Thread: Warning shot for gun owners

Interesting article courtesy of Te Awamutu Courier, seems that finally people are being held accountable for dumb actions with firearms

Waikato police hope the loss of
two men’s firearms licences will
serve as a timely reminder to other
shooters to use firearms responsibly.
District firearms officer Richard
Plas said two 28-year-old men from
Cambridge and Te Awamutu
recently appeared in Hamilton District
Court on firearms-related
charges.
‘‘The charges relate to an incident
in November last year where
the pair were caught spotlighting by
a Department of Conservation
ranger in the vicinity of a campsite
in the Pureora Forest Park.
‘‘Fortunately, the ranger happened
to be camping on site and was
quickly able to stop them before any
shots were fired, preventing any
tragedy from occurring.’’
Mr Plas said it was unfortunate
that the pair ignored the lessons
learned in light of an occurrence in
the Kaimanawa Forest Park where
a woman, who was staying in a
Department of Conservation
campsite, was shot by a hunting
party spotlighting for deer.
‘‘Both men were found guilty and
had their firearms licences revoked.
We hope that these revocations
serve as a timely reminder to other
shooters that the licensed ownership
of firearms is a privilege, not a
right and as such, there are some
serious responsibilities shooters
need to adhere to.
Mr Plas said it is illegal for
hunters to hunt on Department of
Conservation land during the hours
of darkness, and campsites are well
sign-posted so there is no excuse for
this kind of activity.