'Roo Shooting: A Numbers Game
THE price of kangaroo meat has increased considerably over the past few years, providing some with a strong enticement to become a ‘roo shooter.
In the light of good conditions, Queensland Macropod and Wild Game Harvesters Association president Jeff Newton is cautioning would-be shooters to prepare to meet industry standards if they wish to be welcomed.
"Some 18-year-old thinks that since he can chase down a couple of feral pigs or wild boars with his dogs, that he can make a fortune kangaroo shooting.
"While you can earn up to $1,000 a night shooting ‘roos, you have to factor in the running costs and that money is not always guaranteed.
"With the vehicle, guns and accreditation, people need to realise that ‘roo shooting is not a quick and easy way to make money."
Indeed shooter Allan Barbeler said he was surprised at how much money he had to outlay when he returned to the game as a part-time kangaroo harvester in March.
"I didn’t realise how much was involved in obtaining the licence when I first started out.
"I used to do a bit of shooting 20-odd-years ago, but there is more to it now.
"There was the safe foods course, I had to travel to Emerald for a TAFE course, and then I had to make sure that my vehicle was up to standard.
"All up it cost around $8,000.
"[With] the ongoing costs of gun maintenance, ammunition and the correct chemical sanitizers to keep the truck up to standard, it’s hard to imagine how anyone can afford to make it a full-time job."
Yet the TAFE course itself is a bugbear for Mr Newton who believes a one-day program is inadequate for new shooters to gain a comprehensive understanding of wild game harvesting protocols.
"I don’t begrudge anyone who wants to earn more income, and people are more than welcome to come into the industry, however they need to come into the industry with the appropriate skills," Mr Newton said.
"[But] the course is only eight-hours long with no hands on practical elements; they just show photographs of what to do and what not to do.
"What other industry in the world can you be accredited to produce meat fit for human consumption after only eight hours of training?
"I think the accreditation needs to incorporate a traineeship were the guy wanting to learn has to spend some time with an experienced harvester, until they believe he is fit to enter the industry."
Recently Mr Newton has stated that too many new harvesters have registered in the wild game industry with skewed expectations.
"While you can earn up to $1,000 a night shooting ‘roos, you have to factor in the running costs and that money is not always guaranteed.
"Let’s get real: it costs me $8 to shoot a kangaroo, factoring in the depreciation of my vehicle, tax and cost of ammunition."
Yet Lisa Balke from Wild Game Resources in Longreach says she had not noticed any fluctuations in shooter numbers over recent times although there had been rumours in the industry of dramatic increases due to rising meat values.
"While the price of ‘roos has risen quite considerably in the last few years, I have not noticed a great big boom in the number of kangaroo shooters," Mrs Balke said.
"According the Parks and Wildlife database there are actually less shooters registered than last year.
"But that doesn’t stop the ‘roo shooters from hearing the rumours and reacting to the wrong information."
Mrs Balke believes the problem with the industry is the apparent divide between part-time and full-time ‘roo shooters.
"Whether the shooter is part-time or full-time, everyone needs the same accreditations and standards of professionalism.
"Whether they 18 or 30, they all need the same qualifications.
"I have no problem with people combining a day-time job with part-time ‘roo shooting.
"I’ve got one pensioner who goes out shooting consistently once a week – he is just as important to me as the guy who shoots full time for four or five months of the year.
"If you wipe out the weekender, then you wipe out the industry.
"It’s a big industry now: it can cater for everyone."
In the light of good conditions, Queensland Macropod and Wild Game Harvesters Association president Jeff Newton is cautioning would-be shooters to prepare to meet industry standards if they wish to be welcomed.
"Some 18-year-old thinks that since he can chase down a couple of feral pigs or wild boars with his dogs, that he can make a fortune kangaroo shooting.
"While you can earn up to $1,000 a night shooting ‘roos, you have to factor in the running costs and that money is not always guaranteed.
"With the vehicle, guns and accreditation, people need to realise that ‘roo shooting is not a quick and easy way to make money."
Indeed shooter Allan Barbeler said he was surprised at how much money he had to outlay when he returned to the game as a part-time kangaroo harvester in March.
"I didn’t realise how much was involved in obtaining the licence when I first started out.
"I used to do a bit of shooting 20-odd-years ago, but there is more to it now.
"There was the safe foods course, I had to travel to Emerald for a TAFE course, and then I had to make sure that my vehicle was up to standard.
"All up it cost around $8,000.
"[With] the ongoing costs of gun maintenance, ammunition and the correct chemical sanitizers to keep the truck up to standard, it’s hard to imagine how anyone can afford to make it a full-time job."
Yet the TAFE course itself is a bugbear for Mr Newton who believes a one-day program is inadequate for new shooters to gain a comprehensive understanding of wild game harvesting protocols.
"I don’t begrudge anyone who wants to earn more income, and people are more than welcome to come into the industry, however they need to come into the industry with the appropriate skills," Mr Newton said.
"[But] the course is only eight-hours long with no hands on practical elements; they just show photographs of what to do and what not to do.
"What other industry in the world can you be accredited to produce meat fit for human consumption after only eight hours of training?
"I think the accreditation needs to incorporate a traineeship were the guy wanting to learn has to spend some time with an experienced harvester, until they believe he is fit to enter the industry."
Recently Mr Newton has stated that too many new harvesters have registered in the wild game industry with skewed expectations.
"While you can earn up to $1,000 a night shooting ‘roos, you have to factor in the running costs and that money is not always guaranteed.
"Let’s get real: it costs me $8 to shoot a kangaroo, factoring in the depreciation of my vehicle, tax and cost of ammunition."
Yet Lisa Balke from Wild Game Resources in Longreach says she had not noticed any fluctuations in shooter numbers over recent times although there had been rumours in the industry of dramatic increases due to rising meat values.
"While the price of ‘roos has risen quite considerably in the last few years, I have not noticed a great big boom in the number of kangaroo shooters," Mrs Balke said.
"According the Parks and Wildlife database there are actually less shooters registered than last year.
"But that doesn’t stop the ‘roo shooters from hearing the rumours and reacting to the wrong information."
Mrs Balke believes the problem with the industry is the apparent divide between part-time and full-time ‘roo shooters.
"Whether the shooter is part-time or full-time, everyone needs the same accreditations and standards of professionalism.
"Whether they 18 or 30, they all need the same qualifications.
"I have no problem with people combining a day-time job with part-time ‘roo shooting.
"I’ve got one pensioner who goes out shooting consistently once a week – he is just as important to me as the guy who shoots full time for four or five months of the year.
"If you wipe out the weekender, then you wipe out the industry.
"It’s a big industry now: it can cater for everyone."
posted by dr mcgillicudy's cudsong at 2:03 PM
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