's as it should be. But to kill birds, for the sheer hell of it, just because we have a number of people who are unable to fill up their time in a wiser and smarter manner, you call it a 'right'!
You speak about 'stealing'. What about the thousands of lives that you are 'stealing' for your so-called pastime?
Your final sentence is an eye-opener: to the present Government not to think that hunters are going to be appreciative; and to the Partit Laburista, in Opposition, to be careful not to come across as a hunter-friendly future government.
Andrew Gatt
Mar 15th 2011, 19:51
Oh dear, Mr Farrugia! Stealing "thousands of lives"! How dramatic. And how very one-sided. Why not lobby for chickens, cows, pigs, geese, turkeys, fish, crustaceans and rabbits too? Don't they have a soul as well?
And, Mr Farrugia, it would be fair comment to state that, should you "steal" any of the above during the course of a nice meal, well, you're nothing but a contract killer, eating meat etc that others so kindly packaged and sanitised for you. While nagging us hunters (who simply start at the beginning of the process) to death. Ugh.
V Falzon
Mar 15th 2011, 22:11
S.Vella,
I don't think BirdLife (or anyone else for that matter) cares what the government "guaranteed" you lot. If you were gullible enough to believe pre-election promises, that is your problem. Grow up.
S Vella
Mar 16th 2011, 10:12
@ Franco Farrugia
NO POLITICIAN has the right to betray citizens and that is precisely what PN did and PL will better be careful and learn from the mistakes of the present government. In a democratic country minorities have their rights too and you have to learn to live with people who have different ideas, hobbies, culture, religion, sexual orientation etc!! With regards to hunting it is practised worldwide and in nature certain species live on hunting others and that is the chain of nature and the species we want to hunt are the turtle dove and quail which are not endangered spieces and we eat the game we hunt so stop trying to sound like a martyr with you romantic words of stealing thousands of lives for our past time etc. If you are not a vegitarian you eat fish, pork, beef, chicken etc. ARENT THEY KILLED SO THAT YOU EAT AND SUSTAIN YOURSELF?? If you want to speak about the killing of lives I would suggest you write on topics like the war in Libya, abortion and so on.
lemercieca
Mar 15th 2011, 15:19
Spring or rather "Election" is in the air...
C. Borg
Mar 15th 2011, 15:18
Hope that Birdlife Malta reads Birdlife International Site where it says that, although the dove population is decreasing due to habitat destruction the dove is at Least concern: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=2498
The same thing applies to the common quail: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=194
I think that birdlife Malta are not saying the truth, but just twisting the facts as they like to be convenient to them. You need to grow up and accept the fact that within the paramiter permitted by the law, we hunter can go out hunting under specific regulations in spring, and we will still be in the paramiter permitted by the birds directive.
Geoffrey Saliba
Mar 15th 2011, 15:53
C. Borg,
If you read the pages you are referring to correctly, the status given is clearly the Global population status. The status of concern within the EU is the status of the European population.
You may find the European status on the BirdLife International website here:
http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/userfiles/file/Species/BirdsInEuropeII/BiE2004Sp194.pdf
http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/userfiles/file/Species/BirdsInEuropeII/BiE2004Sp2498.pdf
Best regards,
Geoffrey Saliba,
BirdLife Malta Campaigns Coordinator
C.Borg
Mar 15th 2011, 17:07
For those who does not know the difference, these 2 hunting species the dove and quail as mentioned here above, QUOTING from the same Birdlife International, these 2 species are listed as LEAST CONCERNED same as the "PESTS" which we have in Malta:
The Sparrow: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=8367
The Starling: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=6815
So again, I want to ask birdlife Malta, why all these lies, and misleading statements you want to give to the general public. If people do really read the above mentioned links, you as BIRDLIFE MALTA will once again not be credible.
Using the same working/standards of your partners, you are loosing credibility.
Johnny Xerri
Mar 15th 2011, 20:34
So after all BLM members/workers do read timesofmalta.
Mr Saliba, why haven't you ever responded to my request for a set of accounts showing wages and salaries?
I assume that your wages can only be justified if you manage to ban something, even if the ECJ proved BLM incorrect re the autumn alternative and the turtle dove and quail conservation status. The ECJ did not rule against Malta for hunting declining species, ruled that autumn cannot be seen as an alternative for dove and quail hunting, but only ruled against the proportionality issue.
I believe that BLM workers have such a heft wage that they will never tolerate hunting even if sustainable. Hunters only want sustainable seasons, and if BLM had to accept sustainable seasons then their existence would be futile.
Mr Saliba please discredit me and post a link of their accounts, could give us an average wage together with the highest and lowest wage. Show me that BLM do not have a hefty wage to defend at the cost of opposing even sustainable seasons. Your silence would only prove me correct in assuming that BLM workers have a mega wage that needs to be justified at all costs.
G Micallef
Mar 15th 2011, 20:35
@ C.Borg
Mr.Saliba referred to the european conservation status not the global one and as far as I know we are in Europe. We will all know who is right if the goverment gives a 3 week spring hunting season to all hunters when we get the reaction from the EU. No objections, FKNK was right, court action, Birdlife was right. Only time will tell..... Personally I have no doubts.
V Falzon
Mar 15th 2011, 22:05
CBorg, The pages GSaliba gave you state clearly that the European population of Common Quail is DEPLETED (and there is a down-pointing arrow over our beloved island in case the meaning of depleted escapes you). As for the European population of Turtle Doves, the species is stated as DECLINING (and again, that little down-turned arrow). No responsible hunter would shoot at a species that is depleted or declining, especially in spring.
Also, for your general knowledge, the correct statement is "Least Concern" not "Least Concerned".
M. Mizzi
Mar 15th 2011, 14:55
Open season for votes!
Do birds have a voice in the issue?
Anthony Formosa
Mar 15th 2011, 15:18
@ M.Mizzi, do children have a voice in the divorce issue? all we want is our promised rights.
Franco Farrugia
Mar 15th 2011, 15:59
Yes, Mr Formosa, your 'rights' to kill! What 'rights' they are!
I.Calleja
Mar 15th 2011, 16:13
@ Formosa - Apart that your comparision is ridiculous....however the answer is yes...through their responsible parents.....because if they love their children and would not like to see them suffer they should vote for what brings happiness to them!!
Birds have no vote.....but persons who love to enjoy the countryside without being showered by lead....to say the least....yes of course they have.....and i'm pretty sure they will not forget come next election!!
j.dalli
Mar 15th 2011, 18:51
mr.mizzi you like it or not quail and turtle dove have been game for centuries. thats d way it was,thats dway it is, and thats d way its going to be in d future. " we lose battles but we win wars".
Anthony Formosa
Mar 15th 2011, 19:02
@ Mr Farrugia, everyone has a right, including the right of freedom of speech, I expect from you that you will congratulate us as much as you did to the author of li tkisser sewwi even though the story was disgusted for me.
@ Mr Cassar, Many hunters practice their hobby on their own private land. If you wish to enjoy the countryside do like we most did and invest in it.
Johnny Xerri
Mar 15th 2011, 20:12
Nobody complained when the same administration that is PN hunted for votes in the pre-EU referendum and election.
But then again with some people its just me me me. By the way do the birds in the rest of the EU and now that we are at it have a vote or voice? By your reasoning I doubt since hunting is allowed world-wide.
Get over it and accept th fact that the Maltese hunter has a right to hunt, same as the EU hunters and the rest of the world hunters.
Maria Muscat
Mar 17th 2011, 07:34
I am all for animal rights and have probably done more for animals then most of the people who comment in their defense, however to be fair hunting is part of our culture and tradition and I see nothing wrong with hunters par taking this within 1) the realms of the law and with due consideration towards protected species and further comment towards everyone who takes their little 'walks in the countryside' let me makethis point if it is not your property dont go on it, there have been countless occasions where some hapless idiot has come walking onto MY property trekking through MY fields and destroying MY crops!!!