What are they trying to conserve?? By not hunting you are doing more damage to the environment then if you arn't. The introduction of feral animals into Australia has destoyed and will keep destroying our native flora and fauna and hunting is a proven method of reducing these impacts. Come up with a better solution and ill be all ears. And don't let the solution be the spending of millions of tax payers dollars hiring "proffesionals" that fly around in helicopters destoy about 10 feral animals and think they have done a good job. I have seen it happen. Fair enough about the safety aspect but procedures could be put in place to manage that aspect, as they are now for state forests.

Surely BOF is to smart to do any "deal" with such right wing groups as the Shooters. Their policies are self indulgent and dangerous... just think about why we should introduce shooting as a school "sport". There is absolutely no reason... and there is absolutely no reason to allow guns into National Parks - the idea is just ludicrous.

Funny how we never see these conservationists fighting bush fires. wE Never see any conservationists repairing damage to streams and waterholes caused by ferel pigs. We never see any conservationsist tracking down wild dogs, foxes and ferel cats and which decimate native animals and birds. I have never ever seen any conservationists clearing noxious weeds? All I ever see and hear is them complaining about and objecting to evey sensible proposeal put up by law abiding citizens willing to do all the above freely.

It's funny isnt it. The Green Groups, ...oops sorry conservationists, are always quick to slam those who are actively willing, at their own expense and in their own time, to enter lands owned by the Australian people to help rid of feral pests that are endangering the very exisitance of the eco systems, flora and fauna so EVERYONE can enjoy the natural beauty we have and are so lucky to have right here in our own backyards.

If these great lands are locked up to all access, which is a priority of radical conservationists, oops, I mean groups like the Greens, no one will ever enjoy the beauty we have here, ferals will run riot and leave what left behind? Total destruction and leave wilderness a vivid memory for our childrens children. Why lock up national parks and only allow access to a restricted few, why not let permitted, accredited hunters in to help clean up the feral animal problem exsisting government action has been unable to do within reasonable budgets. Money could be spent better in our society rather than the use of expensive ariel culling, and the use of poisens like 1080 that leads to agonising slow deaths of animals.

Hunters are the real conservation alternative.

Real Conversationist, how do you know that?? It's a sweeping remark which is unfounded.

Dave B, you left out the part that you actually enjoy the hunt and kill.

Nature Conservation Foundation CEO, Pepe Clarke reckons "feral animal control in our parks is not a suitable job for amateurs". Well, I totally agree with that! And so does National Parks and Wildlife. That is why licenced shooters with duly registered firearms from the public domain are STRINGENTLY scrutinised and safety procedure tested before they may or MAY NOT be granted approval to assist in the eradication of feral pests from parks and reserves. I am certainly no amateur, Pepe Clarke, as I've been hunting feral pests since being a young lad of 13 years of age. National Parks don't just let any damn fool in who wants to indulge in "Bang, Bang, you're dead! Fifty bullets in your head!" and I am certain that you already know that yourself. You are just indulging in a bit of anti-gun propaganda stemming from your own personal beliefs instead of duly and impartially considering all the effective options available for a problem that is detrimental to both the natural environment and the rural economy. Lastly, to 'jeffers': You wouldn't have a clue what you're talking about, as usual!

John - who said anything about enjoying the hunt and kill?

The discussion is about conservation of our parks and helping rid of feral animals that lie within. Your response is typical of someone with all the answers, but no action.

I quite agree with the majority of writers that the Conservationists, greenies really don't do much more than lobby government to lock these lands up. In terms of actual conservation work, ridding the lands of feral animals, they don't do anything. But of course it is easier to sit your fat bums in an office and whinge rather than have to do any of the hard work and actually remove the feral invaders . Hopefully we now have a government that is not going to be swayed too much by the socialist nutters that have had too much to say for too long on how we should manage our natural assets.

Besides John, I agree with the rest of them! It's a 'free' way to control ferals, otherwise the day will come when the goverment will have to use our tax payers dollars for them to be erradicated, when the money could be well spend else where!

They allow hunting in parks in Victoria, and in any given weekend, there will be hundreds of people out hunting. Funny how all of this goes on without incedent. I guess they must just be far more sensible people in Victoria.