Hunter safety videos & resources
Police are working with the Recreational Firearms Users Working Group: a forum for firearms safety to improve firearms safety outcomes.
We review and collaborate on shared best practice firearms safety resources for all recreational firearms user groups.
Working group members include representatives from:
- Federated Farmers
- Mountain Safety Council (MSC)
- Deerstalkers Association
- New Zealand Game Animal Council
- Fish & Game New Zealand
- Department of Conservation
- NZ Police
Check out the videos and resources below from the Mountain Safety Council and Game Animal Council to help you and your mates stay safe while hunting.
Plan My Walk
MSC’s journey planner ‘Plan My Walk’ delivers MetService weather and DOC alerts as well as a packing list, and an ability to share your trip on Facebook and via email. Highly recommended tool for trip planning.
Hunting Facebook Community
If you're a hunter who is keen on safe practices in the hunting community, then this is the page for you.
Visit NZMSCHunting on Facebook
Video resources
Same hunt. Different story | 60s
Looking after your mates this Roar
I survived: a hunter's story
Duck Season safety video
Video guides on secure and safe transport of firearms and ammunition
The following Police video guides demonstrate how to safely transport firearms and comply with Arms Regulations.
Firearms in Motorhomes – considerations for security of firearms in motorhomes/caravans and physical installation of a gunsafe into a motorhome
Semi-automatic firearms transport – considerations when transporting semiautomatic (or other types that do not have easily removable working parts) firearms
Bolt action firearms transport – considerations when transporting bolt action firearms
Firearms in unattended vehicles – complying with new laws in relation to stopping for a break in a journey when transporting firearms
Further guidance videos on secure storage requirements, and information on the new regulations, is available on the Firearms storage page, and also on The seven rules of safety.
Common hunting types
Learn about the best safety practices for New Zealand’s common types of hunting, courtesy of MSC.
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Big Game Hunting More hunters take part in ‘big game’ hunting than any other form of hunting, so it’s not surprising that they have the largest number of incidents.
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Game Bird Hunting Few other outdoor recreational activities in New Zealand have such a dramatic increase in participation as the opening morning of duck hunting season. This massive increase in participation unfortunately sees a corresponding increase in the rate of incidents.
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Alpine Hunting Alpine environments are very steep and exposed. When a hunter loses their footing in this environment, the consequences are typically worse than in other hunting environments.
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Pig Hunting Nearly all pig hunting fatalities are a result of a hunter trying to reach their dogs. High adrenaline and the urgency to reach their dogs / the pig seems to greatly increase the rate of injury, getting lost, and fatality.
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Small Game Hunting Small game hunting is an accessible hunting type and is often where many hunters start to learn basic hunting skills. Because of its relative accessibility, this type of hunting tends to attract large numbers of hunters, particularly those starting out or those who are restricted by mobility or accessibility. Past incidents suggest very poor firearms safety practice.
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Night Hunting A large number of hunting fatalities have occurred in the dark. There has also been an increased number of ‘misidentification’ incidents occurring outside of daylight hours. The hunting environment at night is very different than in daylight, and the low visibility comes with increased risk.
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Bow Hunting Although bows are not considered to be firearms, this does not mean they are not dangerous. Bows need to be treated with the same respect and diligence as any other piece of equipment designed to kill an animal.
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