" you cant stop the waves-but you can learn to surf"
So in relation to hunting.... you can't stop the bullets but you can learn to dodge them. Simple.
Be hard for doc to justify pushing for prosecution for spotlighting when doc use it so widely themselves
"Be hard for doc to justify pushing for prosecution for spotlighting when doc use it so widely themselves"
DOC are not infallible, but I'm inclined to say that DOC spotlighting versus average-loose-canon spotlighting are two very different propositions.
It's hard to imagine a DOC spotlighting effort resulting in something like what happened to Rosemary Ives.
Ignoring accidents like shooting yourself in the foot, or dropping your rifle and shooting your mate - If you think about it, hunting on public land, and even spotlighting, could be 100% safe with zero possibility of shooting someone by "accident" if the people engaged in it followed one simple rule that even a complete idiot can understand: never pull the trigger unless you can identify your target 100%. Also not a bad idea to give some thought to where the bullet will go if you miss.
The thought of DOC spotlighting doesn't concern me too much. And I can understand why it's illegal for the general population to do it, when you think that the general population are managing to shoot each other in broad daylight - it's hard to imagine what the track record would be if those same people were let loose at night with a spotlight....
I agree about DOC spotlighting not being a concern. My point is that it makes it hard for them to draw a line in the sand and say 'Spotlighting is illegal. Full Stop.'
Thinking off track spotlighting could be safer. Tramper would see spotlight and start singing loudly hunter has nothing to shoot and knows it so puts gun away for night safe. Tramper cant be identified as anything but tramper and will of scared away everything else. Its fairly difficult for an unfired shot to hurt anyone.
Not so good for hunter though
There are permitted hunting areas & areas where it's prohibited. That seems fairly clean cut ?.
As earlier posts have said,comes down to the basics of not correctly identifying the target or the field of fire. Carelessness or human fallibility.
It's unfortunate when someone becomes a victim. Up to a Judge to determine culpability.
@proactive: Is it so clear cut? Several on this site have stated in other threads that spotlighing is illegal. You say it's allowed 'in permitted areas'. Doesn't sound very clear cut to me.
I'd say that shooting a bunny on the ground, illuminated clearly in your light, with a shotgun means you are able to meet the requirements to identify your target and check your firing zone.
But how many other spotlighting scenarios are that clear cut? How infaliable is target identification in the dark? How often can you be 100% there is nothing / no-one beyond your target in the dark?
hunters have said, led headlamps look just like the reflection from the eye of a deer i a spotlight....
to some hunters that constitutes identifying your target...
how many people know spotlighting is illegal... it's still done reasonably widespread in nz, extremely common for shooting possums and rabbits..... who ever gets convicted of it? so who's going to stop doing it illegal or not....
I would therefore assume that those self same hunters might also proclaim that deer only have one eye. Or is it that we are all getting around wearing two head lamps.
Head lamps do not look anything like a deers eye. Plus when a head lamp is hit with a spotlight it bears no resemblence to a deer.
@madpom
G'dday.
I wasn't referring to spotlighting specificly, but to hunting in general.
However, DoC prohibit hunting in darkness hours on Conservation Land, as part of issuing a hunting permit.
"•Absolutely no spotlighting. Hunting wild animals during the hours of darkness (½ hour after sunset to (½ hour before sunrise) is prohibited."
It's also illegal on Public Land.
The guy who shot Miss Ives, spotlighting from a ute, because he mistook her headlamp for a deers eye, has been jailed for manslaughter.
Spotlighting on private land is legal.
The Firearms Code clearly states 'Rule 4 Identify your target beyond all doubt' & 'Rule 5 Check your firing zone'.
Break the rules, pay the penalty. But $10,000 remuneration plus jail-time, doesn't bring Miss Ives back.
