The Spring Hunting Out (SHout) campaign is encouraging those who are yet to collect their voting document to vote in the 11 April referendum to do so, and not waste the opportunity being provided to them.
At a press conference held during an event organised by SHout in Sliema, campaign spokesmen Mark Sultana and Moira Delia both emphasised the need for people to ensure that they can vote in the referendum.
Mr Sultana said that the referendum was the most democratic form of expression, and said that pro-hunting advocates' assertion that it was an intolerant referendum was abusive and indicative of a failure to understand the basic concept of democracy. He pointed out that both Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil - who have both said that they will vote in favour of spring hunting - have declared that it was up to the public to decide on the matter.
He said that on the contrary, the referendum was an opportunity for people to show that they would no longer be held hostage by a loud minority, noting that for many years, the majority's pleas were being ignored because of a gun-wielding minority which thought it could act as it pleased.
"Their guns are not as powerful as your vote," he pointed out.
Mr Sultana said that while many voting documents have been collected, thousands of documents remain uncollected, urging those who are yet to collect their vote to do so and provide a gift to the Maltese people.
The SHout campaigner also emphasised that contrary to what was widely being said, the Treaty of Accession Malta signed with the EU did not guarantee Maltese people's right to hunt in spring.
He noted that Malta bound itself to adhere to EU legislation, including the directive prohibiting the hunting of migratory birds as they are on their way to breed.
On her part, Ms Delia observed that she was yet to hear one positive reason to justify the shooting of birds who were heading to their breeding grounds.
She noted that people had the right to participate and vote in the referendum, stressing that such an opportunity should not go to waste.
Holding up a sample vote, Ms Delia said that the question being presented to voters was admittedly a complicated one - the question being asked is "Do you agree that the provisions of the 'Framework for Allowing a Derogation Opening a Spring Hunting Season for Turtle Dove and Quail Regulations' (Subsidiary Legislation 504.94) should continue in force?" - but added that there was a simple way to vote, placing an "X" on the "no" box for effect.
The event saw SHout launch an informative leaflet which provides 10 reasons for people to vote no.
The listed reasons include that people had a right to express their opinion in a referendum, that enjoying the countryside was a right and not a privilege, that hunting on birds travelling to their breeding grounds within the EU is only allowed to take place in Malta, that hunters seize control of public land during hunting season, the existence of an alternative - autumn hunting - to hunting in spring, the cost of enforcing hunting regulations in spring and Judge Giovanni Bonello's confirmation that hobbies cannot be banned by referendum.
SHout also argues that a referendum loss would turn the clock back on conservation.
The leaflet also provides an explanation of how to vote, and the public is urged to call 7761 5541 if they require SHout's assistance to vote.