The five-month autumn hunting season opens today and will remain open until 31 January 2020 (both days included). Hunting is being permitted for 40 species from land and 12 species from sea.

Of these, the turtle dove (gamiema) can only be hunted between 1 and 30 September. The overall bag limit for the autumn hunting season for Turtle Dove is set at 7,000.

Here are the rules, as provided by BirdLife Malta:

 

Hunting on land

·                     The autumn hunting season is open from 1 September 2019 to 31 January 2020

·                     Between 15 September and 7 October hunting is permitted from two hours before sunrise to 7pm

·                     For the remainder of the season, hunting is permitted from two hours before sunrise until two hours after sunset

·                     On Sundays, hunting is not permitted after 1pm

·                     It is legal to hunt for 40 species from land. All other species are protected by national and international law

·                     Of these, turtle dove can only be hunted between 1 September and 30 September 2019

·                     The overall bag limit for the autumn hunting season for turtle dove is 7,000

·                     It is illegal to hunt or possess a firearm or trapping equipment in a bird sanctuary

·                     It is illegal to use electronic callers

·                     It is illegal to have a shotgun capable of firing more than three shots in succession

·                     It is illegal to hunt within 50 metres of a main road

·                     It is illegal to hunt within 50 metres of a beach

·                     It is illegal to hunt within 200 metres of a residential area (i.e. an area with more than 100 residents) It is illegal to hunt under the legal age of 18

                                                                           

Hunting at sea

·                     Hunting of birds at sea is permitted between 1 October and 31 January 2020

·                     It is illegal to hunt at sea within three kilometres of the shoreline

 

The main hunting lobby, the FKNK, yesterday urged members “to observe regulations and respective laws, cooperate with the police and the competent authorities, and, above all, not to not fall victim to any provocation by any entities and /or individuals. In case of such an incident, hunters need to file a report with the police immediately.”

It also reminded members that the rabbit hunting season remains open until 31 December.

 

Any illegalities should be reported immediately to the police on 119, and by asking to be transferred to the Administrative Law Enforcement (ALE) unit