Hunting.

redmik wrote:

He was fined the maximum €2,500, had his licence suspended for three and a half years, and his shotgun confiscated.

Isnt this like the quickest court case in Maltese history though  ?
Im impressed that they have been swift and hopefully it will send out a message that they wont accept any breakage of the rules.
my only concern is that as he already had a blatant disregard of the laws that he will be out hunting again very soon
im thinking it should come with a six month prison sentence too

he will have another gun today you can bet on that......

his paperwork will be forged and he will be out shooting again - he still has14 days to shoot illegally and "it is his right of tradition"

but then thats the sort of thing Redders likes about Malta

robpw2 wrote:

im thinking it should come with a six month prison sentence too

There are other options too 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1TfZBjgG6c

Seems someone else has broken the rules to killing a lapwing this time ... Now I'm not a hunter so I probably wouldn't know what I was shooting at but they should know better

What concerns me is for everyone who is caugh how many are getting away

Hi Rob,

those hunters being caught for illegalities are the stupid ones !

Believe me, there are hundreds more , smarter ones out there ,especially in Gozo. THey are there all the time, not just during the official hunting seasons. They get the information on checks from fellow hunters, police officers who are friends and hunters and others. It is very difficult to catch them as there is no real enforcement . Do you wonder why BirdLife is always involved? The police themselves do not bother to give real enforcement.

I doubt if the season will be closed unless they start shooting flamingos on the Sliema seafront !

Cheers
Ricky

Today's hero:

He also admitted breaching bail conditions imposed in 2011 and last year and relapsing. His pending cases include a charge of attempted murder of a Tunisian man.

Wearing a bus driver's uniform, Mr Demicoli told the court that he did not know that that kind of bird could not be hunted in spring.

...

Least he's been imprisoned for 3 months and had his license suspended etc but it's really worrying someone with an alleged criminal
past was allowed a license in the first place .

He didn't know these birds couldn't be hunted is just a terrible excuse It's been all over the paper for weeks .
They also recommend he doesn't lose his job ... Not sure if want him driving me on a bus lol

Once the bus company he is driving for is known and shamed there should be a 'shitstorm' against them !

Let us make no doubt that this hunter's behaviour is unacceptable ! And anyone or company or court trying to protect him should pay ! Who wants to be driven by a potential murderer with a shotgun possibly next to his driving seat !

Come on Malta - you can't really be serious! But I fear you are ......

THis spring hunting season is turning out to be really interesting ! What next ?

Cheers
Ricky

this while debacle has so many repurcussions it beggars belief that they couldnt see ahead what was likely to happen - they cannot control these people - they know it but are so shit scared of losing the votes and thus power. - Two reported incidents within days -- so what does that tell you - what about all the ones that go unreported unseen  do we really think the countryside can possibly safe while these idiots running loose with guns, shoot at anything that moves or flies... allowed to rule under the power of the gun with verbal and potentially violent physical abuse.

dont go walking dont go rambling dont go camping  - in fact stay in town its safer....

Maltas countryside has more or less become a no go area...... shame on those who allowed this to happen  - in the name of votes........ oh and probably money

I am waiting but not holding my breath for the PM to close the season, as he said he would, in the event of any breaches.

robpw2 wrote:

Least he's been imprisoned for 3 months and had his license suspended etc but it's really worrying someone with an alleged criminal
past was allowed a license in the first place .

He didn't know these birds couldn't be hunted is just a terrible excuse It's been all over the paper for weeks .
They also recommend he doesn't lose his job ... Not sure if want him driving me on a bus lol

Think he has appealed the decision,so wont be imprisioned before thats heard.So it will probably be at least 5 years.

apparently it might be difficult to spot the differences between a turtle dove and a cuckoo when they are in flight ... surely everyone knows that cuckoos only come out on the hour

on a serious not i cannot see them closing down the season after two reported incidents i know JM said he would close it if there was continued abuse .. but he also said it was down to hunters to report incidents etc and i guess he could say that by these two high profile cases that this is working so it should continue .

Its a difficult one does two incidents show continued abuse ...
I do think what yesterday incident shows is that more should be done to tighten uphow easy it is to get a licence

were the two incidents reported by licensed responsible hunters? if there are such things.

does anyone really believe there have only been two breaches  - i sure dont