Hunting habits worry council

Press, 17 January 1979, Page 10

Hunting habits worry council

PA Wellington The Mountain Safety Council is concerned that hunters are not taking enough care to identify their targets properly. Two recent accidents in the Taupo area, one fatal, were apparently the result of failure by hunters to identify their targets, according to the council’s firearms field officer, (Mr P. Chard). “At a time when many more people than usual are in the bush, everyone must take extreme care,” he said. But the responsibility does not rest entirely with hunters. “Trampers, hunters, and all other people in the bush must be sure to wear distinctive clothing. It is pointless wearing yellows, reds, and browns, as these colours blend with the bush at this time of year. The best colour to wear is a patch of bright orange.” Mr Chard said that persons entering bush areas should also take the precaution of advising the

ranger of the district of where they were going and how long they would be in the bush. “This allows the ranger to tell trampers and hunters of where the safe areas are and to warn them about the fire risk,” Mr Chard said. “Hunters must also take care to avoid the very dangerous practice of ‘sound shooting’ — firing at a noise without first identifying what the cause of the noise is.”

Another practice worrying the council is spotlight shooting.

Mr Chard said that spotlighting was very dangerous. Persons shooting with spotlights in the bush or in open areas ran the risk of having their vehicles and weapons confiscated.

“The big danger is that shooters often do not consider the firing zone. With a spotlight they can see only their target; They cannot see what is beyond it.”