A more than four-fold increase in the number of people getting new firearms licences in Dunedin is largely because of an increase in the number of recreational hunters, police say.
Southern police district arms officer Andrea Calder said it was a "sign of the times", with more women and children getting firearms licences so families could go shooting together.
To obtain a firearms licence, each applicant must be aged 16 or older, attend a two-hour mountain safety course and complete a test at the end of the course. The number of people attending mountain safety courses in Dunedin had increased from 55 in 2000 to 236 last year.
The largest yearly increase was between 2005 and 2006, when 89 more licences were issued.
The overall number of new applications for Dunedin, Queenstown, Wanaka and Alexandra had also increased in the three years records had been kept.
In 2006, 406 new licences were issued in those areas, while last year there were 486. So far this year, 256 new licences had been issued.
Ms Calder said more farmers were getting firearms for pest control as rabbit numbers increased. The "odd person" got a licence so they could keep a family heirloom firearm in their home.
An increase in the number of school pupils interested in smallbore rifle shooting often led to teenagers wanting to get licences when they were old enough.
Ms Calder agreed some people would be concerned at the rise in the number of licences, but said before someone could get a firearms licence they had to have a background check. If an applicant had a serious conviction, including assault, he or she generally would not be allowed a licence.
Dunedin Clay Target Club president Wayne Larsen said the club had noticed a definite increase in the number of young people accompanying their parents to shoots at the club.
Hunting shops contacted said they had noticed an increase in the number of people coming from overseas with a background in shooting, and wanting to get a new licence.
Firearms licences
New firearms licence applications in Dunedin
• 2000 55
• 2001 87
• 2002 84
• 2003 132
• 2004 143
• 2005 145
• 2006 234
• 2007 236
• 2008 (to date) 122
Applicants
• Must be aged 16 and over.
• Must undergo a background check.
• Must attend a two-hour mountain safety course.
• Must complete a test at the end of the course.
