Whether it's because he wanted to give Karmenu Vella a leg up in anticipation of his grilling by the EU Parliament or because he (Muscat) has perceived a numerical advantage in annoying bird-killers rather than appeasing them or because he genuinely believes that it's time they were told where to get off, the fact is that he did something that had a good result.
Namely, suspended the hunting season. At this time, it is illegal to shoot birds. The noble hunters are mortally pissed off.
Excellent.
Now, the next step, which will have the advantage from Muscat's point of view of propping up Vella even more (boy, he needs it) and, from our point of view, annoying the hunters even more, is to announce the (early) holding of the referendum on Spring hunting.
And the one after that, pull the other one, it's got bells on, will be to ban hunting altogether. Well, a girl can dream, can't she?
Generally speaking I would have taken the opportunity to have a swipe at Labour's proto-totalitarian methods and about how they can never seem to strike a balance between governing and ruling but this time I'll close an eye because it's the hunters that are being kicked in the nether regions.
There's no other group of men that attracts, and deserves, this sort of reaction.
One of the first large demonstrations held by the motley crew of hunters, back before we joined the EU if I recall correctly, had resulted in criminal damage to private property in Sliema. A few years later, personal injuries to and theft from press photographers, namely Darrin Zammit Lupi and my son, were the outcome.
A couple of days ago, attacks on bystanders and the press were also the order of the day.
In all cases, the so-called spokesmen for the bird-killers could hardly have been more mealy mouthed in their condemnation, it was as if they wished they didn't have to condemn their brothers-in-arms but had no choice.
All the time, we get the same sort of reaction when protected birds are killed and the law is broken. Condemnation but of the lukewarm variety, matching, latterly, the lukewarm enforcement efforts of a Government that had to pay the piper for the tune played before the elections.
It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out.
Will Muscat take his new-found steely will to its logical conclusion and shit hunting down once and for all, or will we have some swift fudging, trying to please everyone with a vote?