Partnership shows the future of hunter safety messaging

16 March 2016

Collaborative partnership shows the future of hunter safety messaging

In the first joint venture between the NZ Mountain Safety Council and Big Game Hunting, six safety videos have been produced to entertain and engage hunters with safety messaging throughout.

NZ Mountain Safety Council (MSC) CEO Mike Daisley said the partnership with Big Game Hunting is an example of a successful collaboration with an engaged hunting community.

"We had been aware that for our safety messaging to reach more hunters we needed to lift our online presence, and we feel we've achieved that in collaboration with Big Game Hunting"

"Each video unpacks an item from the Firearms Safety Code, and does a good job of balancing entertainment and safety messages. We're really pleased with the final product"

Mr Daisley praised his team for getting these videos to completion in a short time frame, and ready in time for the roar.

"I'm exceptionally happy we have a solid partnership in place with Big Game Hunting to distribute these safety videos. Our collective horsepower has been focused on getting these ready for the roar."

Big Game Hunting New Zealand is the largest online hunting community specific to New Zealand hunting. General Manager, Mr Ben Tumata was keen to make sure there was a clear safety message sent to his audience this year.

"We've been really pleased that the MSC have come to the party on these videos. It's good to see this organisation moving towards creating things like this that make the firearms code relevant to the modern audience."

Aware that there was a lack of video content that spoke directly to the NZ hunting community, Mr Tumata suggested there needed to be more relatable and modern content to educate hunters and believed a collaboration with MSC could produce a real life way of highlighting important issues surrounding firearm safety in NZ.

"We spoke to the MSC early on that we felt there was a need to weave the safety messages into a more relatable format, something our audience would want to watch. Safety is a tough conversation to start with guys focused on the hunting aspects. The obvious for us was a video project made for hunters, by hunters."

"Our audience are a good cross section of the hunting community in NZ, and they are very engaged with our Facebook page and website. They love video content, and the more relatable the better. We needed to make safety as easy to watch as possible."

With a Facebook audience of almost eighty thousand, safety became an increasingly more personal topic for Mr Tumata as the page continued to grow.

"What frustrated me was that I was seeing the same silly mistakes happen over and over again throughout the country. I wanted to do something about the problem, and with the page growing day by day I felt I had a responsibility - and the platform - to do that."

Asked what he'd like hunters take away from the project in general, Mr Tumata said it was about looking after your mates and making sure everyone - including sisters, daughters, mothers and fathers - returned home from hunting trips.

“We need to change some of the culture around hunters and firearm safety, and to let guys know they have a responsibility to look after themselves, their mates and other hunters”

“These kinds of conversations are tough for hunters, especially if they are just starting out. Learning that its ok to pull each other up on bad habits is a part of making sure we all make it home”

"It's really simple stuff to be honest. You just need to follow the firearms safety guidelines.”

Designed for the upcoming hunting seasons, the videos are to be shared conjointly on Big Game Hunting and MSC Facebook pages, as well as associated websites and YouTube channels.

To view the videos head to the Big Game Hunting Facebook page, or the NZ Mountain Safety Council Facebook page from 17th March 2016. For more information about firearms safety, including the Firearms Safety Code, tips, advice and resources, visit www.mountainsafety.org.nz.

The Firearms Safety Code: Seven Basic Rules of Firearms Safety
1. TREAT EVERY FIREARM AS LOADED - Check every firearm yourself. - Pass or accept only an open or unloaded firearm.
2. ALWAYS POINT FIREARMS IN A SAFE DIRECTION - Loaded or unloaded, always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
3. LOAD A FIREARM ONLY WHEN READY TO FIRE - Load the magazine only after you reach your shooting area. - Load the chamber only when ready to shoot. - Completely unload before leaving the shooting area.
4. IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET BEYOND ALL DOUBT - Movement, colour, sound and shape can all deceive you. - Assume colour, shape, sound, and shape to be human until proven otherwise. Page 2 of 2
5. CHECK YOUR FIRING ZONE - THINK! What may happen if you miss your target? What might you hit between you and the target or beyond? - Do not fire if you know others are in your firing zone.
6. STORE FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION SAFELY - When not in use, lock away the bolt, firearm and ammunition separately. - Never leave firearms in a vehicle that is unattended.
7. AVOID ALCOHOL AND DRUGS WHEN HANDLING FIREARMS - Good judgement is the key to safe use of firearms.

--ENDS--

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