Drinking a beer before hunting and "intoxication"

[<<Genesis93>>]

I thought Aussies were always drunk.

You mean you guys are sober sometimes when you post on here?

Well..... when you say sober....

[brett1868]

I thought Aussies were always drunk.

You mean you guys are sober sometimes when you post on here?

Be prepared for a shock...I Don't drink any alcohol and I hate Vegemite. The Russian princess on the other hand loves a cold beer and has vegemite on her toast which according to her makes her more of an Aussie then me...We actually mail her mum a jar of Vegemite twice a year cause mum loves the stuff.

[<<Genesis93>>]

You're just un-Aussie fella...

I have vegemite..... on my vegemite

at least your princess is trying

[sandgroperbill]

In more ways than one?

[VICHunter]

I have a question about alcohol and firearms. I'm new to owning firearms and hunting, it says in the safety booklet to avoid alcohol and in the rules it says that you can't be under the influence. So by having 1 beer am I under the influence and cannot use a firearm?
For example; if I were to have a beer after work then be invited to go hunting a little later, would that be illegal?

Thanks in advance

The only response I want is what is legal

As annoyingly grey as it is, what you've already read and asked is the answer.

Unlike driving there is not a set limit (e.g. 0.05) that you must exceed on a breathalyser in order to be "under the influence".

In a situation involving the use of firearms, whether or not you are determined to be under the influence is up to the official involved, be that police, judge etc.

"For example; if I were to have a beer after work then be invited to go hunting a little later, would that be illegal? "

Our firearm legislation isn't written in a way that there is a yes or no answer to that.

I think most people's opinion would be that if you had a single beer and went shooting an hour later your faculties and abilities to handle a firearm would not be diminished significantly, if at all. At the end of the day though that isn't a hard fact like a 0.05% BAC reading, it's a persons determination. As it would be in the case of an officer deciding whether or not to charge you with an offence.

Knowing you had had something to drink, one officer could observe you and decide you are not under the influence, another could observe you and decide you are - and proceed to arrest/charge you and confiscate your firearms.

You could go to court and beat the charge, but in the mean time you've already lost everything and who wants to go through that time/expense/stress anyway.

Putting opinion aside on whether or not is is Ok to have had a drink before shooting, having any amount of alcohol before shooting is walking a dangerous line as far as the law goes. You could easily fall on either side if tested.

It's safer for a number of reasons to avoid it completely before hand.

That's as black and white an answer as you're going to get.

[Gwion]

^^^^ ^^^^

[MalleeFarmer]

Agree with vic hunter. Although if I've had a (singular) beer with tea and then go out the back to sight in a bit later I think I'm fine to do that. (I'm on my own on my property) If I'm going hunting or spotlighting I don't drink beforehand at all.

[Wobble]

To the rest of you that just simply said alcohol and guns don't mix, why even bother writing anything? It's unhelpful people like you that ruin good forums

Relax mate.

Just because you didn't get the answer you were looking for doesn't meant the guys replies weren't valid.

VICHunter has covered it best, there is no yes or no answer, only common sense and a level of risk to be accepted or not.

No one is trying to be unhelpful or ruin anything. It's not a straight forward answer from what is "legal" like you were seeking.

[AnotherMisfire]

Vic Hunter covered it well.

I've decided to go overboard though and have posted a state by state guide here: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=5545

[happyhunter]

.

[<<Genesis93>>]

You assume they were drinking and shooting.

Perhaps they drank after they put the firearms away
Perhaps it wasn't their party at all.....

Littering on land that the owner gave permission to enter upon and hunt.... that is pretty disgraceful and a definite recipe for a locked gate next visit

[Elek]

Legally it's a minefield.

Reason enough to avoid it there.