Hunters get off with a slap on the wrist

Hunters who had their guns seized for not carrying all the necessary documents got off with a written warning yesterday, the hunters’ federation said.

Welcoming the news that “common sense prevailed”, the federation appealed to all hunters to ensure they carried all the necessary documentation with them, including the carnet de chasse, the special licence, the normal licence and the armband.

It complained earlier that hunters were feeling persecuted because their shotguns were seized when they were found to be missing one of the many things required.

The federation said it was always in favour of enforcement, especially to kill off what it called the “die hard” hunters, president Joe Perici Calascione said before the hunters’ guns were returned.

It was not justifiable to seize the gun of one evidently licensed hunter just because he had forgotten one document at home, he said. In his opinion, issuing a warning and giving the person time to produce the necessary documents could be a better approach.

“I don’t mind them using this as an example, don’t get me wrong. But there’s no need to kill an ant with a sledgehammer,” Mr Perici Calascione said.

The hunter’s federation appealed to the Prime Minister and the Police Commissioner to find a solution to the problem so that the 23 or so licensed hunters who had their guns confiscated would not miss out on the season.

They later received news that the Police Commissioner had returned their belongings with a written warning, absolving them of prosecution in court, the federation’s general secretary, Lino Farrugia said.

Mr Perici Calascione said the hunters had had a “miserable” season until yesterday, pointing out the carnet de chasse must be practically empty because the spring migration season had been very quiet.