For your guidance: what’s legal and illegal in spring hunting + numbers to call

A lapwing – one of these birds was shot a few days ago

This information is from Birdlife Malta. Report any illegal incidents to the police on 119 or BirdLife Malta on 2134 7644/5/6 (during office hours) or on BirdLife Malta’s emergency number 7925 5697 outside office hours.

SPRING HUNTING SEASON 2015 – WHAT IS LEGAL AND ILLEGAL?

When is hunting allowed?
From Tuesday 14 April – Thursday 30 April (both days included)
Monday to Friday: from 2 hours before sunrise until 2pm
Saturdays and Sundays: from 2 hours before sunrise until noon

What birds can be hunted?
Only two types of birds may be shot: turtle dove and common quail. Each hunter may shoot only two birds in a day and only four birds in the entire season.

Once a hunter has reached this quota, he is no longer permitted to hunt.

Hunters are required by law to notify the Wild Birds Regulation Unit every time they shoot a bird, by sending a text message, and they must fill in their Carnet de Chasse booklet before leaving the hunting zone.

Where is hunting allowed?
It is illegal to hunt in designated Bird Sanctuaries (e.g. Buskett, Girgenti, Salina), at sea (i.e. on board a boat), within 50m of main roads and beaches, AND within 200m of residential areas.

Hunters may use public land, but may only use private property with the permission
of the owner, otherwise they are breaking the law by trespassing.

Who is allowed to hunt?
Hunters must have applied for and obtained a special spring hunting licence from the Wild Birds Regulation Unit.

When hunting, the licensee is required by law to carry his spring hunting licence, a mobile
phone, his carnet de chasse booklet and a pen.

What else are hunters not allowed to do?
They are not allowed to use live birds or dummy birds (decoys), other than turtle doves or quails, to attract wild birds to the hunting site. Nor are they allowed to use electronic recordings/calls in any form.

They are not allowed to use guns which can fire more than three shots in succession, or any other form of modified and unlicensed shotgun.

Trapping
Trapping in any form, for any type of bird, is not allowed. Even nets laid down on trapping sites are illegal.