Ranges best place to learn firearms safety says association

We fear that if the cost to use a range or belong to a shooting club climbs significantly then people will stop using them. John Gunn

From June 24 new gun regulations come into force that directly affect shooting ranges and clubs.

After that date, no new shooting clubs and shooting ranges can operate until they have obtained approval or been certified. All established clubs and ranges can continue their target shooting activities but must apply for club approval and range certification by June 24 next year, with the exception of pistol shooting clubs and ranges that have already been recognised and certified.

John Gunn, president of the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) Te Awamutu branch, says the regulations will add a “huge burden” on the volunteers of clubs.

“We do not believe these new regulations will be good for our club, nor others involved in the sport of shooting. As in most clubs, not just shooting clubs, people are aware it can be very difficult to fill all the committee positions required to run a club.”

John worries the extra burdens may make the few who do volunteer, reluctant to put their hands up to help.

“Proposed fees that police are wanting to charge are going to become a huge financial burden. These will be for services such as range inspections, certification and auditing, carried out from annually to every five years.

“We believe them to be excessive,” says John.

The Te Awamutu branch does not have its own range, but uses others’, such as the Te Awamutu Indoor Smallbore range.

“All clubs have very limited financial resources, the members are the only source of income for them. We fear that if the cost to use a range or belong to a shooting club climbs significantly then people will stop using them, and they may leave the clubs completely.

“They will then start shooting in uncontrolled areas such as public land, DoC estate or farm land,” says John.

NZDA runs a Hunter National Training Scheme (Hunts) course to help equip people who want to get out into Great Outdoors with the basic skills to allow them to do so in a safe manner.

“Covered by the course is First Aid, navigation, clothing and equipment, river crossings, animal identification, respect for the animals and of the environment and of course learning to respect and use firearms.

“The best place to learn about firearms is at a shooting range. We are concerned that if ranges are lost due to these new regulations, then this will impact on NZDA’s ability to deliver these courses.

“Police are also wanting to restrict the use of ranges to those who are over 16.

“Why? The best time to learn and embed good habits is when you are young and the best place to learn is a range. Clubs rely on young members coming through to stay active for future generations.”

NZDA nationally has a drive to get young new members, as well as women members.

“We want to be an allinclusive club, but we need ranges to help us to get these new members as shooting is a very important part of hunting. We believe that the police should take this back to the drawing board and start again.

“These regulations should be rewritten with the consultation of all shooting clubs and range operators instead of writing them and then putting it out for discussion and submissions, the timeframe of which was very tight.”