September was a quiet month for Oz Fish and Game. With little free time available, my time was spent catching up on the less appealing side of running a website and a hunting club. This included; writing community submissions, strategic planning for the growth of the club, and enjoying some well-deserved rest. Let’s start with my latest community submission on behalf of Oz Fish and Game…

2022 Economic Impact of Recreational Hunting Survey (NSW)

Last month, the NSW DPI Hunting unit sent out a survey request to determine the economic benefits of recreational hunting in NSW. While most of us can agree that participation in a survey is something that we tend to avoid at all costs, this survey should be considered the exception to that rule – as it provides a major benefit to our industry. It serves as indisputable proof that we (as hunters) contribute a massive financial benefit to rural communities.

I completed a copy of this survey a few weeks ago, and request that all other hunters in NSW do the same. Opinions on hunting practices aside, if there was only a single outcome that would allow us to maintain the support from local communities and politicians, it would be the financial benefits that we provide. So please, take 5 minutes to get it done, then hassle your mates to do the same.

A copy of the NSW DPI’s email (including the survey link) can be found below.

“In 2017 DPI Hunting commissioned a survey to estimate the economic contribution of recreational hunting to the NSW economy. Based on the responses received, it was estimated that recreational hunting by NSW Game Hunting Licence holders accounted for $119 million of Gross State Product and 860 jobs within the NSW economy.

In addition, the 207,000 non-game licence holders account for between $446 m and $1,366 m of Gross State Product and between 3,932 and 11,572 jobs. 

A similar survey has been commissioned for 2022, which is being conducted by RMCG, EconSearch, and Action Market Research.

NSW Game Hunting Licence holders will receive an email with a personalised link to the survey, but we also hope to capture non-licensed hunters too! If you could share the link below or our Facebook post about the survey with non-licensed hunters in your club, it would be greatly appreciated.

Survey URL:

https://actionsurveys.com.au/index.php/527996

DPI Hunting Economic Survey Facebook post

The 2022 NSW Recreational Hunting Economic Impact Survey runs from Monday 26 September 2022 to Monday 17 October, 11:59 pm and is open to all hunters. It will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete the questionnaire and participation in the survey is voluntary.

All responses will remain confidential as Action Market Research will collate, analyse, interpret, and report on the data ensuring that DPI Hunting only sees the aggregated and not individual responses.

At the conclusion of the survey, the final report will be posted on the DPI Hunting website.

It’s important for as many NSW Hunters as possible to complete the survey honestly, this will ensure the final results are an accurate reflection of the economic impact of recreational hunting in NSW for 2022.

You can read the 2017 Economic impact of recreational hunting in NSW here.

We appreciate your involvement”.

-DPI Hunting

NSW Bowfishing progress

Based upon the latest feedback from the NSW Agriculture Minister, my bow fishing submission was to be forwarded to the Recreational Fishing NSW Advisory Council (RFNSW) for further review. While I was optimistic to think this matter would be tabled in the latest meeting (meeting 25), this does not appear to be the case. In their defence, this is likely due to the short time frame between receipt of my submission and that upcoming meeting date.

On a positive note, I believe this should be taken as a good sign – as it demonstrates the matter is being taken seriously, and will not be rushed through to appease us. No doubt they will require some time to conduct further research and consultation (with the NSW DPI) before an outcome is produced.

The next RFNSW meeting is set for the 23rd/24th of November. I will be keeping a keen eye out for the meeting notes to determine the outcome of this submission. Should this matter not be addressed at this upcoming meeting, I will take further action and request for this review to be escalated. Hopefully, this will not be necessary.

LinkTree

In order to make things easier for our Instagram followers, I’ve replaced the website link on our account with ‘LinkTree’. This link will take users to an external website that features links to our; website, various social media accounts, and some of our more recent articles.

LinkTree can be found in the biography section on our Instagram profile.

Well needed rest

New employment comes with new hours and a change in shift patterns. In order to adjust to these changes, I took the time last month to catch up on some well-deserved rest.

Going forward, my aim is to produce 2-3 main pieces of content per month. This will consist of a mix of written and video content. Keep an eye on our website and social media accounts for notification and access to any future content.

Plans for further expansion

As mentioned in previous articles, the very small amount of money generated from Oz Fish and Game is being used to improve the club and the website. Ideally, I would like to further increase this revenue stream and eventually, hire members from the community to produce educational content and advocate for your right to hunt/fish/shoot. In order to get to this point, I need your help.

I am currently seeking volunteers to fulfill the following roles, on an infrequent basis:

• Content creators and writers. My primary focus is on the provision of education and news content to our community – but I cannot do this alone. If you are an experienced content creator with a passion for the outdoors, please reach out, and let me know which topics you are willing to cover.
• Graphic designers – One of my main barriers to growth is financial constraints. That’s why I am looking for someone who can produce high-quality images and logos for our club. These images will be used to create club merchandise and promotional materials. My initial plan is to use these funds to lease land for a shooting range facility, with additional funds put towards upgrades on the website. If you are an experienced graphic designer and would like to donate your time, please get in touch.

As a trade-off for your assistance in either role, I am more than happy to promote your brand, advertise your merch, and support any other industry-related endeavours that you are part of. All interest can be sent to the Oz Fish and Game Facebook page, or emailed to [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Final thoughts

There will always be more things to check off on that ‘to-do’ list. This applies to your club and this industry, as much as it does to everyday life. But that doesn’t mean you should be burning yourself out, in order to check that box. Sometimes you need to pull that plug from the socket, disconnect from your responsibilities, and take some time for yourself to recover – both physically and mentally.

This was the best thing I could have done last month. I’ve now returned with a more positive outlook about the future of our industry, and a renewed sense of focus to push for these desired changes. Over the next month, I want everyone reading this to consider doing the same for themselves. Take note of where you are at, and if you could be doing better, take some time out to recover. After all, you’re not in a position to help others, if you can’t take care of yourself.

About this article

The aim of this article is to demonstrate what a club is able to achieve with the support of just 12 members. Just imagine what we could do with the resources of 100, or 1000…

If you would like to find out, head over to the ‘join our club’ page, and sign up today!