Bart Irwin column: Hunting and shooting reserves overcrowded

Hunters battling overcrowding of reserves have so far controlled their aggression, but the luck will run out sometime, writes Bart Irwin.

Bart Irwin is calling our poor hunter behaviour. Picture: Che Chorley

Every hunter I meet lately speaks to me about poor hunter behaviour.

And the root cause of it is overcrowding at the hunting reserves.

Currently only two of the measly four reserves have water.

So, three thousand hunters are forced to hunt along the shorelines of Harrison Dam and Lambell’s Lagoon.

This is because EvaLawler, the former Minister for the Environment chose not to find a new

reserve after promising one prior to the 2022 election.

I have heard a lot about etiquette in the past week or so and I reckon etiquette is a French word for the golden rule of treating others as you want to be treated.

Sadly, that doesn’t exist often now around Lambell’s Lagoon.

Hunters are leap frogging each other to the front position on a flight line even if they arrived late.

Magpie geese take flight. Picture: Contributed

Add to that the conflict of possession of the downed bird and we have a recipe for disaster. Fortunately, hunters have controlled their aggression, but the luck will run out sometime.

Then I bet there will be calls for gun control and all sorts of knee jerk reactions when it could have been overcome by simply adding hunting reserves.

Many hunters including myself have ruled out Lambell’s Lagoon as a viable hunting area because of the perceived danger.

There are ample areas available within the same distance from Darwin under the control of Parks and Wildlife and in some cases the NT Land Corporation.

NT Field and Game have been calling for a new hunting reserve since 2001.

Territory Labor have been in power for 18 of those years and the CLP for four.

Minister Lawler shone a light briefly, then stamped it out just as quickly once re-elected.

NT Field and Game holds clay target shooting practice at the Mickett Creek Shooting Complex range every Friday arvo from 4pm and Sunday morning from 9am till noon.

All are welcome to join in the fun.