Hunter’s experience of spring season

At the end of the hunting season, I thought of sharing with The Times readers the experience of going out hunting after four years in suspense.

Hunting is not the capture of turtle doves and quails. That is what I call the icing on the cake. Each and every hunter builds up his expectations until the very first day of the opening of the season. He makes sure that all his hunting gear is in place, such as a well functioning oiled gun set to take three shots, licence documentation, cartridges, clothing, snack box, hot flask and his dog (if he owns one). Added to all this, as from this season, it was a must to carry identified numbered arm band, special licence, mobile phone, carnet de chasse and a biro.

The government issued a legal notice 221, announcing the opening of the season for turtle doves and quails, with the following conditions:

1. The season is to open from April till April 30 (both days inclusive) or earlier if the bag limit is reached.

2. Hunting can only take place two hours before sunrise till 3 p.m. on Monday to Friday and till 12 p.m. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays hunting is prohibited.

3. A fee of €50 to cover enforcement is levied before the special licence is issued.

4. One bird daily is allowed with a maximum bag of four birds in the whole season.

5. As soon as a bird is shot, a blank SMS is to be sent and also registered in the carnet de chasse booklet before leaving the hunting zone.

The hunters, through the federation, had no space to improve on the above conditions this year and, consequently, only about half of the registered hunters applied. Considering the conditions offered last season, this year the hunters who applied thought that the special licence was a vast im­provement on last year, but how practical was it to comply with the conditions?

To begin with, up to the time of writing, this year migration was one of the worst ever and the bag takings cannot in any way be compared with previous seasons bearing in mind the reduced hours of hunting and the short 13-day period against the accustomed 60 days plus in the past.

The problem and frustration that the hunters had to endure was the registration of the caught bird. Who in his right frame of mind would declare a bird caught, say, at 6 a.m., knowing that he has to then pack up and leave? Who would record the fourth bird knowing that his season is over?

This situation gives space for abuse and the thrill of the catch is reduced to a frightening sensation that spoils the enjoyment of hunting. Furthermore the concentration which is very much necessary for game shooting is ruined. The authorities should go through the records of the time the SMS is sent and perhaps realise that they are asking too much from the hunters. The annual bag limit has to be enforced without having to limit each hunter to personal daily bag limits.

The issue of protected birds has been very seriously addressed by the law-abiding hunters, knowing full well that the season might be jeopardised if illegal practices persist. It is crystal clear that enforcement should be stepped up after 3 p.m. and public holidays.

All in all, I consider that there is room for negotiations and improvement. Any changes should not be considered as the government giving in to pressure from the hunters. It would be a compromise emerging from discussion which this year it was not possible to hold due to the time constraint.

I keep repeating that FKNK and BirdLife should refrain from pointing fingers at each other and unite with the aim of spreading education on legal hunting. They have both declared zero tolerance of illegal hunting and their united public approach in this respect is very welcome in order to deter possible offenders. The past has to be forgotten; BirdLife has to come to terms with limited spring hunting and FKNK should look at BirdLife as their companions in this respect. The two NGOs have to change their attitude towards each other and work together with the same aim: that of abolishing illegal hunting, not all hunting.