'target shooting' as genuine reason WITHOUT SSAA membership?

[ployer]

G'day,

Need some licensing info for a mate who's going through the process.

I'm and SSAA member and the did declaration to hunt on crown land thing in Victoria for my license. Hunting and target shooting are my reasons.

A mate just did target shooting, and sent his SSAA membership as his supporting info.

Has he locked himself into being a member forever though?

What happens if he lets his membership lapse? Because you don't actually need to be a member to go there of course.

Cheers.

[Chronos]

if he has target shooting as his genuine reason he must be a current member of a target club, SSAA is one but there are many others. before his SSAA mambership lapses he should join another target club and select them as their primary reporting club



Chronos

[tarnagulla]

SSAA Victoria is a "recognised hunting club" by LRD, so no need for the $11 annual "Expression of Interest to Hunt...etc" on Crown Land. SSAA (Vic) membership is sufficient grounds for a longarm A/B licence for the purpose of Hunting.

Target shooting however would require membership of a club recognised by LRD.

Bear in mind though - a shooter licensed to 'Hunt" is still able to use any approved Range (i.e Eagle Park, at Little River) to "sight in", or practice, (provided he remains a SSAA member, if it is an SSAA range).

Unless your mate is genuinely interested in target shooting, he only needs his SSAA membership. You are right though - he will be locked into that, unless he meets one of the other grounds for a licence for hunting - i.e, Crown Lands EOI, letter (in appropriate format) from a landholder etc.

[AusC]

Just tell him to amend his license to include hunting.

Pay the $10 for the 'interest to hunt...' and be done with it.

Then he's right whatever he does in the future with his range membership.

That's right isn't it tarnagulla?

[model41]

To answer the original questions:

Has he locked himself into being a member forever though?
NO
He has not locked himself into being a member of the SSAA forever, he can change clubs. Or he could send a letter to LRD to change the genuine reason to Hunting.

What happens if he lets his membership lapse?
If your friend was challenged to prove the genuine reason he could not and risks his licence. To renew the licence with target as the reason he would need to be a member of an approved club when due.
There are a lot of people out there that get the “permit to hunt on crown land” only when required for renewals.

Because you don't actually need to be a member to go there of course.
No you don’t need to be a club member to shot at some ranges (SSAA being one), however, the Act requires it.
The act states:
10 Reasons for applying for longarm licence, category A or B
(2) For the purpose of demonstrating that the licence is required for—
(a) sport or target shooting—
(i) the applicant must be a member of a shooting club or shooting organisation which is approved by the Chief Commissioner; and
(ii) the applicant must engage in sport or target shooting only at a place which is authorised by or under this Act as a place at which sport or target shooting using category A or B longarms may take place;

Being a member of a shooting club like the SSAA allows both “Hunting” and “Target Shooting” to be a reason on your licence.
So if your friend is a member of the SSAA I would tell him to put both Hunting and Target Shooting.

The act states:
10 Reasons for applying for longarm licence, category A or B
(2) For the purpose of demonstrating that the licence is required for—
(b) hunting, the applicant must—
(i) produce written evidence that the applicant owns, occupies or manages the land on which he or she intends to hunt; or
(ia) the applicant must be a member of a shooting club or shooting organisation which is approved by the Chief Commissioner; or

Cheers.

[ployer]

Thanks guys.

Thanks model41, I'll get him on here to read all that so he knows the score.