“Up until some time ago I used to hunt with a sparrowhawk as partner. He was aware of my preferred location and hour of day and he waited for me there. The first few birds were his. In any case he never gave me enough time to grab them after having shot them down. He was too quick for me or any of my dogs. So I stopped trying to outrun him. We both got used to the idea gradually. He got my first two birds and I continued my hunt after he had left”. It happened every time for years. Simos Keikidis, president of the local hunting society speaks with great respect for the sparrow hawk, a very common hawk on Paxos. “Some years ago sparrow hawks were considered a legitimate pray. Nowadays local hunters are informed about the fact it is an endangered spieces, vital for the island’s fona and ecosystem and do not shoot it any more. Unfortunately it could easily be mistaken in the dusk for a woodcock” adds the Mr Keikidis in an effort to justify the previous finding of a shot sparrow hawk at the foot path towards Analipsi church above Fontana village. “The show off hunters, the ones that love to give speeches in coffee shops but who at the same time do not hesitate to hunt down woodcocks exiting their nests at dusk in an effort to find food, those type of hunters have nothing to do with real hunting and the true hunting family” Mr Keikidis emphasizes. The local hunting society’s pamphlets are full of remarks like: proper hunting training for new hunters, careful storage of arms inside the house, away from children, no empty cartridges, plastic bags, empty cigarette cases etc on hunting location. The current board of trustees of the local hunting society has started many projects: proper education and training for young hunters, nests for geese and ducks on St Nicholas island, water bowls for birds all over the island, volunteer teams of look out tours against fires, volunteer groups for clearing foot paths etc. “Someone who has been a pocher for the last 40 years is not likely to change now. We are trying to educate the young, new hunters. Those are our hope for the future. Each one of our young Paxiots should realize that each one of them is an equal administrator of our island’s natural environment” says president, Simos Keikidis. “It is the only way to protect our natural fauna and flora”. Large populations of wild birds are one more reason for visitors on our island. In the present global crisis merciless environment we need every means of persuading we are an attractive tourist location; not simply to survive but to live in quality and style.