In the big-bore forum a discussion is going on about shooting roos -- at least it didn't start that way! Superspeed has got me thinking about hunting in Australia -- damn you! I don't even know where to begin to inquire and thought this might be the place to start. Now I've worked with a number of Ozzies over the years and I can imagine no more fun hunting partners!

What are you looking at hunting?

Hell, Bakes, I don't descriminate! What have you got to hunt that's reasonably priced?!

Half a dozen (at least) deer species , pigs , goats , camels , buffalo ,banteng (relatively expensive), feral cattle , feral donkey and horse , rabbits , hare , feral cats , foxes , feral dogs and dingoes , wildfowl .
Kangaroos may only be culled under permit throughout most of Australia .

There are lots of things to shoot in Aus. but legally getting your hands on a gun to shoot anything with is the #$%@@& trick.

I hear you may go through an outfitter for a hunt and jump over a lot of the gun permit B.S.

I spent a year down under and the time, money and hasstles got the best of me and I never got the permits. I desided to practice juggling while jumping rope on a high wire instead. It was easier.

Robin in Rocky

That's a bit discouraging.

Hey you fellas,

Try to just transit a sporting rifle THROUGH the USA on the way from OZ to Canada and you'll see just how difficult US laws are!!!

Cheers,
Mark.

quote:

Originally posted by duffy4:
There are lots of things to shoot in Aus. but legally getting your hands on a gun to shoot anything with is the #$%@@& trick.

I hear you may go through an outfitter for a hunt and jump over a lot of the gun permit B.S.

I spent a year down under and the time, money and hasstles got the best of me and I never got the permits. I desided to practice juggling while jumping rope on a high wire instead. It was easier.

Robin in Rocky

No you do not necessarily need an outfitter in all states, but most people need their hands held.

As for the difficultly of permits, some people are slower than others.

Also we don't want just any nutcase foreignor running around here with firearms.

hahaha well said John!!!

quote:

Originally posted by NitroX:


Also we don't want just any nutcase foreignor running around here with firearms.

20 million Australians will one more really make any difference

Import permits for NT Australia,really are not a problem.

HaHa! I'd fit right in!

We had a German tourist named Joseph Schwab do a bit of shooting in the Northern Territory and W.A. in 1987 . Took out 5 other tourists before the police nailed him near Fitzroy Crossing .
Saw the rifle he was using during his shootout with W.A. police in a Perth gunshop a few years later . Sako A11 in .308 with a bullet hole through the fore-end .

quote:

Originally posted by NitroX:

No you do not necessarily need an outfitter in all states, but most people need their hands held.

Actually for a short time visitor access to properties is a BIG issue and outfitters have access and the equipment so are pretty much essential.

For a visitor who has friends here or here for a longer time, they might be able to organise their own hunting. Property access is a big necessity though to getting good hunting.

I believe some states like NSW do not issue temporary firearms licences without an outfitter involved. Others will issue them.

I answered a bit sarcastically above as it is SUCH A BIG DEAL to fill out a few papers for some US visitors. Yet the paperwork to go to the USA is just as much if not more.

And if the foreign visitor temp licence paperwork is too much for you, there is no way if you were a propspective Aussie shooter that you would get a licence here anyway!

Well I went to NSW for a year.
First I was told that I could not get a permit to posess a firearm at all if I wasn't a resident. Then when I went to get registration on our car I was told that if I was going to be driving in NSW more than three months I would need to get a NSW drivers licence. It took longer than expected to get it. But then I phoned Sydney cop shop again and said I was a resident of NSW and wanted a permit to use firearms to shoot at a range and to hunt with. So I got that paper work. Got permission from a land owner. Payed $70.00 and took a little gun safety test. Then I was told that to get a gun range membership, it was going to cost $50.00 or more and take some time. Then I'd have to send $100.00 and my application with all kinds of additional paper off to Sydney. I would have to have a gun safe of storage unite bolted to the floor and a wall and meeting their details and have that inspected by a local cop. And then if I wanted to get my own gun (even a .22) I'd have to buy it and wait another couple months and then... I'd be on my way back to Canada by then.

So I just thought "What would Ned Kelly do???"

I went out at night with a couple of mates and borrowed a .22 and shot a dozen spot-lighted rabbits. Another night I went out with a landowner with a roo damage permit and I held the light while he shot 10 roos.

We have been talking about going to Aus. again for another year teacher exchange. NOT NSW though.



Robin (the rabbit poacher) in Rocky

Duffy, come to NZ. Its much more gun/hunter friendly than that.

You show your Canadian gun permit or whatever you have at airport and pay NZ$25 and you have a temp NZ license for a year. You can even bring your hunting long guns with you no problem although you would need some form of lockable storage in NZ.

Free access to most public land by a permit issued by Dept of Conservation (DoC) on request.

Shortage of teschers here but I dont know of any exchange scheme.

Your Canadian license is ok here for a year too for car, motorcyle or light commercial (like RV).

We encourage tourists and vistors!

The teacher exchange does involve New Zealand. Sounds like that is where we should go next time.

Any teachers out there or guys married to teachers?

My wife teaches "year one" and would probably like that grade. We would not like to live in a big city and would prefer a small town or in the country near a town.

You would exchange houses with us. We live on an acerage near Rocky Mountain House (24 km.) a town of 7 thousand people. And about 86 km. from Reddeer a bigger city. There is lots of good hunting around here and I have a couple friends that would get a "hunter host" permit so they could take you out hunting. Drop me a line if you are interested or knows someone who is. Not too far from some great downhill skiing as well.

Have a good one.

Robin in Rocky

quote:

Originally posted by duffy4:
Well I went to NSW for a year.

....

We have been talking about going to Aus. again for another year teacher exchange. NOT NSW though.

A lot of what you say is true for residents. If here for more than three months you aren't a temporary visitor. And need to do all the bullshit you mention.

BUT actually I have no problem with forcing firearms owners to do compulsory safety tests, supervised firearm handling tests, basic knowledge of firearms etc. And while it irritates me as to the inconvenience on a farm I think gun safe storage of firearms when not in use is a good idea. Personally I have never had a problem in licencing people and weeding out problem persons from obtaining legal firearms that way. But once licenced most of the other restrictions are rubbish IMO.

I said in an earlier post that in actual fact "temporary visitors" will find it far easier to get a temporary licence than any resident, and your comments are spot on on that.

Check out SA, and the NT for states with easier firearms laws. Maybe some others. WA and NSW probably have the worst laws.

Just to make your day, your interstate licence for NSW may NOT be valid in other states except for three months (ie interstate temporary residence). In some states all the old BS needs to be done again (or so I have been told)!

Needing a firearms licence, a gun safe for storage, a 28 day waiting period for a new firearm are all Federal requirements in every state.

I see from your story you solved your problem last stay the way many of us would.