SSAA Brisbane - Belmont Range and wildlife

[drewmd]

Took a little time out today to head to SSAA Belmont range to sight in my 17HMR since using new ammo. While taking a small break, I noticed that a Pee Wee (Lark) or Magpie was flying around and landing on the 50m target frame line. I looked at the Range Officer thinking that he may call a ceasefire.

The 3 guys in their 20's shooting in the 25m section appeared to fire on the lark/magpie and then the bird flew to the ground (not sure if injured). The Range Officer on duty initially observed the bird which appeared to be stationary and alive around the 50m target line. The shooter then followed up and shot the Pee Wee while it was still alive on the ground.

I must admit the Range Officer's actions when he noticed that the bird had been shot was swift. The shooter was immediately marched off the range along with his 2 mates. The RO was a lot more restrained in his actions than I would have been.

Honestly, do they not either -
1) Read the rules of the range?
2) Cover this off in Safety courses?

I'm thinking that this clown must have had a brain explosion. Sometimes it absolutely flabergasts me how little common sense people have.

I would think that this shooter may as well hand his licence in now and also wait for his time in court to see what penalty may be imposed, given that it is a Wildlife Sanctuary and they are protected.

Anyway, has anyone seen this happen before anywhere else? What is SSAA's response usually?

[anthillinside]

Range rules vary between ranges but most rules are common,
I'll be these 2 are in every SSAA ranges rules.

3.8. No persons are permitted to shoot at anything other than authorised targets.
3.9. Shooting at any wildlife is not permitted and any breaches will be reported.

From (poor) memory it was mentioned that even vermin cannot be shot on the range.
So Eagle Park is a safe haven for rabbits!

[AusTac]

Eagle Park is a safe haven for rabbits!

They know it too lol, roos, birds and rabbits all over the joint little seemingly oblivious to the flying lead

[Charlie]

I think thats terrible. It's pretty well know in my circle that shooting wildlife is frowned upon at any range. However, I don't think this is good publicity for the SSAA and sporting shooters in general. The SSAA will know what to do, I'd just be keeping quiet!

[Browning]

I've been there once time when a fox ran across the range... Everyone on the range stopped shooting... Luckiest fox ever...
Another time a wallaby sat out around the 250m mark and everyone stopped for 5 mins until it moved off...
I hope they took that guys license number and passed it on... What a f'ing knucklehead....

[Title_II]

Took a little time out today to head to SSAA Belmont range to sight in my 17HMR since using new ammo. While taking a small break, I noticed that a Pee Wee (Lark) or Magpie was flying around and landing on the 50m target frame line. I looked at the Range Officer thinking that he may call a ceasefire.

The 3 guys in their 20's shooting in the 25m section appeared to fire on the lark/magpie and then the bird flew to the ground (not sure if injured). The Range Officer on duty initially observed the bird which appeared to be stationary and alive around the 50m target line. The shooter then followed up and shot the Pee Wee while it was still alive on the ground.

Sounds like a suicide to me.

[Wes]

Range rules vary between ranges but most rules are common,
I'll be these 2 are in every SSAA ranges rules.

3.8. No persons are permitted to shoot at anything other than authorised targets.
3.9. Shooting at any wildlife is not permitted and any breaches will be reported.

From (poor) memory it was mentioned that even vermin cannot be shot on the range.
So Eagle Park is a safe haven for rabbits!

Springvale too.

They say it all the time.

[Title_II]

Sometimes a bird has just had enough.

A few years ago I saw a turkey walking back and forth across a blind highway merge. When I missed him he just marched back across the other way. The turkey looked almost like a dinosaur, with most of his feathers gone like the bird got mange. I'm sure the whole thing was about a nagging wifebird, I could see that look in his eyes.

[GLS_1956]

Our range is on land leased from the city and is next to the city's police range. Although it is outside of the city limits, well outside, we have a strick no hunting/no killing rule, which includes venomous snakes, spiders they turn a blind eye toward because they're done in with shoes and sprays. Anyone found to violate tis policy faces loss of membership and of course shooting privileges.

[Wobble]

Sometimes a bird has just had enough.

I don't want to live in this tree any more!

[Title_II]

Damn straight. And it's almost always because of the wifebird.

[<<Genesis93>>]

If the rules state no shooting at wildlife... then them's the rules, birds, most are considered native and protected by law by default (right or wrong)

But vermin / declared pests; the owner and/or occupier of the land is OBLIGED TO CONTROL said species, so if you're allowing someone onto YOUR land....to shoot.... then allow them to shoot at anything up-range except the animals YOU'RE obliged to control....doesnt really make sense, but neither do a lot of things.... probably got more to do with preventing possiblly pissing off the enemy AA, PETA, RSPCA(RSCO o in owners)

[brett1868]

Many years ago shooting at Malabar a rabbit wandered across the range, multiple shooters saw it and fired almost simultaneously. None were disciplined due to a lack of evidence.

On a serious note...I'm damn sure I hit it first

[Title_II]

I was on an MG range in Panama practicing with my SAW (M249/Minimi). Not qualification. They just had some drums out there from 100 to 800 meters and were having us practice trading suppressive fire between the squad weapons and the company weapons. A couple kudomundaes wandered out and we all stopped shooting for a couple seconds. Sergent says, "New Target, 400 meters" and we light them up. They hauled ass for the treeline and didn't even get hit LOL

[Heckler303]

I was on an MG range in Panama practicing with my SAW (M249/Minimi).

Bloody yanks. Making us feel jealous of you guys and your MGs and fiddy cals when we can't even lay our hands a pump shotgun.

[Title_II]

I was on an MG range in Panama practicing with my SAW (M249/Minimi).

Bloody yanks. Making us feel jealous of you guys and your MGs and fiddy cals when we can't even lay our hands a pump shotgun.

Mate, it was the Army. I was overseas (sort of). Give it another read.

[Carter]

I was overseas (sort of).

Getting up to trouble in international waters?

[Title_II]

I was overseas (sort of).

Getting up to trouble in international waters?

I was Airborne. If you ask the Air Force, the answer would be I was a SOB. They wouldn't even haul off our trash. But they ran to us when there was a bump in the night and they got scared

It's funny how things change when living and dying needs doin'. And everybody knows who to call when the time comes.

[Supaduke]

I think the saying goes......
Nobody likes a soldier till the enemy is at the gate

Back on topic, when I was at Springvale , a magpie landed in front of us . The RO called a hasty ceasefire. We then had to wait till said magpie buggared off of its own accord. We weren't allowed to even shoo it away. 30 or so shooters all glaring at this bird as it strutted around. Took a good 5-10 minutes before it flew off. I'm sure it knew exactly what it was doing.

[Title_II]

That sounds about right, Supaduke

[Manimal]

We then had to wait till said magpie buggared off of its own accord. We weren't allowed to even shoo it away.

lol what?

[Supaduke]

It's a SSAA thing, on their ranges it's a love in for all creatures great and small. I imagine it's all about "brand management" and not wanting an incident where animals are harmed or disturbed. Fair enough I guess , in this day and age of social media , small , seemingly innocuous , incidents have a bad habit of escalating into controversy and scandal

[AnotherMisfire]

I've always found the range officers at Belmont to be very strict - almost to the point of being unnecessarily rude to new shooters.

Wouldn't be surprised if the SSAA got stuck into them - clubs are required by law (in Qld) to report people who are dangers to the public or not fit to be licence holders.

[<<Genesis93>>]

No shoo of pies huh....
In vic you need a permit to shoo roos......

[Lorgar]

We then had to wait till said magpie buggared off of its own accord. We weren't allowed to even shoo it away.

Surely an RO could have just fired a shot nearby to scare it off

[Supaduke]

We then had to wait till said magpie buggared off of its own accord. We weren't allowed to even shoo it away.

Surely an RO could have just fired a shot nearby to scare it off

The chances of that happening are about the same as me finding an AK-47 under the Christmas tree

[ebr love]

Surely an RO could have just fired a shot nearby to scare it off

Don't be silly, that would be common sense

[juststarting]

Skipy came out on the 500m line in VIC, few weeks ago, everyone just stopped shooting, then a ceasefire was called... Car drove out to scare it away... Lots of common sense here. But we are not QLD, so that's expected.

[on_one_wheel]

If I was the RO. I would've collected the bird and tried to stuff it down that idiots throat.

[Usurper]

They need to get some paintball markers on sight for corporal punishment.

When you do something stupid on a PB field you usually get marched out and your mates get to put 5 in your back to remind you (and for the humour of the group )

Shoot a bit, get a couple from the paintball marker in the backside