General Info
The Firearm Safety Foundation was formed in 2008.
The formation of the Foundation was the result of several years of lobbying by a number of the state’s shooting organisations who believed that an independent body was required to provide advice to the Government on firearms safety training matters and to work with the Government to address a number of areas where training was of poor quality or worse still, unavailable.
The objectives of the Foundation are defined in the Foundation's Funding Deed. They are:
- to provide education and training to community groups, local government and shooting organisations on hunting and firearm safety across Victoria in order to reduce the incidence of accidental injury or death arising from the discharge of firearms: and
- to promote awareness and understanding in the general community of the need for hunting and firearm safety.
The initial obligations of the Foundation were defined in the Funding Deed and were to complete:
- Stock take of all existing general and specific Firearm related training in Victoria;
- Identification and documentation of key risk areas in firearm safety across Victoria;
- Development of safety awareness training and provision of education materials to appropriate groups in the Victorian community;
- Development of safety awareness content for school age children in Victoria.
The Foundation is governed by a seven member board, each of whom has an extensive shooting background. The board does not receive any form of remuneration.
Game Hunting In Victoria
Opportunities to see and hunt game in Victoria are world class. Game species are resilient to harvesting and able to adapt to extreme and unpredictable environmental conditions. They occur in relatively large numbers, have a high replacement potential, mature quickly and can breed at an early age, have high rates of turnover, are fast escapers and are very wary in their natural surroundings
Game species that can be hunted in Victoria include eight species of native duck, stubble quail and six species of introduced deer seasons and bag limit may apply to these species. Also Californian, European and Japanese Quail, pheasants and partridges may be hunted for the whole of the year with shotgun only.
Game Management in Victoria
The Game Management Authority (GMA) is responsible for statewide game hunting policy.
Game hunting in Victoria is regulated to:
- Provide continued sustainable (except where other management objectives seek to control or reduce populations), humane, ethical and safe recreational hunting opportunities.
- Ensure equitable sharing of game resources between stakeholders.
- Minimise the destruction of non-game species.
- Ensure the protection of wildlife habitats.
Open seasons and daily bag limits for game species are prescribed by the Wildlife (Game) Regulations 2012. Minimum legal calibre, cartridge case length and projectile weight are set for game hunting in Victoria.
Game Licence
Anyone wishing to hunt game in Victoria, including juniors (12-17 years), must hold a current Game Licence. A range of licence types is available, depending on the requirements of the individual hunter.
Before you can hunt game ducks, you need to pass the Waterfowl Identification Test. This test ensures that only those hunters able to demonstrate adequate identification skills are permitted to hunt ducks in Victoria. Furthermore, before you can hunt Sambar deer with hounds, you also need to pass the Hound Hunting Test. This test is designed to ensure that hunters using scent-trailing hounds to hunt Sambar Deer are aware of their legal, ethical and safety requirements when hunting.
Should you wish to apply for a Game Licence or require further information on game hunting in Victoria, please contact the Game Management Authority on 13 61 86. Alternatively, visit www.gma.vic.gov.au.