Please be informed that hunting has not stopped (at least in Delimara) on Sunday.

Last Sunday, April 17, hunting was widespread over the entire area from the time I arrived there at 9.20 a.m. to my departure at about noon.

The police were informed at 9.27 a.m. and I was told the report would be passed on. The hunting continued and the police were informed again at 10.37 a.m. This time I was told the Administrative Law Enforcement unit would be informed.

The ALE did respond. I was asked to meet them, which I did, but the two officers told me it was extremely difficult to catch the culprits as they see the vehicle appearing and hide their guns.

The officers told me they had heard shots in the area from three different locations and would check it out. I pointed out two other locations from which shots had come. Just after they left, another shot rang out, then there was about an hour’s silence and then shooting resumed.

Thus, two conditions under which spring hunting was allowed were broken: (1) No hunting on Sundays and (2) strictly supervised spring hunting. The ALE did respond and as the policeman said, “we do our best”. However, the fact is that as the ALE vehicle is a white Land Rover with ALE painted on it in big letters, it is inevitable that they are seen coming, given the wide arcs of observation in the area.

Furthermore, to make apprehending them even less likely (fully aware they are breaking the law) these illegal hunters ensconce themselves in the most inaccessible and difficult to detect locations.