Hunter granted bail after pleading not guilty to shooting Honey Buzzard

A 44-year-old hunter has pleaded not guilty to a string of hunting charges, including shooting down a protected Honey Buzzard.

The incident allegedly took place on Tuesday at Miżieb.

Jimmy Muscat, 44, was released on bail. Police inspector Elliott Magro said the police had received reports that someone was shooting at a Honey Buzzard on Tuesday morning.

Officers who went to the scene saw the accused getting into his van and putting something in his pocket. Feathers were found in his pocket and the dead bird was found under the seat of the van, the inspector continued.

Police were informed that the shotgun was in his father’s possession. A number of weapons which police believe to be his, including an illegal silenced shotgun, were found at his father’s house.

The hunter pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The court granted bail against a personal deposit of €2,000 and a personal guarantee of €5,000. The accused was also ordered to stay at an alternative residence for now, since a number of stuffed birds found at his matrimonial home are being investigated.

Lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace appeared for Muscat. The case was heard by Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras.

The hunting federation - the FKNK - said Tuesday it had suspended the hunter’s membership.

The federation’s secretary Daniel Xriha noted in the statement that without FKNK membership, the said person cannot obtain or renew their hunting license.

This was not the only hunting story to make the news yesterday.

A different Maltese hunter was caught on video shooting a protected turtle dove.

Footage of the incident was uploaded to Twitter by the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS).

It said the footage was taken by one of its teams in the field at Chadwick Lakes.

The footage shows the hunter speaking on a walkie talkie and dropping the device and raising his “illegally adapted” semi-automatic shotgun as soon as he spots the low-flying bird. He fires off five shots in quick succession. At least one of the shots hits the bird, sending a cloud of feathers into the air.

The bird was, “one of thousands currently running the gauntlet across the, Maltese archipelago at the moment; en route to their breeding grounds in continental Europe,” CABS said.

“The suspect is one of four poachers we have identified in just the last few days. In two other incidents the perpetrators had also shot at turtle doves, in one case at a kestrel – both strictly protected,” the group said.

The hunting season is open until Friday. The Common Quail is the only legally huntable species.

“In all cases, the offenders can be identified beyond reasonable doubt from the footage and vehicles documented by our teams. The evidence has already been handed over to the police and criminal proceedings initiated,” CABS said.

A number of hunting illegalities have been reported by Birdlife Malta over the past few weeks.