Australian410hunter
Member
I consider myself lucky. I grew up in the age when the veterans of World Wars were still here, when you could own a shotgun, or rifle, without a licence. That was a time when you could buy some .22lr, or .410 from the corner shop in rural Australia.
I rode my unregistered motorbike through neighbour's unfenced farms, without concern. I rode it with a rifle slung over my shoulder, without a worry, when going to friends (no-one screamed, got cross eyed, and called the Police). One friend's father kept his rifles on display, above small child height, in the breezeway; no-one touched them without permission.
When I got a car, and roamed further afield, to friends to go hunting/spotlighting hares, the rifle/s were in a bag on the backseat, without concern.
I started with a single shot .410, and a single shot .22lr. I received instructions on their safe use, duck hunting, hare hunting, shooting foxes, etc from family and friends. No-one thought it unusual to teach a young boy of about 6-8 years about gun safety, and use (I don't remember exactly how old I was).
Now, in our world of licenses, people scared of guns, and loud noises, have we made progress? Was the loss of freedom worth it? Have we lost more than we gained? Have we gone too far?
I rode my unregistered motorbike through neighbour's unfenced farms, without concern. I rode it with a rifle slung over my shoulder, without a worry, when going to friends (no-one screamed, got cross eyed, and called the Police). One friend's father kept his rifles on display, above small child height, in the breezeway; no-one touched them without permission.
When I got a car, and roamed further afield, to friends to go hunting/spotlighting hares, the rifle/s were in a bag on the backseat, without concern.
I started with a single shot .410, and a single shot .22lr. I received instructions on their safe use, duck hunting, hare hunting, shooting foxes, etc from family and friends. No-one thought it unusual to teach a young boy of about 6-8 years about gun safety, and use (I don't remember exactly how old I was).
Now, in our world of licenses, people scared of guns, and loud noises, have we made progress? Was the loss of freedom worth it? Have we lost more than we gained? Have we gone too far?