''If you were out hunting and sitting around waiting for the dogs to come back, asakid you sometimes picked up a gun and if you pointed it at the dog, it was a no-no. So you got a boot up the backside and you never did it again. It was as simple as that.''
Hunters always sit around and ask the question ''why'' after every hunting tragedy but it's simple, John says, follow safety rules.
After becoming a safety officer, John has realised he wasn't good at following the rules himself.
John admits to once being a careless hunter who used to hunt with his gun loaded but doesn't anymore.
''I could have easily shot myself, someone else ormy horse.''
It'sapractice he no longer uses.
There are a mix of reasons something goes wrong for hunters though. One of the seven basic rules is not to mix firearms with alcohol or drugs and to be 100 per cent sure the target is an animal not a human being. But sometimes these rules are ignored and can easily lead to the death ofamate or anyone else out hunting, he says.
''I've seen guys out there who have been under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Nothing has happened but it
could quite easily have. I think it's the adrenalin really. During the roar and duck season you always have hunting accidents. They are all hyped up.''
When separated from mates, it is easy to become confused and mistake their calls for a deer as the real thing, but unless the shooter is sure he has a deer in his sights he should always assume it's a person, John says.
As for colours, the only safe colour to wear in the bush is blue, he says.
Oranges, yellows, greens and browns naturally occur in the bush depending on the seasons.
''People have shot someone who has been roaringadeer . . . we try and look for answers but one of the main things is people aren't identifying their target. They are shooting at sound, they are shooting at colour, at movement.
''They shoot at shape. They look at something and they think it's a deer.
''I've talked to good hunters and they say they have had a bead on something.
''They haven't been 100 per cent sure so they have put their gun down and sang out 'hey' or something like that and the shape has turned around and it's been a human.
''Those are lives that have been saved by the good actions and practises of the hunter who abides by the rules.
''What it boils down to is people aren't identifying their target.''
Many bush shooting tragedies happen just on dusk, John says.
''You can't see properly and the light can play tricks on you.
''They see something move and take it for granted it's a deer. You have to be beyond all doubt. Put the gun down and make sure. There is always another day.''
There is no such thing as a hunting accident, he says.
''It's a myth.
''To me it's simple. Adhere to the rules and it will cut the hunting deaths to nil.''
Basic rules of firearms safety:
Treat every firearm as loaded. Check it yourself and only pass or accept an open or unloaded firearm.
Always point firearms in a safe direction. Loaded or unloaded, always point the muzzle away safely.
Load a firearm only when ready to fire, load the chamber only when ready to shoot and completely unload before moving on.
Identify your target beyond doubt. Movement, colour, sound and shape can all deceive you. Assume it is a human until proven otherwise.
Check your firing zone. Think about what may happen if you miss your target or what you might hit between you and the target or beyond. Do not fire if you know others are in your firing zone.
Store firearms and ammunition safely. Lock away bolt, firearm and ammunition separately when not in use.
Avoid alcohol and drugs when handling firearms. Good judgement is key to safe use of firearms.
