Neal Finch is an Environmental Scientist and a lifelong hunter with a long and rich association with the SSAA.

Neal has hands-on experience in hunter-centred wildlife research and worked for the Queensland Government for many years on its commercial kangaroo management program. He is currently the Executive Officer of the Australian Wild Game Industry Council.

In 2024, Neal travelled to Europe on a Churchill Fellowship to explore the wild game harvesting industry in Europe, specifically how it is regulated and the relationship between animal welfare organisations and the wild game industry. For more information on the Churchill Fellowship, go to https://www.churchilltrust.com.au/fellow/neal-finch-qld-2024/

After a career that included a long and successful stint in politics, Tom Kenyon took the helm at SSAA National in 2024. We sat down with Tom while he was in Melbourne to discuss changes at SSAA, Australian Shooter magazine, plans to grow the organisation and the political situation facing shooting across Australia.

The SSAA Victoria team take a deep dive into the management of public land in Victoria - particularly as it relates to shooting and hunting access.

More information on the "More to Explore" mapping application at: https://www.exploreoutdoors.vic.gov.au/where-to-start/more-to-explore

More information on hunting on public land at:

https://www.gma.vic.gov.au/hunting/deer/where-to-hunt

More information on the Great Outdoors Taskforce at:

https://www.deeca.vic.gov.au/futureforests/future-forests/great-outdoors-taskforce

The once-in-a-decade overhaul of Victoria's Wildlife (Game) Regulations has implications for the 60,000 Victorians who hunt deer, duck and quail.

Proposals put forward for consideration by the government include transitions away from lead-based ammunition for all game hunting, allowing handheld thermal devices for deer hunting, locking in Wednesday openings and 8 am starts for the first week of duck season and some left-field ideas, including blaze orange deer decoys.

In this episode SSAA Victoria's Barry Howlett, David Laird and Daryl Snowdon go through the comprehensive submission the Association made to the review and explain where we landed on the big issues, and why.

Jim Harding from Winchester Australia joins us to discuss the growing excitement about SHOT Expo 2024.

This will be the first major shooting expo in Australia in five years and the largest expo of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

Melbourne Showgrounds 19-20 October 2024.

Duck and quail seasons for 2023 are done and dusted, submissions are in for the Select Committee Inquiry, and public hearings have commenced.

This episode looks at:

• Duck opening
• SSAA Victoria’s Submission
• The public hearings so far

Episode features SSAA Victoria Hunting Development Manager David Laird, CPM & Training Development Co-Ordinator Daryl Snowdon, RTO Manager Fady Khalife and Communications Manager Barry Howlett.

A deep dive (no duck pun intended) into the politics that are driving decisions about duck and quail hunting in Victoria in 2022, including:

• The Select Committee Inquiry into native bird hunting
• Wounding as an issue
• The duck season decision
• Duck season 2023
• The quail season decision
• Other challenges on the horizon

Episode features SSAA Victoria Hunting Development Manager David Laird, CPM & Training Development Co-Ordinator Daryl Snowdon and Communications Manager Barry Howlett.