New Zealand

Mountain Safety Council

6. STORE FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION SAFELY  A firearm must not be put in a place where a child has ready access to it Ammunition must be stored separately or the  firearm made incapable of firing Firearms must be secured against theft Never leave a firearm in a vehicle that is unattended

SUGGESTED Equipment for a day hunt

Day pack Food for the day Water bottle High visibility GARMENT Warm hat Wet weather jacket Spare clothing Spare food Hunting knife Map, Compass and GPS  Torch or head light

 Obtain permission from the landowner to enter and hunt on private land or get a permit to hunt on land administered by a company or government department. When hunting on private land leave gates as they are found, avoid disturbing stock and cross fences so as not to cause any damage.  Comply with game laws (e.g. bag limits), local laws and rules. Know your hunting area and stay within the boundaries. It is unethical and against the law to trespass or poach game on some elses land.  Show respect for the land and Tangata Whenua. Know and apply the Environmental Care Code (DOC). Leave campsites clean and as undisturbed as possible. Carry out your rubbish. Bury human waste away from huts and campsites and avoid damaging any vegetation. Visit www.leavenotrace.co.nz Respect other hunters and other land users. Be an ambassador for hunting by accommodating the needs of others who might be staying in the same hut or using the same hunting area. Shoot only the number of animals that you need and  that can be fully recovered and used. Look after your meat. Keep it cool and protect it from being spoilt or fly blown.

RESOURCES
MANUALS
Abseiling Alpine Skills Avalanche Bushcraft NZ Firearm Handbook Outdoor First Aid Outdoor Safety: Risk Management 

EQUIPMENT
MSC Packliner MSC Pocket survival bag  MSC Safety Whistle MSC Survival Bag

USEFUL CONTACTS
AdventureSmart www.adventuresmart.org.nz  etService M www.metservice.co.nz Metvuw - www.metvuw.com   ountain Safety Council M www.mountainsafety.org.nz National Incident Database:  www.incidentreport.org.nz  ational Rifle Association of NZ N www.nranz.com  Z Clay Target Association N www.nzclaytarget.org.nz  Z Deerstalkers Association N www.deerstalkers.org.nz  Z Pistol Association N www.pistolnz.org.nz  Z Police N www.police.govt.nz NZ Shooting Federation www.nzshootingfed.org.nz Target Shooting NZ  www.targetshootingnz.co.nz

GOING HUNTING?

PAMPHLETS
Avalanche Rescue Avalanche Safety Firearms Safety Going Bush?  et It Breathe L Camping appliance safety Mountain Radio Service  Outdoor Communications Preventing Hypothermia River Safety Selecting a firearm Snowsports Whakatpato

 Rifle and ammunition

Rifle cleaning kit

 Binoculars (optional)  Emergency communications  Spare ammunition to alert rescuers

Emergency shelter FIRST AID KIT AND SURVIVAL KIT

Local clubs are a great place to meet experienced hunters who can pass on good hunting and firearms skills.

Hunting Ethics
Apply standards, appropriate conduct and moral judgement when hunting.

DVDs
 Lets Go Tramping On Target Outdoor Safety Code River Safety Staying Alive

7. A  VOID ALCOHOL AND DRUGS WHEN HANDLING FIREARMS

A  lcohol and drugs must never be taken before you go shooting or while you are shooting D  o not shoot with others who are, or have been, drinking alcohol or taking drugs The Arms Code is available free from Police Stations or you can down load it from the NZ Police website at www.police.govt.nz/services/firearms.

A  pply the fair chase rule. Give game a fair chance by ensuring the challenge of hunting is maintained. Demonstrate respect for the game animals and game birds.  ill animals humanely. Ensure your firearm is sighted K in and take care when placing the shot in the kill zone. Use an appropriate calibre for the target animal. Shooting at running game will lessen the chance of a clean kill. Make every effort to track wounded game to dispatch as soon as possible.  ispose of offal and carcasses in such a way as to D not cause offence to other land users or contaminate water ways.

Order from: www.mountainsafety.org.nz/resources

FIREARMS IN THE OUTDOORS FIREARMSSAFETY SAFETY IN THE OUTDOORS

New Zealand

Mountain Safety Council

PO Box 6027 Wellington, 6141 Tel 04 385 7162, Fax 04 385 7366 Email: info@mountainsafety.org.nz www.mountainsafety.org.nz www.adventuresmart.org.nz www.avalanche.net.nz www.incidentreport.org.nz
04/12

DISCOVER MORE, SAFELY

Hunting IN NEW ZEALAND

We are very fortunate in New Zealand to have such a rich hunting environment. We have a diverse variety of game species to hunt including seven species of deer, tahr, pigs and chamois, small game such as possums and rabbits and several game birds species such as duck, geese and pheasants. Hunting areas range from flat pastoral land, remote and dense native forest to high country mountain regions. New Zealands back country has its own inherent risks and therefore hunters need to show careful consideration, planning and preparation before heading away on any hunting trip.

Tell Someone
 If you got into trouble how would anyone know where to look for you? Leave your Outdoors Intentions (trip plan, time and date of departure and return) with a responsible person who can notify the Police if you are overdue. Visit www.adventuresmart.org.nz to complete your outdoors intentions form.

Emergency preparedness
When in an emergency situation, survival begins with good preparation and planning. Before you go, ask yourself what could go wrong? How can I prepare to reduce this possibility? What will I do if something does go wrong? As well as taking sufficient supplies prepare mentally for when things go wrong. Learn the STAR model: Stop Take a deep breath, sit down and remain calm Think Look around you, listen and brainstorm options Assess  Consider the options and their potential consequences Respond  Respond to the best option to keep yourself alive or for your situation to improve. Also, in an emergency situation: Stay where you are and within easy access to water.  Do not walk out of the immediate search area.  Control your fear and anxiety. Stay calm and look after your mental well being. Control your determinations. (Do or Die or Get-home-it is) Maintain your will to survive. Do not give up.  Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration and keep your mind from deteriorating. Conserve your energy. Find or build shelter, light a fire and stay warm.  elp searches find you, leave signs, be visible and use H your rifle and whistle wisely to alert searchers.  Survival is keeping yourself alive until your situation improves or searches find you. Follow these principles and your chances of survival will greatly increase.

Hunter & Firearms Safety

Each year in New Zealand, careless hunting incidents have resulted in injury and sometimes the death of a fellow hunter. The Arms Code is a firearms safety training manual. Its purpose is to reduce unwanted hunting tragedies by ensuring that rigourous procedures for firearms safety and security are maintained. All hunters must know the Arms Code and in particular all parts of the seven basic rules of firearms safety off by heart.
Never climb a fence while carrying a firearm. If you are on your own, unload the firearm and place it muzzle first, through the fence. Lay the firearm on the ground, and then climb over the fence.

Be Aware of the Weather

 hat is the weather going to do? New Zealands W weather can be highly unpredictable. Check long range and short range weather forecasts and expect weather changes.  hat do I do in bad weather? Be aware of rivers in W the area, location of bridges and emergency escape routes should the weather turn bad.

Know your Limits

Wear high visibility clothing that contrasts with the environment.  ho is in the hunting party? Check and ensure that W the members of your hunting party have the fitness, experience, and equipment to cope with the trip and any emergency. Challenge yourself within your own physical limits and experience.  e aware of tiredness when shooting especially B during duck shooting season. Late nights and early mornings can compromise safety when shooters are more likely to drop their guard. Be aware of buck fever (emotions overriding  rational thinking). It can lead to serious incidents. Know how to recognise the feeling and have strategy to deal with it. Stop, take a deep breath and refocus on your job to positively identify your target beyond all doubt.

The seven basic rules of firearms safety

1. TREAT EVERY FIREARM AS LOADED
Do not take anyones word that a firearm is unloaded Check the firearm yourself   nly pass or accept a firearm that has the muzzle O pointed in a safe direction; the action is open; and is not loaded

4. IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET BEYOND ALL DOUBT

dentify your target beyond all doubt. If you hear I sound or see movement, colour or shape in the bush, immediately assume it to be another human until you prove otherwise.  Take time to confirm the identification of your target animal. Do not be impatient. Sight the whole animal or at least sufficient of it to be absolutely certain it is the target animal.  top hunting if you lose sight of your mate. Wait S until you are back together again before carrying on hunting.  se binocular vision to identify your target. The U scope is for placing the shot.  Wear a high visibility garment that contrasts with the environment including deer in that environment. When carrying a deer carcass also cover it with high visibility.

The Outdoor Safety Code for Hunting

Plan your Trip
 here are you going? Youll need up-to-date W information, TOPO 50 maps and local knowledge on the area you are going to. Know where to find huts, shelters and good camping spots. D  o you need permission OR permits for access and to hunt? Organise permissions of permits well in advance (Landowners, Forest Managers or DOC). What animals are you hunting? Consider the species  of animals that you are hunting and select the appropriate calibre firearm and hunting equipment. Ensure all firearms are sighted in accurately. Know the Arms Code and comply with all parts of it  at all times.

2. A  LWAYS POINT FIREARMS IN A SAFE DIRECTION

A safe direction will depend on where you are  ever point a firearm at any one else including N yourself  lways be particularly careful when placing firearms A in, or removing them from vehicles, boats or storage

Take Sufficient Supplies

 hat will you need to take? Ensure you have W appropriate clothing, food, equipment and communications for the type of environment you are hunting in. Make a list and check each item off. For assistance see the MSC Bushcraft Manual and the MSC Going Bush pamphlet.  ow long are you going for? Take adequate supplies H for the duration of your trip including extra clothing, food and water for emergency situations. Ensure all members are equally prepared.  ake an appropriate means of communication T Mountain Radio or Personal Locator Beacon

3.  LOAD A FIREARM ONLY WHEN READY TO FIRE

 nly load your magazine when you reach your O shooting area Do not load the chamber until you are ready to shoot 
Always, identify your target beyond all doubt.

5. CHECK YOUR FIRING ZONE

 e aware of what you could hit in the area between B you and your target, and in the area beyond Never fire when companions are ahead of you  t is unsafe to shoot at a target on the skyline I  se extra care when shooting at a moving target as U your firing zone can change rapidly as your target moves  icochets can be caused by flat or hard surfaces R like rocks, snow, water of trees

 nload the chamber if game gets away U  Unload the firearm completely (magazine and chamber) before leaving the shooting area