Issue 76 - Apr/May 2020 |
On Sale Mon 6th April 2020

We are in interesting times to say the least!

With the whole world and now New Zealand reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the things that were extremely important before the outbreak suddenly seem less so. As I write this the situation is changing daily, and we are all wondering if we are going to be able to get to our Wapiti and Red ballot blocks, roar trips, and then opening of the waterfowl season followed by the tahr ballots and all the other things we had planned for this time of year. Travel round the country is going to get progressively more difficult and helicopter firms are shutting up shop for the roar and for the foreseeable future.

As frustrating as this is going to be, we need to keep this in perspective by thinking about the large number of New Zealanders who are not going to survive this pandemic. There will be another roar and opening weekend for most of us, but for some there will not. It is pretty easy to be cavalier about the measures like self-isolation etc. recommended by the health authorities, saying things like “it won’t kill me”, but the point is it may kill someone you infect. By the time you read this no doubt there will be a whole raft of new measures that we all need to abide by to reduce the effect of COVID-19, so let’s all play our part until we get back to normal – whenever that maybe

While the firearms legislation has currently taken a back seat, we need to give credit where it is due, and NZ First is definitely now due that credit despite some of the bad press they have had recently on other issues. David Seymour has also very vocally supported legitimate firearms users right throughout this frustrating process, but there is little he can do about it on his own. NZ First are part of the coalition government, and while they allowed the Bill to go through its first reading to select committee stage so everyone could submit their thoughts and see if they could achieve a workable result, they have now stopped its passing until they get that result – including all the things we asked the select committee for like a separate firearms authority, sensible laws around registration, workable import permit requirements, exemptions for sporting shooters and landowners etc. The proof will be in the final pudding, but if they achieve a workable result out of all this, they may well be getting my vote come election time.

You’ll see we have changed the look of the cover this issue. We’d like your feedback on whether you like it, and how what the cover looks like and what it says affects which particular magazine you buy out of the rack at the supermarket, bookstore etc. Go to our website home page or Facebook page and fill out the brief survey to tell us what you think!

The Spot the Logo winners for last issue are Stuart Brookes and Edward Laity. The logos were on page 31 in the TuffGear advert and on page 91 in the Sig Sauer advert.

We’ve also drawn the latest subscription prize draw – the Helisika flight went to Ross Patrick, the Bakewell Burner to James Bishop, and the Wright Mounts Taxidermy $1000 voucher to Steve Mattock.

By the time you read this we may all be in self-isolation or required to stay at home and be looking for something to read to get our hunting fix. If you can’t go down town to buy your magazine, why not subscribe and be in to win some of the fantastic subs prizes up for grabs on the inside back page. Or alternatively get an online subscription or single issue if you’d rather which you’ll find on our website – www.nzhunter.co.nz

We hope you’re all enjoying this Season of the TV Show, and hopefully we’ve been able to get around the country and film a few roar episodes for next season.

Greg