Thread: Is shooting / hunting less popular in NZ these days?

One possibility could be your sphere of influence. Like many things/ideas going on these days, you only know what people around you are doing or thinking... and if they are doing it and thinking it, well that's just human nature that you follow. It was a good question to ask here, and pleasing to see some of the responses.

Some more anecdata for you: I moved back from the UK to very urban Wellington. One day ended up going and helping two neighbours who were battling to cut old ivy of their boundary fence (any excuse to bust out the sabre saw). It mistakenly slipped out that I had just installed my gun safe prior to FAL inspection. I was waiting for the words of scorn and derision, but it turned out the lady next door, and the guy two along both had their FALs. Then not long after, another neighbour across the road said he and his wife and daughter had just been to Wairarapa to a friend's farm, where they had a great time blasting bunnies.

Dunno, maybe as we all become a bit more insular, we miss this sort of stuff. If you listen to some people the world's going to end... now I'm a pretty cynical, grumpy fuck at the best of times, but even I see there's a lot out there to be positive about, if you look for it.

Best thing we can do is be good ambassadors for our sport, and encourage people to get into it. @Sika stag is a fine example. Arranging trips for families, and kitting out kids who might otherwise not have the means to get out - bloody legend. It's people like him who will ensure people new to hunting have an opportunity to try it, and are maximising the chances they will enjoy it. I hope I can do the same one day.

Take a mate with you next time go out to that farm, see what they think (just hammer home the safety stuff!)