Thread: Public perception of rifles

I thought I had seven days to present my licence at the local cop shop? do I now have to carry it at all times?

Some of my pest control work brings me into contact with members of the public, mostly mountain bikers, walkers and runners. Many of these folks are probably not expecting to see a guy in camo fleece carrying a rifle and in summer plenty of them are domestic or foreign tourists.

I always greet people with a friendly hello or gidday. Hardly anyone gives me a second glance, if they do it's usually to ask "what are you after?" or "had any luck?". Very occasionally someone will ask "what sort of rifle is that?". Of course this is all in a rural context but I don't think Joe Public is all that worried about a hunter going about his business, despite the mainstream media attempting to whip up hysteria around firearm use.

Frodo I reckon you'll be fine.

I think it is best to be seen out and about with them. That should remain normal and not alarming in New Zealand, as it has always been.

Like anything, if this has changed they can come and tell me it has changed. I have a rifle slung over my shoulder routinely, along with various other tools.

Any self respecting Goreon has a guitar case its multi purpose , take ya pick firearm or banjo , but hey wanna hear a semi funny bordering on limp Gore storey , so a few weeks ago when "finding Hore Gemmel & the 2 glocks " was running rife , my mate who shal not be named had a couple of workers that got raided in relation to this mysterious mr gemmel , as it turns out the raid was totally bogus to the point an ex disgruntled employee actually rang the cops & made up storey that gemmel was hiding out , sad thing is the defenders turned up & had a 13 year old girl at gun point on the lawn screaming & yelling at her , cops then raided the house of course hori wasn't there because no one new who the fuck he was , but yes they did find a bolt action used for putting stock down & the worker used to posses a licence but it had been revoked no idea what for , but cops found the revoked firearms licence in workers wallet said Oh crikey & promptly handed it back to the worker & left , I guess the question that's in my mind aside from why the fuck would the police give the bloke his revoked licence back !! or hold up a 13yo , would be how would sports shop or private sales no if that licence had been revoked , pretty bizarre for the police to pop it back in the wallet aye.

I'm with Tussock. We've come a long way (?) since 1967 when I left my parent's home in an Auckland suburb on a Friday afternoon to go hunting throughout the South Island. Wearing a large backpack and carrying an unbagged cut down No 4 Mk 1 .303 rifle, I caught a bus into Auckland City, and walked down the main street (Queen St), rifle slung over my shoulder. I passed a couple of plods on foot patrol, they saw me, smiled, and carried on with their mission. I hopped on a train to Wellington, and popped the rifle on the seat beside me. Arriving in the capital I proceeded to the Interisland ferry terminal, and boarded a ferry. . A crew member politely informed me to report to the purser who without any fuss, put my rifle in a safe (standard practice at the time). I spent several months hunting throughout the South Island. To get from one hunting area to another, I hitch hiked. Several times I was given a lift by a female driver, one with a very small child in the car. Nobody complained or recoiled in horror at seeing my "naked" rifle. On more than one occasion, my "driver" invited me in for a meal, or to spend a night. Ah, the good old days!

Originally Posted by Ranger 888

I'm with Tussock. We've come a long way (?) since 1967 when I left my parent's home in an Auckland suburb on a Friday afternoon to go hunting throughout the South Island. Wearing a large backpack and carrying an unbagged cut down No 4 Mk 1 .303 rifle, I caught a bus into Auckland City, and walked down the main street (Queen St), rifle slung over my shoulder. I passed a couple of plods on foot patrol, they saw me, smiled, and carried on with their mission. I hopped on a train to Wellington, and popped the rifle on the seat beside me. Arriving in the capital I proceeded to the Interisland ferry terminal, and boarded a ferry. . A crew member politely informed me to report to the purser who without any fuss, put my rifle in a safe (standard practice at the time). I spent several months hunting throughout the South Island. To get from one hunting area to another, I hitch hiked. Several times I was given a lift by a female driver, one with a very small child in the car. Nobody complained or recoiled in horror at seeing my "naked" rifle. On more than one occasion, my "driver" invited me in for a meal, or to spend a night. Ah, the good old days!

So cool.

Originally Posted by Tentman

I've just recently been "out and about" in public areas with a couple of rifles, both in bags, from Wellington to Invercargill without a second glance from anybody. Generally I'd be wary of cities and the really popular walking tracks start/finish carparks etc.

I'd say "body language" has a lot to do with it, I can think of a guy who always walks like he's gonna kill something and I think he'd quickly be potted if he was seen walking with a gun bag (like the poor bugger in Chch some years ago who somehow got the full AO response when walking down the street with a firearm in a bag). A nod, eye contact and a smile solves a hell of a lot of problems.

If I was doing a lot of it I'd also invest in a rectangular gun bag that doesn't give away/advertise its contents.

If that is the event I am remembering, it was in Fendalton, and it was not a gun in a bag. He had walked to the place where he had purchased an EMPTY gunbag and was carrying it home over his shoulder. If it is a different incident, then I still remember this one. And yes, you read correctly, he had purchased (via trade me) a second hand gun bag and that was what he was carrying......Now do not get me wrong, if someone is walking down a street, intent on doing harm to others and carrying any sort of weapon, I fully expect the appropriate response from Police.....but an empty wobbly gun bag....the mind does wonder a little.

Not really "empty wobbly" sadly also describes the content of a lot of peoples heads now a days

Isn’t it ridiculous how much our society has changed? A kid of twelve riding a bike through the main road of town with a .22 across the handle bars was a fairly common occurrence in my youth. Back then no one batted an eyelid.

Originally Posted by Rushy

Isn’t it ridiculous how much our society has changed? A kid of twelve riding a bike through the main road of town with a .22 across the handle bars was a fairly common occurrence in my youth. Back then no one batted an eyelid.

Me too thru the middle of Ashburton on way to town range (also nearly in middle of town) oh what has become of my beloved country.

You left out a critical bit... The burden of proving the lawful, proper and sufficient purpose is on the defendant. In other words, you are assumed guilty, unless you can prove your innocence.

"...the burden of proving the existence of some lawful, proper, and sufficient purpose shall lie on the defendant."

Originally Posted by mikee

oh what has become of my beloved country.

She's fucked Mikee. I blame my father in law and all of his bunny loving, tree hugging, trendy lefty school teacher mates that promoted socialist ideals.

Originally Posted by Bol Tackshin

You left out a critical bit... The burden of proving the lawful, proper and sufficient purpose is on the defendant. In other words, you are assumed guilty, unless you can prove your innocence......................."

Quite correct.

To be just a little more precise, I left out a whole shitload actually as I could have been very fulsome and waffled on for screen fulls, but the poster was already aware of that as he had sought guidance from Constable Plod............but had been fobbed off

"....I'll have to use my own discretion, and they won't give me any written permission. They didn't explicitly say whether it was illegal or even legal."

My purpose was to be more helpful than Plod who wouldn't even trouble himself to explain that carrying in public was legal ".......for lawful, proper, and sufficient purpose".To clarify this I quoted the relevant words and gave examples of how I did all that was possible to avoid the "convoy of black vans" descending upon me.

Originally Posted by Bol Tackshin

You left out a critical bit... The burden of proving the lawful, proper and sufficient purpose is on the defendant. In other words, you are assumed guilty, unless you can prove your innocence.

"...the burden of proving the existence of some lawful, proper, and sufficient purpose shall lie on the defendant."

There is a lot of legislation going through like that. All the new safety shit as well.
The concept of innocent till proven guilty is being turned on its head.
This concerns me. Even offends me.

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It really concerns me too. Far too easy to prosecute someone and put the burden of proof on them, even if innocent. The cost of defending the charge will never be fully recovered. It stinks of lazy policing and prosecution. The erosion of citizens rights is happening under the nudes of a liberal media.