***Please note: the title should be spelt Licence.***

Does anyone here believe that $300 AUD (approx 245 USD) for an R-Class license for 5 years is extravagant? My belief is that it acts more as a deterrent to hunting, rather than being a value for money privilege serving no practical purpose. What precisely justifies such a charge? What are they spending the money on? (it is a tax after all) The Game Council of New South Wales does not justify what it does with the funds that it collects.

Australia is vast with abundant game sitting on Crown Lands legally inaccessible to game hunters due to archaic feudal notions of holding land of the Crown taken to a punitive extreme. In my mind, to charge money for the right to hunt on what is basically wasteland (it cannot be cultivated with crops or act as pastoral land) to eradicate pests is preposterous. What purpose does the land serve??? What value is lost by the state government's by the citizenry using these zones for hunting non-native pests (areas which are mostly devoid of permanent human occupation).

What do other people think? Am I being unreasonable and hypersensitive or pointing out the unreasonable treatment of sporting shooters and firearms owners? I would value other people's opinions on the subject.

G'day Chris
At least you can shoot on crown land. Over here, in WA you can only shoot on private farms / stations. And 'tis highly regulated.
cheers
a

I see your point ayjay. However, sometimes I ask myself why an inch given to the New South Welshmen should be seen as like a mile by the Western Australians. If being given a trifle of opportunities to hunt on Crown Lands is a big thing to those who are not allowed to do so, is it really as grand and privileged as it seems from a distance when in reality what has been granted to those in NSW is quite minimal when considering the availability of lands and the low administrative costs in making such lands available?

Really, there is not much excuse why those from WA and NSW and every other state and territory are not granted a limited right to hunt on Crown Lands. In every respect, I do not see why we cannot have liberal rights to hunt on Crown Lands. There are plenty of pests and plenty of land to go around. Is that not one of the verses in the second stanza of our national anthem ' We've boundless plains to share;', indicating that much of our country is uninhabited and unexploited.

It seems like we are all highly regulated in one fashion or another, whether we are from WA or NSW. I am going to apply for my R Licence soonish once I have sat their pen book exam. Though somehow I feel like I am doing something which ought not the be necessary.

While they may make crown lands available in NSW, it will be interesting to see what lands are available, we don't get free run of the Crown lands. They release portions to those with R-class licenses, however, how convenient and interesting those lands are is to me an undiscovered country. Does anyone wish to share their experiences hunting on Crown Land (with due note that not all Crown Land is alike in terms of climate, game and terrain).

Sometimes I feel like we in Australia have such low expectations of what is allowed that we do not lobby what is truly possible.

Chris,
What is included in the "R" license? Is it license to hunt everything that Australia has to offer? Commercial hunting? Limited to certain species?

In Alaska, for a resident sport hunting/trapping and fishing (also including King Salmon tag, Brown Bear tag and Federal Waterfowl Stamp), it costs about $88/year.

The breakdown is like this:
Resident hunting and fishing license: $48

Resident King Salmon Stamp: $10

Fed Waterfowl Stamp: $10

Brown Bear Tag: $25

All other big game tags, except Musk Ox (which to most Alaskans are drawing permit only - a lottery permit system) are free. Musk Ox tags are $500 for a bull and $25 for a cow.

Other license fees are shown at the ADF&G website:
http://www.admin.adfg.state.ak.us/license/prices.html

Just to put it in perspective, my Texas "Super Combo" hunting / fishing license was either $72 or $74 this year, which includes licenses / tags for all species except the federal migratory waterfowl (duck stamp), itself another $14 / $15.

So 5 years of that puts me in the neighborhood of $400 U.S.

Just a bit more info on the R Licence.

Taken from the New South Wales Game Council:

The Restricted NSW Game Hunting Licence or R-Licence and written permission are required by law for hunting game and feral animals on declared State forests and Crown Land areas in NSW (this does not include National Parks).

The R-Licence also incorporates the General NSW Game Hunting Licence (G-Licence), required by law for hunting wild deer, ducks and game birds on private land in NSW.

R-Licence categories: Bows, Firearms, Dogs, Black Powder.
R-Licence Types: Standard ($60/yr), Commercial ($250/yr), Hunting Guide ($150/yr) and Overseas Visitors ($100/yr).

The R-Licence also requires that you have hunting accreditation training. I purchased the NSW Hunter Education Handbook, for around 28 AUD. Then there is an open book exam. This isn't the only way, there is recognition of prior learning with a closed book verbal exam, or you can attend a Game Council Accredited Course. Either way, the training element will cost most people some money.

You also need to be a member of an Approved Hunting Organisation, which will cost money for membership per year (and usually doubles as your support for your genuine reason to have a firearms licence for recreational hunting in the first place, but not always).

After that we can hunt certain restricted species on private lands with a G Licence (which is included in the R Licence), and also hunt on public lands (restricted to certain species).

Hunting on Private Property

Under the Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002 and in accordance to the set Regulations, persons will require a NSW Game Hunting Licence (General), or G-Licence, to hunt the following game species on private property:


Deer: sambar, red, hog, rusa, fallow, wapiti, chital

California quail,

Pheasant,

Partridge,

Peafowl,

Turkey,

Waterfowl, managed by the National Parks & Wildlife Services under the Game Bird Management Program

No hunting without PERMISSION
A Game Hunting Licence does not authorise the holder of the licence to enter any land unless permission is given by the land owner/manager.

WHY do I need a licence to hunt these game animals on private land?

These game species are included as it is expected populations may expand beyond current levels in the future. Game Council NSW has been charged with the responsibility of managing these game animals and hunters under the Act. Wild deer can potentially be another source of income for both property owners and hunters, therefore these species will be the focus of Property Based Management Plans in the future.

WHO requires a G-Licence?
Persons wishing to hunt the game animals listed above on private land, with permission. Licence types include Commercial Hunter, Hunting Guide, Standard and Visitors and are available for terms of one, three and five years.

WHO is exempt from holding a Game Hunting Licence?

Farmers, their families and household members, as well as their employees when hunting deer and game birds on the landholders property.

Government agency personnel and professional shooters engaged in hunting game animals as part of their employment.

An Aboriginal person who is hunting on native title land, or a registered native claim; an Aboriginal person who is a member (or in the company of a member) of a Local Aboriginal Land Council and undertaking traditional cultural hunting.

HOW can I hunt these animals?
These animals must be hunted only in accordance with the Game and Feral Animal Regulation 2004 which also contains a Code of Practice, using the following hunting tools:

Bows

Firearm

Dogs

You can legally hunting Deer, peafowl, partridge, California quail, pheasant and turkey on Private Land.

Then with an R Licence you can hunt on Declared Public Land after you get written permission to do so. Game Species permitted are deer, pheasant, peafowl, turkey, partridge, California quail, foxes, pigs, goats, cats, hares and wild dogs.

This must also be taken into context with wider firearms laws and licensing costs. It is necessary to own a regular firearms licence before you can get the G or R Licence.

In NSW (and it is pretty much the same in all the states), we need to have a genuine reason to own a firearm. For most hunters, this will be either in the form of owning private land, having permission to hunt on private land or being a member of a hunting club. I am a member of a hunting club, which costs me around $70 per year (I am a member of the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia).

First time applications for a firearms licence also require that you pass a Firearms Safety Awareness test. You need to sit through a course on gun safety etc. which also will probably also cost you money (when I did mine many years ago before the need to have to do a course, it cost me around $75 to sit the test).

Then we get to the actual Firearms licence, which costs $100 AUD for 2 years, or $200 for 5 years. This being necessary to to get and keep an R Licence.

So, the total cost to me over 5 years be able to hunt certain species like deer on private land and to hunt certain species on public lands is,

Firearms Licence 5 years - $200
R Licence 5 Years - $200
Club Membership SSAA - $350 for 5 years (I could become a lifetime member, but that would cost $1400, which I cannot afford to pay upfront in one go - I am a poor university student who graduates at the end of the year... Also I do not know whether I am going to remain with the SSAA forever, a better and more convenient club might arise, so its a largish sum to commit when different options might be present down the road).

So on average the general cost is $750 AUD over 5 years (approx $612 USD).

I have my R license and i dont care if it costs me $60 a year.I would have thought the govt putting firearm licenses up from $75 for 5 years to $300 for 5 years in NSW alone would have got you more worked up .When properties i am normally hunting have bugger all on them from me putting pressure on them i hunt state forests.Plus there are a LOT of shooters who dont have access to private properties to hunt,so its is giving them a reason to keep shooting.Have seen personally fellas getting their license,buying firearms,shooting at the range and then wanting to give it up because its so hard to find properties these days to hunt.R class has given them somewhere to hunt.The system isnt perfect (name a system which works) by any means.It is being smoothed in many ways to help us buy the GC staff.I did not reply to get into an aurguement with you,so if thats all you want i will say no more on the matter.

Wharf:

I'm not looking to get into arguments with anyone. I have a strong view on the subject, but I am still interested to hear what others think. That is why I initially asked if others thought my this view was unreasonable or hyper-sensitive.

I can see where you are coming from, I just would like to know if they have an actual justification for the amounts they charge. We have enough forms of indirect taxation already and already pay good money for a licence in the first place.

As for hunting properties, I have found finding good places to be quite hard. I had access to a nice place near Tamworth in Nundle, but the owner decided to sell his property or lease it to the government (something to do with the Forestry Commission), and I have been having a fair few problems finding a place as good as it for quite a while.

Wharf:

Yeah, I had access to a nice place near Tamworth in Nundle, but the owner decided to sell his property or lease it to the government (something to do with the Forestry Commission), and I have been having a fair few problems finding a place as good as it for quite a while.


Thats what the R class is for buddy,get into it mate.There are 300 state forests open in NSW for hunting and there will be plenty more in the future.Once a few of the teething problems are sorted it is going to be a top system.


Heres an example mate.Last thursday i got the flu.Have been off work on holidays for a week.Friday morning i couldnt sleep.I got up(3am),logged onto the game council site.Booked tallaganda forest and by 4.30am was there finding a spot to hunt.If it was a property you had to ask permision for you would have to wait for the owner to wake up and ask.I have been using it a lot lately.Im not to fussed about shooting anything for awhile until i work out each place.Have seen a lot of game,friday morning i spooked 2 fallow does.They are out there.Which part of NSW are you from?Should be a forest near you man.

Hmm, well it is certainly sounding a little bit more hopeful when you put it like that. Are there seasonal periods where its more difficult to get a booking? (Just to keep in mind for the future).

I live in Sydney.

I just checked the declared properties near Sydney and there seems to be heaps within an easy drive.

I have never been not able to book because of to many bookings,but in summer you CANT go into a state forest during a total fireban,which suits me fine.I Dont hunt during summer,i mainly spotlight in the evenings on private property during summer.Every season but summer is when i hunt.If you arent a R class holder yet,i would do it.Once a holder you can access the GC site and see how many forests are at your door step.Ill tell you what,ill have a quick look for you and see how many are near sydney.

I have never been not able to book because of to many bookings,but in summer you CANT go into a state forest during a total fireban,which suits me fine.I Dont hunt during summer,i mainly spotlight in the evenings on private property during summer.Every season but summer is when i hunt.If you arent a R class holder yet,i would do it.Once a holder you can access the GC site and see how many forests are at your door step.Ill tell you what,ill have a quick look for you and see how many are near sydney.


Sydney metro/central west has over 20 state forest.Ranging from blue mountains to orange and further north like newcastle area.

Cool, thanks.

I definitely plan to get one now. I guess I can't really complain if I can hunt somewhere within an easy drive and be able to get the bookings easily.

Yeah, I went hunting once all the way out in Nyngan (near Bourke) during Summer...it was very hot! (AND there was no game...anywhere!!!)

Cool, thanks.

I definitely plan to get one now. I guess I can't really complain if I can hunt somewhere within an easy drive and be able to get the bookings easily.

Yeah, I went hunting once all the way out in Nyngan (near Bourke) during Summer...it was very hot! (AND there was no game...anywhere!!!)

I hunt at a place called mullaley.Its an 8 hour drive from home so its not every weekend i go there.But i prefer to do it in winter or any other season but summer.In summer its unbearable.I spend all day in my A/C room or at the bar of the mullaley hotel.It gets to well over 45Deg C and at night drops down to near 0deg and under.The cold i like,winter is my friend.The heat i dont like.I melt in summer and flies give me the $#&^%.

Here are a couple of pics of me and a mate hunting glenbog state forest a couple weeks ago.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v653/wharf/glenbog026.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v653/wharf/glenbog028.jpg

I think someone doesnt like the R class idea

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v653/wharf/glenbog027.jpg

Some awesome deer country

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v653/wharf/glenbog040.jpg

Looks good. Find much game?

It was like a cyclone up the brown mountain.There were trees knocked over everywhere,had to be carefull where we camped.Not much was game enough to show its head.Only saw one fallow doe as we drove in.Found plenty of sign and some awesome spots to go back to.

I agree with you on the price of the R liscence..
But it's just another way the N.S.W government can screw us shooters out of more money and make it to hard for alot people on low income earning shooters..:mad:
But what i find ridiculous is how long it takes to get your permit to aquire approved.
It just took 7 weeks to get my permit back for a class A (rimfire,shotgun).I already have a rifle and 3 shotguns in this catergory..
In Queensland it takes 24 hours..
N.S.W gun laws are ridiculous in how long it takes to process everything,and how it is done the old way with handwritten applications..Why can't they make it so we can do it online,we can do everything else online..
Sorry about the rant..
Just anothered frustrated N.S.W hunter,target shooter:confused:

Jason