Jude J

Pretty much the same as UK then, I had an old family friend that had a hunting lodge up in Scotland, rich bugger he was, because people are happy to pay good money for the pleasure of killing animals and birds.
I love seeing wild deer, hate the thought of them being shot. I presume there are dedicated areas? I remember a while back the story of the bloke that shot his mate thinking he was a deer.

southerner

Oh deer, poor dear!

southerner

I'm sure there are more guns per capita in NZ compared to Europe, makes sense - the country is more outdoorsy and rural than most countries, and many sports involving the outdoors will have higher participation rates. Just like there are more yachts in Auckland than anywhere else.

I don't see that there is a big gun culture though - handguns and automatics are tightly restricted, and the police are fighting the battle against illegal weapons.

Am Loolah

So ... to clarify, we're talking "huntin'; shootin;; fishin;" not shooting people?! Felt thread title was a tad misleading? Just me then?!

Nerine

Ah, don't worry about it .

Not sure I know what you mean by "dedicated areas"....areas for hunting? or areas for the protection of deer? there are neither, deer in the wild are considered to be a nuisance and treated accordingly, as are possums (can't shoot the latter in Oz)

I think the motto is "if it moves shoot it"

Kippers

Hmm. I think you only need to look at the British, US and Australian government's policy in Iraq to see gun culture gone mad.

What sort of example do these so-called advanced societies set the rest of us?


Kip

Jude J

Yeah I meant for hunting but I supose either would be good! I cant believe it! I dont mean that as in I dont believe you...I mean it's just too shocking. So, you could be out on a walk in the country or somewhere the deers hang out, and there might be a hunter lurking? I'm suprised there aren't more accidents involving people getting shot instead of deer.
I knew about possums being a nuisance, they are, but deer?

Nerine

I'm sure it's got a lot worse here since "the fight against terrorism" really got off the ground - the range of weapons available for illegal import must have really widened.

Where's theres a market there's always someone there to supply it.

Jude, deer cause a lot of damage and are a real pest. You should know by now that anything not considered to be indigenous to NZ is likely to fair game. Explains the attitude towards migrants? (that was a joke!)

Buzzy--Bee

What about the "Easter Bunny" Hunt?

Does that still go on?

100s of people wandering around Alexandra seeing who could shoot the most bunnies over the Easter weekend.

1000s of bawling kids thinking the Easter bunny was dead?



Buzzy

Kippers

You do realise they have kangaroo shoots in Australia if that's where you're going.
Bye-bye Skippy



Kip

BEVS

I'm sure he was a ' Good Keen Man '

thebears

not much fun since automatics are no longer allowed

P2L

My OH has an air rifle and a shotgun, fo which he holds a licence.

It's an interest and passion that he has always had and will continue in N.Z

He shoots vermin (like Sir Eglamore) which he does on a regular basis with other people, but he is just as content to shoot clays at our local club.

We have 3 kids, 2 of which are old enough to shoot and have done so. They have had tuition and as family we discuss the issue of guns and people's and society's attitude towards guns and those that own them.IMO I think people's ignorance causes a lot of harm to something that has been in existence for hundreds of years and today is not just for the landed gentry to be involved in.

Gun crime is so high because owning a gun has been driven underground esp. in the last 20 years. N.Z gun crime has actually INCREASED since the introduction of licencing, but once again the actions of a small minority of a population has influenced how the majority view something.

If you were to investigate the procedure for owning a gun or firearm and saw what was involved and also the code of conduct that people impose voluntarily in this sport/ pursuit then maybe you would think again.

Here ended the sermon

kiwi_child

[QUOTE=Nerine;4298573]Here's the shocker though .... some of those 500 weapons were held legitimately and only seized because the owner showed signs of illegal activity.

A Detective Senior Sergeant from Hamilton police was reported as voicing his a concern that legally people can own any pretty well any firearm they please.

However the reason for the raids was to investigate the thriving black market trade in illegal firearms and the police were shocked at the amount of firearms that were unlawfully owned, the majority of which had been imported into the country illegally.

QUOTE]

1. The weapons that were legal meant the owner must have held a license for them, eg; collector. Incidentally a collector cannot own a machine gun that is able to be used on automatic mode. The auto option must have been rendered inoperable.

2. Black market in firearms exists all over the world. Why would anyone think NZ was immune? NZ just smaller scale. In OZ recently bloody rocket launchers were pinched from the army to be sold to terrorist group sympathisers/members. A couple of years ago, 2 soldiers were selling firearms to Hell's Angels apparently but got caught out.

kiwi_child

I'd just like to point out that wild pork, duck, venison etc, cannot possibly be compared to what is by comparison the rather lame tasting stuff we get in supermarkets, butchers, etc. Though not all would be a fan, the gamey taste is I'm sure, popular amongst hunters and many who try their spoils.

I think hunting is about the challenge and chase, the comaraderie, the kill and the feast it provides.