Hunting in Australia

I have had several conversations with people in Brisbane about hunting. So far, I have only met one Australian guy who said he liked to hunt. This guy grew up in the outback, which would be similar to growing up in a Mississippi town like Lexington or Greenwood. When I asked what he liked to hunt he responded, “Mainly pigs.” I said cool and then got in a discussion with some other Australians who found the hunting culture in Mississippi very interesting. When I explained that I would sit in the woods for four hours to shoot a deer, people's responses were usually a confused, “Really?” (Asian and European people respond the same way).
I explained to people how hunting in Mississippi is just as much a part of the culture as the sport of Rugby is here. In Mississippi,hunting is a hobby/sport that many people grow up learning and loving. And its different for every person:

For many it's about the experience of being in nature, alone, in the silence, away from the noisy world. My dad enjoys being in the woods but not for the purpose of killing an animal. It's relaxing and can be a good time for reflection on life. 

For many it's all about the challenge. For instance, killing a deer is not easy, as they are very smart creatures and get even smarter as they get older. Therefore, killing a big buck can be a very big accomplishment for any person.

It's about the adrenaline rush you get when your less than ten yards away from a wild animal or when you shoot the gun or bow. 

It's about being quiet in the natural world and taking time to reflect on the Creator who gave it to us to enjoy. It can be a spiritual experience.

It’s understandable that hunting in Brisbane is foreign to most people. Remember, I am in a big city comprised of nearly two million people. If I went to Los Angeles and started telling people about hunting, they would probably react similarly.

GUN LAWS IN AUSTRALIA

Currently, only about 5.2% of Australian adults (765,000 people) own and use firearms for purposes such as hunting, controlling feral animals, collecting, and target shooting. 

“In Australia, access to firearms is limited to persons with a genuine need. This includes government and police, sporting shooters with valid membership of an approved club, recreational shooters or hunters that produce proof of permission from a landowner, primary producers, pest controllers and bona fide collectors.  All governments have agreed that self-protection is not a genuine need.”

These laws have there benefits as neighborhoods are safer and people are rarely ever shot. 

SO WHAT DO PEOPLE HUNT IN QUEENSLAND?

Most animals hunted in Queensland’s rural areas are feral animals that are considered pests and need to be killed for population control and agricultural reasons. These include:

Feral Pigs
These pigs destroy a lot of agriculture and are killed to protect farmers crops. 

Rabbits
It's Easter, so no one should be shooting these right now  :)   but they are a
major problem in Queensland and in all of Australia. 

Kangaroo's
I was told that when people hunt Kangaroo's they usually ride and shoot them out of the back of a truck.
Can you imagine still hunting a kangaroo. I guess you would sit and listen intently for the hop hop noise.

P.S. 

Hunting serves a purpose.....

1.)Population control. It's not just about killing animals. It's about protecting them in the long run.

2.)Animals are good for food. No one should hunt if they are not going to eat the meat.

Happy Easter!