With the Roar approaching and ducking shooting in May, hunters need to heed the "pretty basic" fundamentals of safety says New Zealand Deerstalker's Association president Bill O'Leary.
The rules are:
*Get a firearms licence
*Get permission to access and hunt on land
*Communicate your presence to other hunters
*Understand and observe the basic rules of firearm safety
Mr O'Leary said while there has been focus on the 'failure to identify' incidents, "most incidents are the result of failure to observe basic rules such as always pointing the firearm in a safe direction".
The Hunter Safety Committee's analysis of incidents has highlighted unlicensed shooters and illegal hunting as red flags. Spotlighting has also featured too frequently in shooting incidents, Mr O'Leary said.