Victorian State Forests Hunting Incidents

[p3seven]

Was talking to a NSW public servant involved in Hunting in State Forests. I asked why they can not open up the State Forests to hunting under the same conditions as Victoria. I said that l knew of no accidents and or near misses with non hunters in Vctoria. His answer was that yes there was but nobody was talking about them.

Can Victorian members confitm the veracity of this statement please. I want to go to the NSW minister with some facts.

Thank you.

[bladeracer]

Was talking to a NSW public servant involved in Hunting in State Forests. I asked why they can not open up the State Forests to hunting under the same conditions as Victoria. I said that l knew of no accidents and or near misses with non hunters in Vctoria. His answer was that yes there was but nobody was talking about them.

Can Victorian members confitm the veracity of this statement please. I want to go to the NSW minister with some facts.

Thank you.

I know there was a quite famous young deer hunter killed in Victoria when he took a mate hunting with him. Can't find that particular story right now though.

Also found this:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/deer-hunters-may-have-killed-hiker/2008/04/19/1208025558741.html

And this:
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/teen-shot-dead-in-hunting-trip-tragedy-20100726-10r4l.html

And this:
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/teenager-shattered-by-deer-hunting-death-of-twin-brother/news-story/4cdc962ba14746474f574f026739ea3d

And this:
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/man-shot-in-the-leg-while-deer-hunting-at-mount-buller-20150509-ggxw94.html

And:
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/hunting-tragedy-teen-shoots-mate-dead-20101101-17ao4.html

And:
http://www.smh.com.au/world/fox-hunter-shot-near-nswvictoria-border-20130413-2ht7i.html

http://www.areanews.com.au/story/4600586/teen-shot-in-riverina-hunting-accident/

Not all of these are on public land, but I'm sure it's all included in any package preventing land being available to hunters.

I guess it depends on what you define as an "incident".
I would say it's much more likely the usual "I'm the king of the castle" mentality I've found among people employed in managing public land. Public doesn't including hunters.

[bladeracer]

http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/663058/family-grieves-teen-shot-dead-in-hunting-accident/

https://ssaa.org.au/news-resources/hunting/australian-external-cause-deaths-while-engaged-in-hunting-activities-report/

https://www.facebook.com/Hunting-Accidents-410377179005259/

[Archie]

[url]https://ssaa.org.au/news-resources/hunting/australian-external-cause-deaths-while-engaged-in-hunting-activities-report/[/url

Reminds me why I'm one of those paranoid guys who wears both a blaze vest and a blaze hat when I'm hunting public land. Or with mates.

That report is interesting. Obviously it only gives very brief summaries, so you can't be sure. But it strikes me that, leaving aside the vehicle rollovers, one consistent pattern is, a lot of those guys wouldn't be dead if they'd left their bolts open (or if they were levers, not chambered a round) until they were ready to shoot. I know you can miss opportunities that way but has to be better than being the idiot who tops himself with a .22 by accident while climbing a tree. Or worse, shooting a mate when the ute hits a bump. Obviously that doesn't save you from someone failing to identify their target, but a lot of those other accidents are straightforward failures of rule no 1, always assume it's loaded. Very sad.

[bladeracer]

Reminds me why I'm one of those paranoid guys who wears both a blaze vest and a blaze hat when I'm hunting public land. Or with mates.

That report is interesting. Obviously it only gives very brief summaries, so you can't be sure. But it strikes me that, leaving aside the vehicle rollovers, one consistent pattern is, a lot of those guys wouldn't be dead if they'd left their bolts open (or if they were levers, not chambered a round) until they were ready to shoot. I know you can miss opportunities that way but has to be better than being the idiot who tops himself with a .22 by accident while climbing a tree. Or worse, shooting a mate when the ute hits a bump. Obviously that doesn't save you from someone failing to identify their target, but a lot of those other accidents are straightforward failures of rule no 1, always assume it's loaded.

Yep, just like motorcycle riding, we die when we do dumb s**t.
There are a handful of very basic rules that need to be practiced all the time, every time. Things tend to go wrong when you don't follow them.

[happyhunter]

The statement made by the NSW public servant is so general it is obvious he has no reason to back up the current restrictions. Hunting incidents on public land are extremely rare and when they do happen the news is on it like a rash. If the government wants to restrict hunting on public land because of rare accidents then they may as well ban MTB, bush walking and dirt biking as well, or why not just put a fence around the forests and lock everybody out just in case somebody stubs a toe.

[Oldbloke]

The following national fatalities per annum (approx)
1290 road toll
240 workplace
600 Asbestos related
280 Drownings
1137 Accidental drug over dose 2014

And we are worried about 3 or 4 accidental firearm fatalities. All of the above deaths are tragic, but society needs to focus on the real problems.

[AusTac]

I spend alot of my free time out in Vic forests and often theres some pretty loose units cruisin' about, always have a TQ chest seal and some quikclot within arms reach in vehicle or on foot, not that i'm paranoid, the ones closer to melbourne are the beginners favorites, haven't taken any direct fire yet though so not to worries

[darwindingo]

The following national fatalities per annum (approx)
1290 road toll
240 workplace
600 Asbestos related
280 Drownings
1137 Accidental drug over dose 2014

And we are worried about 3 or 4 accidental firearm fatalities. All of the above deaths are tragic, but society needs to focus on the real problems.

+1 OB

I'd wager that if the individuals in the said, unfortunate fatalities in those statistics had been better schooled in firearms safety, road toll related risks, workplace safety, asbestos risk, risk's re. use of drugs, and had been taught to swim from a young age that those statistic's would be quite different.

Education is the key, not Legislation ! Just my opinion...

[doc]

I want to go to the NSW minister with some facts.

I'd be tempted to go to him with some questions instead: "Why is hunting so different?"

As others have mentioned, people die doing other activities on public land, including at the hands of other idiots. Why is hunting singled out for what would be a handful of deaths at most, when other recreational activity isn't held to the same level of prejudice.

Education is the key, not Legislation ! Just my opinion...

More than an opinion - a darn good alternative and an answer I'd say!

[p3seven]

guess it depends on what you define as an "incident".
I would say it's much more likely the usual "I'm the king of the castle" mentality I've found among people employed in managing public land. Public doesn't including hunters.[/quote]



Tar Bladeracer
The incident's l was looking for would be public land related occuring to non hunting or other hunting visitors to the same area but, not in the same group. There does not seem to be any verified. There is the dissappearence of the hiker in 2008 which is conjecture only. Even a "close" call from a passing bullet would get loud press coverage.

Most of the other "accidents" you hilighted seem to be those that would happen amongst hunting groups and are not land type related. It does point out the safety training and dicilpine needed in target shooting and hunting.