N O AUSTRALIAN SHOOTERS JOURNAL R TheASJ political voice of the SSAA E S P Anti-hunting stance E rebuffed C T by SSAA AUSTRALIA 2018 Vol. 15 Issue 1 www.ssaa.org.auAustralian Shooters Journal 1 Members-only insert to the Australian Shooter In this issue ASJThe political voice of the SSAA Staff CEO-Chief Editor Tim Bannister, Editor Allan Blane, Associate Editor Thomas Cook, Assistant Editor Dave Rose, Chief of Staff Jennifer Martens, Art Director Mike Barr, Production Coordinator Judy Ward, Graphic Designer Natalie Kuhlmann, Communications Officer Sam Talbot, Advertising Representative Karoline Minicozzi, Administration Debbie Wing. PO Box 2520, Unley, SA 5061 3 A message from SSAA National President Geoff Jones Phone: 08 8272 7100 Fax: 08 8272 2945 Internet: www.ssaa.org.au 4 Recreational hunting and animal welfare - An RSPCA Email: [email protected] Australia (mis)information paper Distributed to 191,000 members Australia-wide. The ASJ is owned and published by the Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia Inc. Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy of this Association. Contributions: Freelance contributions are welcome. We do, however, recommend that potential authors contact the office prior to story drafting. No responsibility can be accepted for errors and/or omissions. No text or photographs within the ASJ may be republished, either electronically or in print, without the express written permission of the SSAA. Copyright 2018. The Australian Shooters Journal is published periodically and is printed by Genii, Brookvale, NSW. The Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia Inc (SSAA Inc) is subject to the provisions of Unrealistic path to utopia the National Privacy Act. We collect personal 14 information from members of the Sporting The Greens’ visceral view of volunteer hunters Shooters’ Association of Australia in the various states and territories. Should you want a copy of the SSAA Inc Privacy Statement or seek further information please write to PO Box 2520, 16 Tackling the feral pest problem head on Unley, SA 5061. See back issues of ASJ at ssaa.org.au/asj 2 Australian Shooters Journal A message from SSAA National President Geoff Jones Regardless of the demands Greens are almost always guilty of this. ethical hunters that way. The only losers of an increasing politically The truth is, the world over, recre- in this sort of ideological contest are our ational hunters have contributed more to wildlife and environment. This contest is correct world, it is sometimes conservation efforts and animal welfare not what SSAA and its members believe difficult to respond politely outcomes than most of the inner-urban in or promote. Our ongoing ‘Be Part of to crass stupidity and blatant armchair do-gooders combined. Some the Solution’ campaign is much more than dishonesty put to the Australian non-hunting conservation groups have cheap rhetoric: it is an opportunity for also had positive effects through their all our members who identify as hunters public as ‘fact’ or ‘research’ efforts however, it is worth noting that to ‘walk the walk’. Whether through our in relation to animal welfare. the principles underlying these successes highly skilled and regulated Conservation When the zealots of fairyland are often so similar to those of hunting and Wildlife Management groups, our groups. Sadly, there are some good and accredited Farmer Assist participants try to denigrate the natural, sensible people in non-hunter groups or just through our individual ethical legitimate and cultural claim whose genuine commitment to wildlife is hunter members, we can and should make human beings have to ethical, devalued and distorted by association with ourselves aware of the truth, take the sustainable and humane the extremists. moral high ground and openly challenge By the same token we should not be the dishonesty every time it is pushed. hunting and harvest of a natural expected to stand idly by while the $5 Legitimate hunters all have a place in resource, their diatribe cannot contributor ‘conservationist’, ‘animal the natural world and, provided we always go unchallenged. rights supporter’ or Greens voter deni- act with integrity and respect for humans grates the real contribution hunters and animals alike, we can and should make to conservation and the dignity of claim that right and not allow ourselves Despite the fact that genuine, peer-re- animals in life or in death. To suggest that to be marginalised by an extreme radical viewed research and hard evidence almost all motor car drivers are deranged and minority whose only weapon is irrational always favours the lawful, ethical hunter, homicidal maniacs just because a small emotion. We will continue to educate the naysayers are undeterred from peddling minority of their number do stupid or groups like the RSPCA about the real role their extreme ideologies and divisive, unre- criminally negligent things, often with hunters play in conservation and call out alistic agendas. The RSPCA is sometimes catastrophic consequences, is equally offensive anti-hunting policies perpetuated unfortunately guilty of this, while The disingenuous or laughable as labelling by groups like The Greens. Australian Shooters Journal 3 10.1 RSPCA Australia is opposed to the hunting of any animal for sport as it causes unnecessary injury, pain, suffering, distress or death to animals involved. 4 Australian Shooters Journal SSAA Farmer Assist program aims to curb malignant ferals Recreational hunting SSAA MEMBERS CAN do their bit to bolster the SSAA Farmer Assist program, which has already made a major impact across the and animal welfare – length and breadth of Australia. An RSPCA Australia (mis)Information Paper The venture seeks to help farmers eradicate rogue and feral pest animals on their properties thanks to volunteer shooters and he information paper released by must follow, hunting organisations also is now fully operational in Queensland, South RSPCA Australia in late 2017 is a have their own which obliges members to Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, New collection of various policies and follow the rules. To make blanket state- South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory statements dating back a number ments that seem to imply the majority of and Victoria. T hunters do the wrong thing and have no of years. This document is littered with emotional terms and statements, precon- regard for animal welfare is somewhat The concept is simple but highly effective ceived notions that the majority of hunters disappointing. Animal rights organisations - SSAA members sign up as shooters to do the wrong thing and don’t take animal have a tendency to make outlandish state- put their skills to use free of charge when welfare seriously and is more or less ments to further their cause, but this is assignments come up at the request of expressed opinion rather than facts. something we shouldn’t expect from the farmers, landowners or managers who are The continual use of the term ‘sport’ RSPCA. also registered. In an attempt to downplay the use of when discussing hunting is rather disin- To become involved you simply fill out recreational hunting as a pest control tool, genuous. The term ‘sport’ in regard to an online enrolment form. Members statements are made that hunting is inef- hunting originates from North America must undertake the firearm proficiency fective at reducing pest populations on a where it was simply used to distinguish requirements and have a digital copy of broad-scale level. The problem with this real hunters (sportsmen) from market or their assessment target available prior to statement is that most hunting occurs at commercial hunters. These days, and in completing the online document. the Australian context, hunting is simply a the local scale (being the property) and is recreational pastime. focused on impact mitigation of the partic- This initial online form only requires contact The opinion that ‘the potential for ular pest animal. For example, hunters information to construct your profile and significant suffering is extremely high’ target foxes through spotlighting activities create a password that will allow you to during hunting activities is exaggerated. during lambing season to improve lambing retrieve your account once established. rates, or target grazing pests at particular The act of hunting in Australia is highly Members must read the Complete Program times to reduce crop damage. Coordinated regulated. There are a number of codes Booklet and be prepared to follow the safety, shooting programs such as those under- of practice (COPs) in place that must be animal welfare and ethical hunting guidelines. followed when hunting. Not only do regu- taken by the SSAA Conservation and latory authorities have COPs that hunters Wildlife Management branches can be Members are required to undertake a self- guided shooting competency test at their local SSAA range using the SSAA Farmer Assist target. If you’re already a member of a Conservation and Wildlife Management Farmers speak about Farmer Assist (CWM) branch you don’t need to take this “We have always found the Farmer Assist shooters extremely test. good, communicative and obliging (and very successful!). They With a completed target in hand you’ll be ready to fill in the signup form and upload ring before they come; and on the way before arrival. They were a digital copy of your target or CWM clean, tidy and left no mess. They camped in our cottage.” membership evidence. Registration is completed by responding to an email from Andrew C, Aramac farmer SSAA Farmer Assist to verify your account. This will let you log in to the Farmer Assist jobs page and start being part of the feral pest solution. For more information visit farmerassist.com.au Australian Shooters Journal 5 Animal rights organisations have a tendency to make outlandish statements to further their cause, but this is something we shouldn’t expect from the RSPCA.