NSW Premier Chris Minns’ claim that hunters don’t need more than four firearms is contradicted by his own government’s standard operating procedures for shooting, reinforcing the belief he was merely trying to appear ‘tougher’ than Western Australia when legislating fewer than its ownership limit of five guns.
The government’s SOPs, issued by the Department of Primary Industries, are guidelines for pest animal controllers and they aim to promote “the most humane, target-specific, economic and effective techniques available” to them.
The SOPs apply to everything from rodents and small birds up to sambar deer, emus and camels.
They recommend minimum calibres, bullet weights and muzzle energy figures for each target animal, and based on these minimums, the department’s guidelines suggest anyone targeting all species requires at least six firearms — but even then they would not necessarily cover all situations that are required.
For example, the SOPs recommend using night vision or thermal scopes for night-time shooting, which in a practical sense means having additional firearms to cover both daylight and dark shooting.
The SOPS recommend a minimum of a .17 HMR rimfire rifle for rabbits, cats and foxes; .222 for wild dogs; .243 for goats, pigs and small deer; and .308 for larger deer, donkeys and camels.
In addition, they urge hunters to use shotguns for birds up to the size of geese.
The recommendations for pest birds are less specific than for mammals, but cover the use of .410 shotguns as well as 20- and 12-gauges, plus rimfire rifles, centrefire rifle and air rifles.
Air rifles are noted as being particularly useful “inside shelters, sheds or other buildings” at ranges up to 25m – 10m further than .22 bird shot should be used.
The complexity of scenarios described in the bird SOPs, as well as others, underlines the argument against arbitrary limits on firearm ownership.
It could be argued that a hunter can shoot everything with a .308, but that ignores the SOPs acknowledgment of the importance of “economic” solutions and the implicit need for safety in all shooting circcumstances.
Most NSW shooters to whom the new four-gun limit applies have a genuine reason of “recreational hunting and vermin control” on their licences, but most communication from the government has focused on recreational hunters while ignoring the fact that the vermin-control aspect implies potential far greater requirements than stalking deer and pigs.
Under the SOPs, any keen hunter and/or controller of vermin would justify having at least six firearms: one shotgun, one air rifle, one rimfire and three centrefires — before deciding whether to opt for thermal or night vision scopes on additional rifles.
There are no statistics that suggest people who own more firearms are a greater risk to the public or themselves.
The NSW Premier’s imposition of a four-gun limit on hunters cannot be supported and is clearly no more than an egotistical attempt to appear strong.
It will certainly do nothing to reduce the terrorism he claimed his gun laws were targeting.
Note: In NSW, some of the species mentioned in this article may only be shot under a valid permit.
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