Thread: reality check.

Just been talking with my brother at the funeral of a family friend.
he like me was a keen duck shooter as was his oldest son.

asked his plans for this year -no theyre non starters as both didnt like the antics of thosethey shot with -pissing up large in the maimai ,arguments and and last year an all out brawl.
what really kicked me in the nuts was the young fella had a very keen mate,who also upon hearing this decided hed find other pursuits.
im not putting this up from a righteous "im without sin ,im always impeccably behaved "cause thats a load of tosh -ive had my moments.
What does worry me though is the fact this behaviour seems at face value to be regarded in some quarters as par for the course ,and by that standard we are conceeding ground to both anti hunting factions ,but also the police who use this to lobby for more Firearm laws,why shouldnt they its tantamount to rolling over and confessing all your crimes before the cuffs hit ya wrists.
whats your opinion.
Im just interested -im not here to judge or place anyone in that role.

Kotuku I have never been duck shooting so have not attended a Maimai nor been with a group on opening morning so I freely admit that I do not have the experience to draw comment from. That said I have a brother in law and other friends that are keen duck shooters (pricks have never even so much as invited me) so anecdotally I am aware that they do use opening weekend particularly as an annual get together and drop a fair amount of grog over that first weekend. I would note that I can't comment as to whether this is before, during or after the firearms have been in use as I simply do not know.

Like many things in life, it's good to have standards. If people are being fuckwits around guns, then the young guy you mentioned is smart for wanting nothing to do with the circus you describe. In fact, with common sense like that, he's exactly the person I'd like to see participating in my sport, what a pity.

I am relatively new to the hunting/shooting scene and very keen on shooting things I can eat. My wife told me that her friends partner has a pond on his land and goes duck shooting every season and it shouldnt be a problem to tag along. After broaching the subject with him, he explained how it generally works which consisted of drinking all day. This discussion reminded that he needed new decoys as the last time they went out they got bored and shot the ones they had. I will get into it one day however it wont be with him.

Drinking before and during the handling of firearms in any circumstance is a no no for me and i will not undertake in it. After all it is in the arms code to avoid drugs and alcohol whilst handling firearms.

Its just not just duck shooting were firearms alcohol and hard drugs are used together drive down any 4x4 track on doc land cody and wood stock cans every were from a bit of harmless driving and spotlighting .Then there is a group of people who drive around kaingaroa .Bonnet covered in dogs fried on P to be fare most of that lot don't carry firearms but they are still f#*ked out there heads on drugs on the same roads that some of the people on this forum use at the same time.Those same people often have young kids with them a lot of young people grow up thinking this sort of behaviour is normal

booze and guns don't mix. as far as i am concerned the fucktards who keep pissing it up before and during shooting are a much bigger danger to the shooting community than the feared anti brigade. if you want to have a couple once the guns are locked away, all good.

good on your brother for pulling the pin, hopefully he finds someone else to team up with and enjoy safe shooting sport.

kotuku...see if you can get contact details for the young fella and get him out to see how it should be done.... last 2 opening weekends Ive taken a dozen cans and bought some of them home!!!!!!
only drink at night after shooting is over for the day.
ranging is "interesting" when you see/smell grog as you approach maimai.

I guess it is what you are used to. My family and friends growing up never drunk in the maimai, they would wait until the guns were away at the end of the day and then they got stuck into it. I think its a case of monkey-see monkey-do, as I have never drunk during duck shooting. Afterwards is a different story

Hot barrels everyone and stay safe. If you see something you don't think is right, speak up. You may save a life. All it takes is for one person to lead by example

it would be nigh on eight or so years ago when the dog and I spent opening morning down on the river...upstream were vehicles, alot of yahooing, semi-auto fire etc and because I am pedantic about such things they started a volley before the prescribed start time which annoyed me...suffice to say that dog and I headed down stream well out of the way of the
galoots...I, as you all, get very concerned when people such as these behave like juvenile twats...Opening Weekend is no excuse...saying that, I do have a hipflask in the vehicle...my dog and I came close to hypothermia one trip...

the people who i learnt off were all hard working hard drinking types farmers share milkers shearers and shepherds the only people i saw pissing up in maimais were townies or retired types
but after the guns were away or in the week before opening when we arrived in say cambridge or had a pre opening stratedgy meeting at the patangata on the thursday before opening,
well you can imagine the grog literally flowed like water.
if we lose keen youngsters we are f..k.d but there is hope choggy for instance and ando,s offspring mine are all to busy chasing poon and clubing in welly.

Guns and alcohol are not a good combination at any time. I have enjoyed duck shooting for many years and yes i enjoy a beer as well. On the afternoon before opening I visit my spot and set up decoys etc ready for the day. Once this is done its nice to sit there with a couple of cold beers and enjoy the moment and watch the ducks return to there pond. This said its the only time that alcohol is allowed in my maimai. Not until shooting has stopped ,the birds are hung, the guns are cleaned and put into storage is it time for a beer. I find that it is more rewarding and enjoyable to review the days events with friends over a few cold beers once all the work is done.

yeah i have offered if the want to fly down to chch ,to take em out ,but apparently the young bloke(hes 15)has other birds hes interested in and brothers familial situation aint to crash hot with his ex trying to gouge him something wicked.
he did mention something about a mid Nth island block he can get for a week mid year and go for a sneak about ,but again he says he cant be arsed with the antics of idiots in the field.
the good news is hes stillgot his guns secured away ,so maybe next year ill have another crack!

Originally Posted by EeeBees

saying that, I do have a hipflask in the vehicle...my dog and I came close to hypothermia one trip...

alcohol is a vasodilator, it increases the risk of hypothermia

I had a couple of problems with guys I was shooting with & I refused to go hunting with either again.Long time ago now in both cases.
I'm still alive & that matters to me.Another was a guy that had a problem with my dog from the day I got him. He reckoned my dog was
to hard in mouth & damaged the birds bla bla.He told a lot of people this B/S but it got back to me,well the guy was talking shit.He'd
never shot with the dog & due to his gossip he isn't ever likely to.But not just the dog I avoid going hunting with the wanker Period!!

End of the crap I'm still going to go duck shooting but just me & my dog. Thats how its been now for 30 odd years ,current dog is my 3rd.
I enjoy my duck ,pheasant shooting & no one is going to stop me.Why give up because of some frigin idiots, end of the day those clowns
shouldn't have an Arms license let alone a duck shooting license .Just accidents looking for a place to happen but they ain't going shooting
with me & a value my dog to much to allow it .