Thread: Discussion on NZ Hunting moving forward - NZGuns

I’ve followed this with some interest. The article was one guys view.
Having been to 60+ countries and looked in depth at hunting across the world and how it’s managed. I’ve seen pretty much all.

Here in the UK we are getting it in the neck from all sides! It’s nasty! Gamekeepers beaten up there family’s threatened. I’ve been spat at shouted at as well as been threatened. I’m only part time. The “shooting community” is under attack!

Now you might well say “yeah but that’s over there and none of our business”! But your wrong. Because it’s come home to NZ. You just need to look at what’s happened right across the board since 2019. Even before then we started getting it in the neck. There not going to stop either, with the likes of Phill Elpha (or how ever you spell that twats name) etc. There is a whole list of em lining up to have a big old kick at us.

It’s not all bad news but we sure are behind the eight ball!
When I started shooting I was very much an individual. Did not like clubs. To many old guys doing nothing.
But we do need very much to banned together!
I never wanted a “Gun lobby” in NZ. But we have one. It’s not a bad thing either. We need it to protect our lifestyle choices.
We do need COLFO. We need people to lobby parliament.
I think it would be a good thing if every firearm owner had to join a club! Part of your sub would go towards COLFO and the GAC.
Now I know we all like to be independent.
But we need to face the fact that these guys are not going away. So we do need very much to change.

Yes user pays, if we had a game animal licensing system we would have more control on how our animals are managed!
Once that is in place we can then look at other issues like access etc.
But first we really do need this in place to stop the rot!

If you are doing something for the environment like those guys trapping, post it on FB in your local paper.
We really need to be proactive with this. We are dying by death of a thousand cuts. So let’s take a leaf out of the attackers books and start by getting in front of the camera and posting the good that is being done. Plant those seeds.
Good examples of that where “Take a Kid Fishing”. So....
Take a kid camping! (you can just carry your gun armed tramps are aloud, you don’t need to hunt it’s planting that seed though).
Take a kid target shooting! Good controlled environment safe and I’ve yet to come across a kid that was not at least a little interested, curious in guns.

When posting or talking to the press be wise about it think what you are posting. If we are to turn this around it’s no good if the first thing you say is F this and Shit that...all dressed up in camo. Think...what dose this look like to an outsider? To left wing press? Do I look like/sound like some far right wing red neck? That’s the image that we really need to stop!
Clean and here, to help managed the environment and show that firearms are in the hands of citizens that are responsible and safe.

All the rest is just noise.

So the three points are.
1 Together we stand!
2 Join a club where subs go to COLFO and the GAC
3 Get involved! Post good images and talk to the press with how we are helping.