The Changing Face of Hunting in Australia
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AUSTRALIAN SHOOTERS JOURNAL TheASJ political voice of the SSAA Heart of the hunter Facts about crippling and wounding rates in waterfowl The changing face of hunting in Australia 2011 Vol. 12 Issue 1 www.ssaa.org.au Members-only insert to the Australian Shooter In this issue ASJThe political voice of the SSAA Staff Managing Editor Tim Bannister, Associate Editor Kaye Jenkins, Art Director Mike Barr, Production Coordinator Judy Ward, Graphic Designer Natalie Hill, Media Officer Rachael Andrews, Advertising Representative Karoline Minicozzi, Administration Debbie Wing and Alison Slodki. Contributors SSAA National Research Team, John Elder, Craig Sillitoe, Tony Sharley, Paul Wainwright. 3 The changing face of hunting in Australia Cover photo by Craig Sillitoe. PO Box 2520, Unley, SA 5061 3 Hunting in Australia Phone: 08 8272 7100 Fax: 08 8272 2945 Internet: www.ssaa.org.au 5 State-by-state perspective Email: [email protected] 6 Hunter involvement in wildlife management Distributed to 134,000 members Australia-wide. 8 Expert Advisory Group The ASJ is owned and published by the Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia Inc. Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and 8 Be Part of the Solution campaign do not necessarily reflect the policy of this Association. 10 Red Deer Research Project Contributions: Freelance contributions are welcome. We do, however, recommend that 11 Conclusion potential authors contact the office prior to story drafting. Color slides and manuscripts may be sent to the address shown above. 12 Heart of the hunter No responsibility can be accepted for errors and/or omissions. No text or photographs within the ASJ may be The facts about crippling and wounding republished, either electronically or in print, without the express written permission of the 14 rates in waterfowl in Australia SSAA. Copyright 2011. The Australian Shooters Journal is published 14 Background information periodically and is printed by Genii, Brookvale, NSW. 14 Australian research The Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia 15 Relevance of earlier research Inc (SSAA Inc) is subject to the provisions of the National Privacy Act. We collect personal information from members of the Sporting 16 Summary Shooters’ Association of Australia in the various states and territories. Should you want a copy of 16 The constructive way forward the SSAA Inc Privacy Statement or seek further information please write to PO Box 2520, Unley, SA 5061. See back issues of ASJ online at www.ssaa.org.au/asj The changing face of hunting in Australia by the SSAA National Research Team Red Deer Research Project members provide much- needed volunteer labour and field assistance. ecreational hunting in Australia is a legitimate pastime legitimate and positive activity, the same as fishing.2 In late 2009, involving people of all ages on both private property the SSAA began a national campaign3 promoting this message and on government land as permitted. These hunters and encouraging people to recognise that hunting can be part provide direct and indirect social, economic and environ- of the solution to managing problems where wildlife and the R 1 mental benefit to communities across the country. surrounding environment may be at odds. Australian hunters are perhaps in a unique position of being This chapter will examine hunting in Australia. It will look at unable to hunt any of their native animals; instead, only those that the current situation for hunters across all states and territo- were introduced with European settlement are permitted. Hunting ries and the SSAA’s initiatives to gain acceptance of hunting as regulations vary between all Australian states and territories a recreational pastime and useful tool in maintaining a balanced and focuses on different pest animal problems and game animals, ecosystem. depending on population numbers and the climate. Rabbits, foxes, cats and pigs are among the species generally classified as a ‘feral’ or ‘pest’ and can be hunted at any time, while species such as deer, Hunting in Australia duck, quail and pheasant are often the subject of a specified open Hunting in Australia is as diverse as its unique landscapes. season with limits applied to individual hunters. Australian hunters have many species available to hunt, ranging Hunting is often a controversial issue in Australia, especially from small-game birds such as stubble quail to large-bodied in the political arena, with anti-hunting groups and political exotic species such as water-buffalo. The status, perception parties often fuelling the debate. However, the Sporting Shooters’ and management of these species differ immensely across the Association of Australia (SSAA) is working to spread a more country. Some species are viewed by government authorities, educated and balanced message about the value of hunting as wildlife professionals, hunters and the general public as simply a conservation tool, as well as hunting for the table as being a pests, while other species are valuable game resources. > www.ssaa.org.au/asj 3 The changing face of hunting in Australia The difference in which a species status is viewed is one of the valued resources to be managed and treated as pests instead of main reasons Australia is seen as having a dysfunctional game a sustainable recreational food and economic resource. Although and wildlife management regime. The way in which the status most animal rights groups would disagree, one of the best ways of many native and introduced species is perceived creates divi- to preserve and maintain a population of any species is to put an sion within the ranks of hunters, wildlife professionals and the economic value on it. An animal with no value to the local commu- community at large. This is most evident when individual views nity is one that is not looked after and is often viewed negatively if and acceptance of a particular species clash and cause conflict it impacts the local community in some way. In countries such as between individuals and groups. Namibia, for instance, sustainable wildlife use through the develop- All Australian states and territories manage their native and intro- ment of community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) duced wildlife differently. In South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania programs provide many economic and social benefits to the local for example, government wildlife authorities continue to proclaim community, ensuring they are valued.5 and manage sustainable recreational harvests of game birds such as The lessons learned from African countries, where countless duck and quail through managed and regulated hunting seasons. The populations of endangered species have been brought back from other states and territories may no longer proclaim an official hunting the brink of extinction, are invaluable. On many occasions, the season, but they do still permit the culling of ducks under ‘pest survival of the population simply came down to how the local mitigation’ permits and programs. This is a clear example of the one communities viewed the species. Once the community began to state managing the species as a resource and the other as a pest. value the animal as an economic and social resource, they no longer This differential management regime on the national scale often viewed it as a crop-eating or livestock-killing pest. Sustainable leads to political debate. Many anti-hunting groups commonly utilisation was a new paradigm that produced benefits beyond the declare that the hunting or shooting of ducks is banned in the protectionist regimes of the past. The thought of big-game hunting states without a managed and regulated recreational harvest.4 may be unpalatable to some, but the fact remains that it was very The shooting of ducks is indeed continuing but under a different successful in achieving what protectionist regimes could not and name - pest mitigation. Anti-hunting groups constantly make an this continues today. oversight of this fact while trying to influence public opinion by Slowly, this new management paradigm has made its way to the using the states that are, unfortunately, without a managed and shores of Australia. Unfortunately, there’s a long way to go and it regulated recreational harvest as a reason to ban duck hunting in is far from being fully recognised and accepted by wildlife manage- their particular state or territory. ment authorities that are still tied to protectionism policymaking. Australia’s dysfunctional approach to hunting, duck manage- Sustainable utilisation in Australia is limited to only a few species, ment and other game species across the country has allowed but there are some species that can provide economic and social SSAA SA Hunting & Conservation groups have been controlling goat numbers in the Flinders Ranges for many years now. This has resulted in an increase in yellow-footed rock wallaby populations too. 4 www.ssaa.org.au/asj The changing face of hunting in Australia benefits to local indigenous communities, such as has occurred in rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), feral cat (Felis catus), feral goat African countries. Crocodile safari hunting is just one example that (Capra hircus) and feral pig (Sus scrofa) have all been held respon- could provide benefits to the local Aboriginal people in communi- sible for negative social, economic and environmental impacts. ties within the Northern Territory. Animal rights groups continue The overall economic cost of a collection of pest animals has been to lobby against and provide resistance to any moves to relax reported to be in excess of $743 million per year in Australia14. protectionist policy to allow sustainable utilisation of animals. A This takes into account the direct economic costs associated with clear example of this was the decision by the previous Australian impacts relating to foxes, rabbits, wild dogs, feral pigs, mice and Minister for Environment Peter Garrett to refuse approval for birds, as well as estimated costs of pest management, administra- the Northern Territory Government to undertake a limited safari tion and research.