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Say G'day to your local shooter... :-(


Hans's picture

By Hans - Posted on 25 February 2013

This development gives me the creeps... "16,000 recreational amateur hunters are registered with the Game Council of NSW"

It's always interesting to meet some of those folks ...from the other side of the barrel....


“Now Lizzy… A rifle in the wrong hands can be,... you know, really dangerous.“
[Character, Mick Taylor, in the 2005 Australian film, Wolf Creek]

Some info on the "Game Council" (and some weird trophy shots)
http://www.habitatadvocate.com.au/?tag=national-...

obmal's picture

awesome! is there a bag limit on a night ride? where's the best MTB trails to hunt on?? can someone add "most kills" category to the hot laps??? does stans no tubes seal up bullet holes in my tyres????
instead of heading back to the Tav for last orders, I can now just take my time and cook up the stuff I shoot.. or found shot.. much fresher!
MTB just got much much more exciting.. and tough!!

muvro's picture

Nothing wrong with shooting in legal areas. The problem isn't the people that are licensed and abode by the law, it's the people that aren't licensed that don't shoot responsibly that are the problem. Of these people there are a small percentage of off-center people that will get a gun and be a danger to others. Then there's an even smaller percentage that actively seek out people or animals to hurt and torture. This is the percentage that I fear most.

The average punter that does some recreational hunting or target shooting is perfectly harmless, they've either been brought up in a rural community (farm) and use firearms in thier day to day life, or they are active members of a club and attend shooting ranges. To get a license you have to "basicly" (used loosely) fall into the above two catagories.

shano's picture

No more riding in my Deer onesie! Evil

Hop fiend's picture

Current licened gun owners have to apply to get a special permit to shoot in heavily regulated & specified area's & then only to kull a certain feral pest in that area!-looks like all the scaremonger's will push some more crap!

crank's picture

Who has right of way on a Strava run?!

ChopStiR's picture

Was loving the Wolf creek reference but the Strava call has the win lol

evan's picture

Unfortunately this is another media beat up by people who don't know all the facts. Sound familiar... Mountain biking in National parks, having local residents stopping the building of mountain bike.
Considering what you have to do to obtain a license and then obtain the permits via the Game Council it is just scare tactics.
And it's not like I can just turn up anywhere in a national park and just start shooting shit. There are strict rules about where when and how it can happen. This is propaganda presented as usual without the whole facts and a short sighted view of the world. The majority of target species are feral anyway that damage the native ecosystems and either prey on, destroy the habitat of or compete for food with our native species.
Like mountain biking in National Parks, you need to keep an open mind about hunting.

Hans's picture

It is OK to have differing views on this...but to me it defies any logic to have amateur hunters in National Parks. Now they also proposed silencers for their guns. My previous trips with my MTB'ing kids into some remote areas of the Blue Mountains, the Wolgan Valley or the Watagans have taken on a whole new meaning....more like something out of 'Bourne Identity'.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/hunters-have-silencers...

What's next? Time to fight back by any (Wolf Creek) means....?

obmal's picture

Hans, your entitled to your views and I hope that you also post your views on some other web forum where it’s perhaps more relevant? or at least present some informed balanced arguments here?

Personally I don’t care as I honestly can’t see the danger and thus this has very little/perhaps zero relevance to me and my mountain biking.

I don't own/want a gun or shoot animals..

Lach's picture

.. I was in NZ in 2010 when a camper was shot and killed while cleaning her teeth before retiring for the night, by a hunter who somehow mistook her for a deer. I don't want that to happen to me when I'm out and about in a NP - whether on the mtb or walking or camping.

I'm all for efforts to cull feral animals from NP's (and to be honest, I'm not too worried about whether goats, pigs, foxes, rabbits etc are "humanely" killed), but I want to know that amateurs are being supervised and / or there is adequate notice to the public about when / where they are going to be in a NP and shooting. The more I hear about the Game Council, the less comfortable I feel about the process.

Brian's picture
HUNTERS would be allowed to use silencers on their guns while shooting feral animals in national parks to minimise the disturbance to other users under plans being developed by the state government.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/hunters-have-silencers...

At least they are being considerate....

Have they released a list of the NP and the intended zones?

obmal's picture

OK OK, so let’s all not forget that this is the real price we pay for cheap clean efficient power? anyhow I’m just glad that some other weirdo minority group didn’t have the chance to hold O’Farrell to ransom over state power privatization.

Lord knows what kind of crap would happen if the Christian democratic party or the No Parking Meters Party held the key??

evan's picture

Using NZ as an example is not really relevant as the rules and restrictions that apply to Aust are different. As stated above by me, it not a matter of a hunter going Ok I'm going to shoot here. They have restricted and designated areas they are allowed to hunt. If look you will see the maps and areas available on the Game Council website.
In NSW you can hunt in State and Crown Lands. Once again this to restricted areas. In order to hunt in these areas you need to the appropriate licences, permits and permissions.

Mountain bikers are willing to educate about mountain biking but are not willing to be educated about other things.

I hunt and I also mountain bike.

Hop fiend's picture

Well said sir.

kitttheknightrider's picture

I guess if you are genuinely concerned you could buy yourself some hope hubs and fluoro vest, but don't buy a duck whistle.

hawkeye's picture

Having read the press announcements in detail (not just what was reported by the gutter press) and spoken to a staffer in OFarrells office, i believe the facts are as presented by evan and muvro.

Nothing to panic about.... the amount of red tape they have to go through will be prodigious.

Saw on smh this arvo that OFarrell said silencers would not be considered. Police are vehemently opposed.

sikllama's picture

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/government-halts-hunti...

No need for flak jackets whilst riding just yet...

GiantNut's picture

First the call was track, now its S-T-R-A-V-A!!!! - I am looking forward to when I can yell Reloading then something you do to your mother.
No silencers though, you want to send a message to the others (the ones that look down at their front wheel when going up steep bits for example) and especially those horse riders. Bring it on. Plus the .44 mag will be impressive inside my knicks at the cafe.

obmal's picture

Yes exactly!
Is that a loaded gun in your nicks? Or you just happy to see me?

Black Flash's picture

dale... Howitzer possible to ride over almost anything...

pancakes's picture

That one bombed.

Sticking out tongue

Hans's picture

'Yes, I know, accidents will never happen'

....it's just that the consequences will hurt other people badly...

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/teen-shoots-dad-while-...

Hop fiend's picture

Not whilst hunting in State Forest or Nat. Park!

pancakes's picture

People don't hurt people...bicycles do! (well...potentially...as in potential energy....) ban living in units while we're at it! and saucepans!

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-man-throws-bicy...

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