Hunting death triggers safety warning Posted Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:30am AEST A hunter from Albury Wodonga says a fatal accident near Tallangatta at the weekend is a warning for hunters to be sure of what they are shooting. Police believe the 19-year-old Thurgoona man was accidentally shot dead by his companion when he was mistaken for a deer in dense bushland on Sunday. Local hunter Russell Mason says it is a well-known rule not to shoot until a target is clearly identified. He says the prospect of getting a rare shot at a deer may have prompted the hunter to break the rule. "You can be hunting for years to get yourself in a position to take a shot at a deer," he said. "They're a very hard quarry to find and it's easy to get excited and unfortunately these fellas have got in that position and obviously thought he's right up on one and squeezed the shot off when he should've just waited that split second longer."
Firearms warning Posted Sun Jul 25, 2010 10:49am AEST West Australian police have issued a warning about firearms. (ABC Local: Joel Rheinberger) Police have issued a firearms warning after a 20-year-old man was shot at Muchea north-east of Perth. The man was shot in the abdomen at close range earlier this weekend and remains in a stable condition in hospital after undergoing surgery to remove pellets from his body. He was riding in the back of a utility with a number of other men on a hunting trip when the gun was discharged. Detective Sergeant Jason Mercer of the North West Metropolitan Detectives says the incident is a reminder that people need to be careful around firearms. "This is the second shooting we've had with a shotgun, this week, in our area and we're urging the public to be vigilant, especially when you're planning hunts," he said. "Have a clear safety plan in mind, and those in possession of firearms are to check up on our W-A police website under the act to see the mandatory storage requirements."
New Zealand dog shoots owner Posted Wed Jul 14, 2010 10:12am AEST A New Zealand man has good reason to question whether his dog is truly his best friend after his family pet shot him in the backside in a potentially fatal accident. The 40-year-old man was sitting in the back seat of his car when the dog stepped on the trigger of a loaded .22 rifle and shot him, police told the Northern Advocate newspaper on Wednesday. The wounded man was with a group of friends who had just finished killing and butchering a domestic pig, and he thought the rifle had been unloaded. He was rushed by helicopter to a nearby hospital in the far northern town of Dargaville where doctors said he underwent surgery to remove a bullet from his left buttock. Dargaville police constable Ian Anderson said the man was lucky not to have been more seriously injured.
Drunks shoot each other in the buttocks Updated Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:58am AEST Police are waiting to interview two men who have had surgery after shooting each other with an air rifle in Victoria's west. Police say the men, both aged 34, from the Horsham area were drinking on Sunday night when they decided to see what would happen if they shot each other. Police believe the men then took turns to shoot each other in the buttocks and legs to find out if it would hurt or if the pellets would penetrate the skin. Police say the men were in some pain, but thought they were fine. However, two days later, both were admitted to hospital to have the gun pellets removed. One of the men, who owns the air rifle, will lose his shooting licence and have his firearms confiscated. Sergeant Brendan Kahn of Victoria Police says it was an act of sheer stupidity and the pair could face charges. "They don't realise the ramifications and how dangerous it could have been," he said. "They could easily have killed each other because slug guns nowadays are a very powerful firearm compared to what they were 20 years ago."
Police charge gun theft suspect Posted Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:38am AEST Police have laid charges over the theft of firearms from a safe during a house invasion at Moe, west of Sale, earlier this month. Officers from the Special Operations Group joined local detectives in a series of raids last Thursday. Two people were arrested. One has been charged, while the other has been released pending further investigations. Only one of the firearms has been recovered. Police are still looking for the other weapons Teen shot in rifle mishap Posted Tue Apr 6, 2010 11:41am AEST An Albury teenager had surgery last night after being shot in the arm. Police say the 15-year-old and another boy were handling his late grandfather's rifle at a house in Glenroy at 6:45pm (AEST). The gun discharged and the teenager was shot in the elbow. He is in a stable condition in the Albury Base Hospital. Police are investigating the incident.
Vandals shoot up water pump Posted Wed Mar 24, 2010 2:42pm AEDT Vandals have caused thousands of dollars damage to a water pump at Taylors Lake near Horsham. The pump is owned by a contractor for GWMWater and was shot three times with a high-powered rifle, damaging the motor and radiator and making it inoperable. The pump was last used a week ago and it will cost about $25,000 to repair. Police are investigating and are asking for any witnesses to come forward.
Boy hospitalised after hunting rifle accident By Catherine Clifford Posted Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:33pm AEST A teenage boy has been flown to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital after being accidentally shot in the head during a hunting accident in western NSW. Police and emergency services were called to the Garrawilla State Forest, halfway between Coonabarabran and Gunnedah, earlier today after receiving reports a 15-year-old boy was hit by a bullet from a high-powered Triple-Two rifle. It is understood the boy's uncle was carrying the rifle when it accidentally discharged. The bullet allegedly ricocheted off the boy's wrist, entering his skull behind the right ear and lodging in his cerebellum. Police say the boy was fully conscious and talking to paramedics while being treated at the scene. He was flown by helicopter to Tamworth Base Hospital where he was stabilised before being flown to John Hunter Hospital for specialist medical care. Police say their investigations into the shooting are continuing.
Woman injured at duck hunt Posted Sat Mar 6, 2010 2:27pm AEDT A protester has been rescued from the annual wild duck shoot on Tasmania's east coast. Police say the rescue helicopter was called about 9:00am (AEST) to retrieve a 35-year-old woman who was part of a campaign to disrupt the hunt at Moulting Lagoon. The woman, from Battery Point, was thought to have been bitten by a snake but it was later diagnosed as a suspected marine sting to her foot. The woman is in hospital in Hobart in a stable condition. Tasmania's duck hunting season opened today and runs until June.
Family rescued after GPS blunder Updated 1 hour 19 minutes ago Led astray: The family was stranded for four days (Reuters: Rick Wilking) A family of four and their dog spent four days bogged in mud in far west New South Wales after being led astray by a GPS unit. Police say the driver drove off the road while following instructions from the GPS on Thursday. They say the GPS instructed the driver to travel along a closed road near Wilcannia, and the driver ignored the road closure signs. Weather conditions prevented police from getting to the family sooner but they were finally rescued last night. Sergeant Fisher from Broken Hill Police Station says a rescue team from Wilcannia was finally able to get them out yesterday. "[The crew] braved extremely difficult and treacherous road conditions and travelled out there," he said. "They actually slid off the road quite a few times and almost got bogged themselves." Police say the local council may fine the family for damage done to the road. He says there are serious lessons to be learned from the incident. "The first lesson is not to always believe your Navman and to have a look at a decent road map before you leave travelling to somewhere you've never been," he said. "And the second one is to never travel on the dirt roads in the west of NSW or western Queensland, particularly after heavy rainfall and when there's clear signs saying the roads are closed."
