DEDICATED STATUS
As a dedicated hunter or sports shooter, your firearms are more than just tools—they’re a way of life, an expression of passion, and a commitment to the sport you love. Maintaining your Dedicated Hunter and/or Sports-Person status is crucial for the legal ownership of your section 16 licensed firearms. At Natshoot, we aim to make this process as straightforward as possible by outlining the steps needed to retain your dedicated status.
What we offer
What is Dedicated Status?
APPLY FOR DEDICATED STATUS THROUGH, RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL)
If you have dedicated status with another accredited hunting or sport shooting association, we will award the similar status, subject to requirements indicated in the link below.
FAMILIARISE YOURSELF WITH THE PROCESS AND REQUIREMENTS HERE
APPLY TO BE AWARDED DEDICATED STATUS BY WAY OF RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL)
One of the cornerstones of learner and certification systems worldwide is that prior learning and embedded expertise are formally recognised. This is dependent on documentary evidence of prior learning claimed, because of liabilities associated with the legal right to award dedicated hunter or sport-person certification as NHSA is legally authorised to award.
NHSA will consider awarding dedicated status on grounds of RPL in the following instances:
- Submission of documentary proof of Bona fide Hunter and or Sport-shooter Certificate issued by the SAPS in terms of the former Arms and Ammunition Act of 1969;
- Submission of documentary proof of the successful completion of the CHASA Hunters Proficiency Test only if practical shooting test has been completed (for dedicated hunter status only);
- Submission of documentary proof of Professional Hunter`s qualification certificate issued by an officially recognised PH training organisation or any Provincial Authority in South Africa (for dedicated hunter status only) (Provincial registration as PH is not acceptable on its own as it does not constitute proof of training in itself);
- Submission of documentary proof of current and valid Dedicated Hunter certificate as issued by SA Wingshooters, CHASA, or any other hunting association which is accredited with the SAPS as hunting association (so-called Section 16 Letters with signature of Commissioner of Oaths affixed compulsory here);
- Submission of documentary proof of an European Hunters’ Licence or Certificate issued by a relevant EU government agency, e.g. German Jagdschein or French Hunter`s Licence for dedicated hunter qualification;
- Submission of documentary proof of not older than 12 months and valid Dedicated Sports-Person certificate (Section 16 letter) issued by any of the accredited sport-shooting associations, or an equivalent international qualification.
NOTE: Only SA Hunters, CHASA and Lowveld Hunters’ Dedicated Sports-Person Certificates and Dedicated Hunter Certificates, (Section 16 letters) will be accepted if the certificate is not dated in at least the preceding year the application for RPL is made in.
A dedicated sport-person certificate from any other accredited sport-shooting association, which is valid for the 12 months prior to application, will be considered for awarding dedicated status on grounds of RPL.
HOW TO APPLY FOR DEDICATED STATUS ON GROUNDS OF RPL
Go to your Natshoot Member Portal (Login on website home page)
Click on the Blue Dedicated Status Button
Click on Recognition of Prior Learning
Fill out all fields on screen, make payment, and submit your application
NATSHOOT & DEDICATED STATUS
- As a saps accredited association, nhsa may by law award dedicated hunter as well as dedicated sports-person status to its members (members may at any time enrol for the course(s)).
- Nhsa’s dedicated award scheme has been approved by saps – hunting (2005) and sport shooting (2008) – and therefore conforms with the legal requirements as set out in the firearms control act (2000) and its regulations (2004).
- Because dedicated status in effect gives members who successfully complete the course the legal right to own more than four firearms, and/or semi-auto shotguns and/or semi-auto rifles/carbines, nhsa is legally required to ascertain that the process of awarding the status is untouchable and is verifiably compliant with the stipulations of the fca (act 60 of 2000 as amended) and its regulations (2004 as amended).
DEDICATED STATUS COURSES - THE PROCESS
- Members may at anytime enrol for the dedicated hunter or dedicated sports-person courses after they have joined the association as occasional hunter and/or sports-person.
- Members apply to enrol for the dedicated course(s) of the member’s choice on the member’s Personal Natshoot Member Portal at the blue icon; Dedicated Status – follow the instructions on the screen.
- The once-off payment for the course the member enrols for is determined by the type of study material selected (Printed Handbook or Electronic download) – Note that the electronic download is done on to the member’s computer and can only be read on the computer (it cannot be copied or printed) (the downloadable version is print and copy-protected). The cost for the course(s) is a once-off additional payment and includes course fees, all administration fees, courier of study material (if applicable), evaluation and certification.
REQUIREMENTS TO ENROL FOR COURSE(S)
- Applicant must be a fully paid-up member of the NHSA, must be a member in good standing (no disciplinary actions pending), and indicate written adherence to the Association`s Code of Conduct at enrolment for the dedicated course (done when joining NHSA and confirming contact details).
- Applicant must be 16 years of age. In the event of special merit, an exemption may be granted if sufficient evidence of high level provincial, national or international sport shooting participation can be furnished. If, however, a parent asks, we are prepared to assist from age 14, but only in respect of sport shooting.
- Applicant must not be unfit to possess a firearm in terms of the provisions of the Firearms Control Act (60 of 2000). Please read our Policy in this regard HERE
ACHIEVE NATSHOOT DEDICATED STATUS WITH -3- STEPS:
Step 1 - Complete the Theoretical Evaluation
THEORETICAL EVALUATION FOR THE DEDICATED STATUS COURSE(S)
- After receiving the study material via courier or downloaded the study material, the candidate reads through the study material.
- The link to the on-line evaluation will only open 2 calendar days after the candidate has received the study material (or have downloaded it onto his/her computer), in order to afford candidates enough time to work trough the study material.
- Two days after having received the study material (printed or downloaded), the candidate can do the on-line theoretical evaluation by going to the “Dedicated Status” section on his/her Personal Natshoot Member Portal.
- Start the theoretical online evaluation by clicking on the green link at the bottom of the page.
- The results of the evaluation will reflect here once the candidate has successfully finished with the on-line theoretical evaluation.
- Candidates may redo the theoretical evaluation as many times as is necessary to pass (the link will remain green until you have been successful in completing the theoretical evaluation).
- The theory for the dedicated courses is done by way of an online evaluation of 60 minutes (questionnaire compiled out of an interchangeable battery of 278 multiple choice questions – thus no two candidates can complete the exact same questionnaire) – pass mark = 70% – Please Note that the whole questionnaire must be completed in 60 minutes and that the questionnaire must be completed to the last question.
- The theoretical evaluation is marked automatically and the result is immediately afterwards visible on the candidate’s Dedicated Course page. At the office the result is logged on the candidate’s personal data sheet.
Step 2 - Complete the Practical Evaluation
PRACTICAL EVALUATION FOR DEDICATED STATUS COURSE
- The practical evaluation to attain dedicated status consists of shooting one target to attain Dedicated Hunter Status (score 60%) OR shooting one target to attain Dedicated Sport-person status (score 60%).
- If you do the Dedicated Hunter & Sport-Person Course, you must shoot ONE target for Dedicated Hunter and ONE target for Dedicated Sport-Person (score 60% for each target).
- You may shoot on any publicly recognized shooting range – you can see which Natshoot Friendly Shooting Ranges are in your area.
- See our list of NHSA Friendly Shooting Ranges where you are welcome to go and shoot (it is not compulsory that you shoot only on the ranges on this list)
- If you do not have access to a public shooting range but you have access to a private shooting range, i.e. a range on a farm, complete the form here – https://natshoot.co.za/ranges/submit to request permission to shoot there, please.
6. PLEASE NOTE:
6.1 Air Pistols and Air Rifles as well as Black Powder Handguns or Black Powder Rifles MAY NOT be used to shoot the practical section of the dedicated status courses.
6.2 You may use a lever-action rifle but only with the correct calibre on the targets you can download as indicated below.
6.3 The candidate may only shoot the required Target(s) in accordance with the exercise rules printed on the specific Target. For the dedicated hunter course, you may use any rifle to complete the practical section. For the dedicated sports-person course you may use any handgun or rifle for the practical section.
6.4 If you do not yet own a firearm you may use a firearm of a parent, a friend, or hire one from the shooting range – log the firearm as some one else’s on your firearms page on your Natshoot Portal when you enter the scores under Dedicated Courses.
6.5 Original shot Dedicated Practical Targets must be kept by the candidate for at least six months after date of being shot for purposes of verification by the office if the need should arise.
6.6 If original targets are not kept in this manner, and verification cannot be done because the original targets have been lost or thrown away, the candidate will have to re-do the practical section(s) of the dedicated course(s) s/he had enrolled for.
7. WHAT MEMBERS NEED TO DO
7.1 You may not use a target which is not correct for the exercise you want to shoot for the practical of the dedicated course you are completing and for which you want to enter scores, despite other exercises making use of similar looking targets. Shooting ranges may not give you a Natshoot Dedicated Practical target – download your own please.
7.2 NHSA Postal Targets or any Activity Target may not be used for he practical of the dedicated courses.
7.3 You MUST shoot the correct number of shots as per the exercise rules on a specific Practical Target (usually 5 shots). If the correct number of shots are not on a Practical Target the exercise is not valid and the target cannot be accepted for the relevant dedicated course.
7.4. Make sure you read the concise rules for the specific exercise relevant to the practical target you will use. Please make sure you stay within those rules !
7.5. You may print all coloured Natshoot Practical Targets in black and white.
7.6. You may not colour the centre of any Natshoot target (postal, activity, or practical), or paste a colour sticker on the centre of a Natshoot target (be the target in color or in black and white). Such targets will be declined.
7.7 Directly after having shot the practical target(s) make sure you fill out all fields on the target(s):
7.7.1 Member’s Initials and Surname + ID number;
7.7.2 Name of Shooting Range – please let range stamp the target if they have a stamp;
7.7.3 Calibre of firearm used;
7.7.4 Date on which the target was shot;
7.7.5 Complete the Statement Block by signing in the required space on each target;
7.7.6 Score the target in the relevant scoring blocks at the bottom of each target and make sure you write in the number of shots which were fired – see How To Score Targets HERE.
7.7.7 Let a witness sign the target at the inscription “Witness signature, ID number, Cell Phone & Date” – it can be the person in charge of the range where you shoot, or any person on the range at the same time on which the targets are shot (it confirms the statement you sign).
7.7.8 The date on which the witness signs must be the same date on which the target was shot.
7.8 Members must please keep originals of electronically submitted practical targets for at least six months after submission. Please ascertain that you keep documentation which can serve as confirmation that a specific target was shot on a specific range on a specific day for verification purposes should that be required (i.e. receipt, range stamp with the date on target, photo of range register of the day, day shooter sticker issued at clubs, etc.). If it would be required, the office will send a courier to pick up the original target for verification purposes (will be in contact with you in this regard if necessary).
SHOOT THE THE CORRECT TARGET FOR THE DEDICATED COURSE YOU ARE ENROLLED FOR
YOU MUST ACHIEVE 60% FOR ANY TARGET YOU ENTER AS PRACTICAL FOR THE DEDICATED COURSE
PRACTICAL FOR DEDICATED HUNTER COURSE
Choose ONE of the following exercises:
PRACTICAL FOR DEDICATED SPORTS-PERSON COURSE
Choose ONE of the following exercises:
HANDGUNS
RIFLES
Do not miss this last step in being awarded dedicated status!
Remember you MUST Apply to be Awarded Dedicated Status after having Completed the Dedicated Course(s)
Once the candidate has successfully completed the theoretical and practical sections of the relevant dedicated status course(s), the candidate will be notified by Email that s/he may officially download his/her dedicated certificates from his/her Personal Natshoot Member Portal under Documents.
All queries regarding the practical for dedicated status courses must please be sent to dedstatus@natshoot.co.za or call 012 946 2566
Step 3 - Apply to be awarded dedicated status
FINAL STEP OF THE COURSE
Once you have successfully completed your online evaluation and your score(s) has been approved for the practical of of your dedicated status, you may now apply to be awarded the relevant Dedicated Status (as is required by Law).
Do the following:
Step 1: Login to your Member Portal.
Step 2: Click on Dedicated Status button
Step 3: Click on Complete Application – finalise few questions required to finalise the dedicated status course
Your status will be updated within 3 business days once you’ve submitted your application for the dedicated status and you will be notified by Email, of the issue of your Dedicated Status Certificates and that these documents as well as your updated electronic membership card can be downloaded from your Certificates page on your Member Portal.
Always download all your updated personal NHSA documentation from your Certificates page on your Member Portal, and attach those to all and any application submitted to SAPS re firearm licenses.
Once all of the above steps have been completed correctly, the candidate’s certificate(s) are generated and posted on his/her Personal Natshoot Member Portal under Documents (Certificates), where the certificate can be downloaded anytime the member would need the same.
CONTENT OF DEDICATED SPORTS-PERSON COURSE
Content for Dedicated Sport-Person Course
Chapter 1: Introduction
Section 1: Purpose and Outcomes
Section 2: Embedded Knowledge
Chapter 2: Know your Firearm
Section 3: Cursory History of Firearms
Section 4: Safe Handling of Firearms
Section 5: Firearms and Children
Section 6: Rifles – Barrels and Stocks
Section 7: Rifles – Actions
Section 8: Handguns
Section 9: Introduction to Cartridges and Ballistics
Section 10: Maintenance of Firearms
Chapter 3: Safe & Responsible Firearm Handling
Section 11: Marksmanship
Section 12: NHSA: Shooting exercises
Section 12: NHSA Codes of Conduct
Section 13: Legal Aspects
Chapter 4: References
Section 14: References
CONTENT OF DEDICATED HUNTER COURSE EVALUATION AND CERTIFICATION
CONTENT FOR DEDICATED HUNTER COURSE
Chapter 1: Introduction
Section 1: Purpose and Outcomes
Section 2: Embedded Knowledge
Chapter 2: Know your Firearm
Section 3: Cursory History of Firearms
Section 4: Safe Handling of Firearms
Section 5: Firearms and Children
Section 6: Rifles – Barrels and Stocks
Section 7: Rifles – Actions
Section 8: Introduction to Cartridges and Ballistics
Section 9: Maintenance of Firearms
Chapter 3: Safe & Responsible Hunting
Section 10: Marksmanship
Section 11: Firearms Safety in the Field
Section 12: Hunting Ethics
Section 13: NHSA Codes of Conduct
Chapter 4: The Hunt
Section 14: Prepare for the hunt
Section 15: The Hunt
Section 16: Legal Aspects
Chapter 5: Conservation, Game Animals & Shot-placement
Section 17: Basics of Conservation
Section 18: Game Species Identification
Section 19: Game Species: Shot-Placement
Chapter 6: References
Section 20: References
MAINTAIN DEDICATED HUNTER AND/OR SPORT-PERSON STATUS
ANNUALLY MAINTAIN YOUR DEDICATED STATUS IN TWO STEPS
STEP 1: Make Sure your Membership Fee is annually Paid-up on the last day of your enrolment month. If your annual paid-up date is June, we shall send you a payment notice in May. Your membership will then be confirmed to be paid-up till June the following year if you make the payment.
STEP 2: Enter TWO Hunting Related Activities and/or TWO Sport Shooting Related Activities before the end of your birthday month annually (2 Separate dates / days – the day counts towards the activity not the amount of targets) to be compliant for the current year and to retain your dedicated hunter and/or sports-person status until the same time in the following year.
Explanation
CHANGE IN REPORTING OF DEDICATED STATUS ACTIVITIES
Dear Member,
A new dedicated activities reporting system will be implemented from 1 January 2022.
This Newsletter explains the new reporting system and thus contains important information for all Natshoot’s dedicated members. Please spend the 5 minutes it takes to read it.
BACKGROUND
- You will recall that at the Natshoot AGM of 19 February 2021 it was indicated that we shall make changes to the reporting system of activities to maintain dedicates status with NHSA in this year.
- By purposefully managing spikes in activity submissions at the end of each year, we are able to improve on our turnaround time with regards to activity and postal shoots evaluations. This will lead to a marked improvement in service to our members.
CURRENT SYSTEM: MAINTAIN DEDICATED STATUS
- Currently the reporting system of dedicated activities runs from 1 December to 30 November annually requiring that a dedicated member:
(a) is in good standing with membership fees paid-up on or past 30 November of the reporting year, and;
(b) had submitted (logged) TWO office approved hunting related activities and/or TWO office approved sport shooting related activities by 30 November annually.
Note: A member holding both dedicated hunter & sports person status is responsible to maintain each status separately.
NEW REPORTING SYSTEM: MAINTAINING DEDICATED STATUS
- From 1 January 2022 a dedicated member will annually comply with the requirements to maintain his/her dedicated status if:
(a) his/her membership fees are paid-up on or past the last day of his/her birthday month (members’ current fees and renewal dates remain as they are);
(b) a dedicated hunter had annually submitted TWO office approved hunting related activities on the last day of his/her birthday month, and;
(c) a dedicated sports person had annually submitted TWO office approved sport shooting related activities on the last day of his/her birthday month.
Note: A member holding both dedicated hunter & sports person status is still responsible to maintain each status separately.
NEW REPORTING SYSTEM: BEING COMPLIANT FOR 2021
- To facilitate the transition between the old and the new dedicated status reporting systems, the records of all dedicated members will on 30 November 2021 be set to indicate that they had complied with all requirements to maintain their dedicated status for 2021 (both dedicated hunters & dedicated sports persons).
5.1 On the landing page of your Natshoot member portal your status will be reflected as indicated in the example below (and annually thereafter):
5.2 The office will still at the end of December annually report to CFR all dedicated members who had passed during the year, or who had left Natshoot, or against whom disciplinary steps were taken to terminate their dedicated status.
NEW REPORTING SYSTEM: BEING COMPLIANT FOR 2022 AND THEREAFTER
- To be compliant in 2022, the activities of a dedicated member will be calculated from the first day of the month after his/her birthday month in 2021 until the last day of his/her birthday month in 2022.
Examples: Calculated Activities to be Compliant from 1 January 2022
6.1 All activities entered in the green coloured months of 2021 and 2022 will be calculated to maintain dedicated status at the end of each of the indicated individual birthday months in 2022 (thus to be compliant end of a member’s birthday month in 2022).
6.2 All activities entered in red coloured months of 2022 and 2023 will be calculated to maintain dedicated status at the end of each of the indicated individual birthday months in 2023 (thus to be compliant end of a member’s birthday month in 2023).
6.3 All activities entered in blue coloured months of 2023 and 2024 will be calculated to maintain dedicated status at the end of each of the indicated individual birthday months in 2024 (thus to be compliant end of a member’s birthday month in 2024).
6.4 Thereafter the activities to maintain dedicated status will be calculated in the same manner annually.
6.5 All activities reported in the yellow coloured months of 2021 will still automatically reflect on a dedicated member’s Activities & Scores Report as per normal, but will not count towards maintaining dedicated status for 2022.
6.6 When a dedicated member is compliant in maintaining his/her dedicated status for 2022, his/her dedicated status is automatically maintained until the end of the his/her birthday month in 2023. However, s/he must again log the required number of activities for 2023 to maintain dedicated status to the end of his/her birthday month in 2024 (and so on every year thereafter).
RECORDS OF BEING COMPLIANT
- Access your record of compliancy by following these steps – Click HERE
LOG ALL FIREARMS RELATED ACTIVITIES
- Please remember to enter all activities you participate in with your firearms and not only the required minimum of activities to retain dedicated status (so that you have proof of use when you must renew licenses).
8.1 We have seen that people do not receive renewal licences because they cannot show that they had used their firearms for either hunting or sport shooting (for which activity the firearms were originally licensed for).
8.2 See all Natshoot acknowledged hunting activities and all sport shooting activities members can participate in and log, to maintain their dedicated status.
8.3 As you know, all activities or postal target shooting scores you log on your Natshoot member portal, are automatically reflected in your Activities & Scores Report. Download that report from the Documents page on your Natshoot member portal and always use it to show participation when applying for new licences or for renewal of licences.
Please make sure you understand how all aspects of maintaining dedicated status works
Non-Compliance
Non Compliance - Activities
- After two consecutive years of not entering sufficient activities for the reporting period, your member portal will be blocked to such an extent that you will not have access to downloadable documents – such as Dedicated Status Certificates.
- In order to “unblock” your portal you will have to enter the sufficient amount of activities (depending on the category of dedicated status you have), for the next reporting period.
- Please DO NOT backdate targets. It will be flagged on the system and will initiate a disciplinary process.
- Irrespective of you holding dedicated hunter status or dedicated sports-person status or both, your membership fee remains the normal single annual fee for the age group you fall under (paid once per annum on your renewal date for which the office annually also sends you a payment advice per Email).
- At Natshoot we accept any hunting- and/or sport shooting related activity of our members in which they might participate anywhere in the world.
- Activities are entered with confirming documentation which confirms that the member had participated in that specific activity (hunting or sport shooting related) on that day at that specific place.
- Confirmation documents for hunting activities must preferably contain a Permission to Hunt and Transport Game Meat letter issued by the farmer / game ranch owner where the hunt took place (see example – or use the NHSA Hunt Confirmation document). Photos of the hunter with game hunted are acceptable or a photo which clearly confirms the hunting activity (standing against a tree with a rifle cannot be accepted as confirmation of a hunting activity). Members who hunt on NHSA approved hunting farms must please always attach the NHSA Email sent to them to confirm the NHSA’s acknowledgement of the hunting farm (that is adequate confirmation of the hunt).
- Confirmation documents for Sport Shooting related activities are apart from a scan or photo of the target(s) (any target) to which the activity refers (with name, date, ID number and range name on [or name of NHSA acknowledged range]), or a receipt of the range or photo of the shooting range showing the name of the member, or score sheet for gongs / falling steel plates (download from activity targets on your portal page). Photos of just firearms on tables or firearms on ground cannot be accepted as confirmation of participation in a sport shooting activity. The afore-mentioned is also valid even if members shoot on NHSA recognised private shooting ranges.
- Activities, which may be logged to maintain (retain) dedicated hunter and/or dedicated sports-person status are understood to be activities, which are;
strictly legal
clearly firearm-related
clearly hunting and/or sport shooting related.
- Activities a member can enter to annually Maintain his/her Dedicated Hunter Status with Natshoot
- Activities a member can enter to annually Maintain Dedicated Sports-Person Status with Natshoot
- A dedicated member may submit a Non-Active Report for a year if the member cannot for good reason participate in any hunting or sport shooting in a specific year. If you cannot log any activity for a year, at least log a Non-Active Report so that we have something to show SAPS if they should ever come for inspection of our dedicated compliance register.
BASIC RULES
THE BASICS OF ENTERING ACTIVITIES TO COUNT FOR RETENTION OF DEDICATED STATUS
- Each day of a hunting excursion is counted as one activity irrespective of a game animal being hunted or not (the days over which the hunting excursion took place constitute the activities and not the number of animals harvested – one hunting excursion of 4 days thus constitute 4 hunting activities).
- Scores of official NHSA Postal Target Shooting exercises are entered on the Scores page of your Natshoot Member Page. All official Natshoot Postal Target Shooting count towards maintaining dedicated sport shooting status
- A NHSA practice target and/or any other target shot on a publicly acknowledged shooting range or NHSA Exco Recognised private shooting range, is entered under Activities (sport shooting – i.e. target practice) OR under Activities (hunting activities – i.e. target shooting). You decide where you want to let your specific practice target count for you (i.e. if you go on a hunting excursion, you log the hunting excursion under hunting and the target you use to zero your scope on the hunting farm before the hunt, as a sport shooting activity)
- All approved NHSA postal shooting scores shot on one occasion, of which the scores have been entered on a member’s Scores page, will automatically transfer as one day’s approved activity to a member’s Activities page.
- All approved NHSA practice targets shot on one occasion, which were entered under sport shooting or hunting activities (target practice) will automatically be calculated as one day’s approved activity on a member’s Activities page – see the difference between NHSA Postal Targets and NHSA Practice Targets Here
Note: The visit to the shooting range is the accepted activity, not the number of targets shot on one day. Shooting with different calibres or types of firearms on one day thus does not count as separate activities. But enter all as it reflects to your advantage on your NHSA Activities & Scores Report.
- Air Pistols / Rifles: All Air Pistol / Rifles are in the FCA considered to be firearms from calibres 5,56mm and larger. Postal shooting Scores and/or Activities entered for air rifles from calibre 5,56mm and larger thus count towards annual maintaining one’s dedicated status and will be Approved as these Air Pistols / Rifles are legally considered to be firearms. Postal shooting Scores and/or Activities entered for air pistols / rifles in calibres below 5,56mm (i.e. 4,5mm or 5,5mm) cannot count towards annually maintaining one’s dedicated status as those air pistols / rifles are not considered to be firearms under the FCA. Evaluation of Scores and/or Activities for last mentioned air pistols / rifles will be Acknowledged so that the activity will still reflect on a member’s Activities & Scores report as an activity.
- Unit standards completed for proficiency training and competency are not perceived to be hunting and/or sport shooting related activities, as these are related to the acquisition of competency to own firearms for personal use and/or business.
- Bow hunting or bow shooting cannot be accepted as an activity to maintain dedicated status as they are not firearm-related activities. Members may, however, enter all bow hunting excursions on their Activities page to be recognized and to reflect on their Activities & Scores Report (indicated as Acknowledged).
- You may use the Dedicated Reports you have submitted to other accredited associations as documents to confirm the activities you enter for NHSA, but approval is subject to the following conditions
- Members do not have to submit dedicated activities to maintain their status for the specific year in which they attain dedicated status with NHSA (either per course or per RPL-process). Dedicated activities are to be entered from the following year.
- NOTE to Dedicated Hunters who are also Professional Hunters and/or Outfitters: Regulation 4(1)(e)(ii) prohibits an accredited hunting association to award dedicated hunter status to a member if the association is aware of the fact that the dedicated member, does hunting-related work (like PH work or Field guiding) with Section 16 licensed hunting firearms. If you are a PH or do Field Guiding, please log only private hunts to maintain dedicated status.
- Please be sure to read your legal responsibilities attached to holding and maintaining dedicated status
At Natshoot we accept that dedicated members understand that each dedicated activity they log, is as good as a Sworn Statement due to the legal aspects attached to acquiring and maintaining dedicated status.
NON-ACTIVE REPORT
Acceptable report: dedicated members may submit a non-active report if the reporting member could, due to personal circumstances, not participate in any two of the accepted appropriate dedicated activities as mentioned in 4 above, in a specific reporting year.
Proving documentation: medical records regarding major operations or ill health caused by accident or disease; flight tickets or passport dates proving being out of country without being able to do any hunting and/or sport shooting; firearms(s) being repaired by gunsmith (or stolen); severe family disruptions causing the reporting member not to be able to get to a shooting range; or any well motivated reason for not being able to participate in just two activities in a specific year.
Note 1: non-active reports also must be submitted by the end of a dedicated member’s birthday month annually.
Note 2: all non-active reports will be evaluated by Exco before any such entry will be approved.
Note 3: a non-active report submitted for a second year in succession, will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances with well written motivation and with complete and relevant proving documentation attached, and directed at NHSA Exco.
Exclusions: my business kept me to busy; or it is to expensive to participate; or I just could not get to the range; or my shoulder was dislocated without medical proof that it kept the reporting member from shooting for a whole year, is not accepted as a good enough reason for a non-active report.
Comment: it is an open question if one must retain the right to own more than four firearms under Section 16 if one cannot, for the examples of reasons given under exclusions above, at least shoot 15, 22LR shots per annum. It is accepted that it could happen that one cannot afford range costs and the cost of 15, .22LR rounds in a given year (but one can surely ask a friend for a few .22 rounds now and then).
EXAMPLE OF NON-ACTIVE REPORT AND PROVING DOCUMENTATION
This is the cryptic reason our member writes why he was forced to submit a Non-Active Report for 2016: – Extensive Travel throughout 2016 to both Joburg as well as to Nepal for business. I work in a consulting environment which is project based. Unfortunately we are currently busy with a project in Nepal which has resulted in international travel. I have attached all the relevant dates and flight bookings as proof. I am also happy to restart the process towards dedicated status should the NHSA decide not to approve the non-active report that I am submitting. warmest regards signed by member
Our member then attaches 23 pages of proving documentation confirming his continuous travel throughout the year which caused him not to be able to enter any activity for 2016. Exco approved our member’s Non-Active report. There is no manner in which Exco can require the member to re-do his dedicated courses training. An example of one of his many submitted flight tickets below:
HOW TO UPLOAD A NON-ACTIVE REPORT
Steps to upload a Non-Active report
NOTES:
- Postal Target Shooting automatically counts towards maintaining dedicated sports-person status. Rifle postal targets, however, present the option to let that target count towards maintaining dedicated sports-person status or towards dedicated hunting status (choose the option when entering the Score).
- Please do NOT enter postal Targets under Activities on your Natshoot Member Portal as they will be declined there. Only Activity Targets may be entered on the Activities page on your Natshoot Member Portal.
- Please keep in mind that the date (the visit to the shooting range), counts towards the activity and not the amount of targets, shot on the occasion. Thus in order to log multiple activities, there needs to be separation of days / dates. Example: for 2 Activities to reflect you need to have participated in 2 different shoots on two different days.
- Air Pistols / Rifles: All Air Pistol / Rifles are in the FCA considered to be firearms from calibres 5,56mm and larger. Postal shooting Scores and/or Activities entered for air rifles from calibre 5,56mm and larger thus count towards annual maintaining one’s dedicated sports-person status and will be Approved as these Air Pistols / Rifles are legally considered to be firearms. Postal shooting Scores and/or Activities entered for air pistols / rifles in calibres below 5,56mm (i.e. 4,5mm or 5,5mm) cannot count towards annually maintaining one’s dedicated status as those air pistols / rifles are not considered to be firearms under the FCA. Evaluation of Scores and/or Activities for last mentioned air pistols / rifles will be Acknowledged so that the activity will still reflect on a member’s Activities & Scores report as an activity.
ENTER ALL YOUR FIREARM RELATED ACTIVITIES
- At Natshoot we accept ALL confirmed Hunting, Sport Shooting or Firearm related activities our members participate in, anywhere in the world, to count towards the minimum number of activities to be entered so that members can keep their dedicated status in place on an annual basis till the end of his/her birthday month the year following the current reporting year.
- All we ask is that you enter your dated activities under specific headings for purposes of our annual statistical analysis of our member’s firearm-related participation profile.
- All activity entries MUST please be accompanied by confirmation documents. Confirmation documents must contain a member’s Initials and Surname, ID number, and the place and date of the activity. Confirmation documents can be a receipt with the date of the activity on it, or a letter from an accompanying friend stating that s/he vouches for the activity having been conducted on that specific day, or the date & name written on a practice target, or any confirmation of days indicated for the duration of a hunting trip.
- Confirmation documentation must please be scanned in PDF format or please be presented in photographic format (i.e. a cell phone photo with the date of the activity on the photo itself or on a piece of paper in the photo subject – a mere photo with a hunter and an impala or of a person at a target says nothing, as it could have been taken at any time, any place).
- If you do not know, or have forgotten, please read how to log Activities
HOW TO ENTER ACTIVITIES
HOW TO SUBMIT A DEDICATED ACTIVITIES REPORT
Step 1: Click on Login (top right of Natshoot Website frame)
Step 2: Use the cell phone number you have registered with NHSA as your user-ID (top line), and your ID number as your password (bottom line) (no spaces between numbers); click on Login button.
Step 3: Click on the Activities button on your Natshoot Member Portal.
Step 4: Follow the instructions on the screen and complete each field required.
Step 5: Attach confirmation documentation at the Browse buttons at the bottom of the page just above the submit button.
Step 6: Click on submit report
Your entered activities will then be displayed on the table on you Activities page.
Safely keep all documents, which prove the content of the activities you have logged, as you will be required to submit proof to SAPS when you would want to use the list of activities you have entered on your personal pages.
In the event that NHSA or SAPS could require you to furnish proof of the activities you have logged, you will then be in a position to do so.
HOW DO I KNOW I AM COMPLIANT
- Go to your Natshoot Member Portal – Click on the blue Activities button
- Dedicated Hunter – The Page must show at least TWO Approved hunting Activities
- Dedicated Sports-Person – The Page must show at least TWO Approved sport shooting Activities
WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT ANNUALLY COMPLY WITH THE RULES TO MAINTAIN DEDICATED STATUS
- Regulation 4(1)(c) of the FCA requires accredited associations to have a system in place by way of which they can regularly and appropriately be informed of their dedicated members’ dedicated activities in a specific year (hunters and/or sport-persons) (see why it is legally required to annually maintain dedicated status).
- At Natshoot activities to be reported to maintain dedicated status are the minimum two annual activities required to maintain dedicated hunter status, or the minimum two annual activities required to maintain dedicated sports-person status (as was agreed with SAPS in 2006 at the Hunters/SAPS Consultative Forum).
- A Non-Active report in respect of dedicated hunter or dedicated sports-person status for a specific year submitted before the last day of a dedicated member’s birthday month of the reporting year, has the effect that a dedicated member will be regarded as having complied with the requirements to maintain dedicated status for a specific year (please be sure to read here though).
- As from 1 January 2021 Natshoot will keep a dedicated member’s dedicated status in place for ONE year only if s/he does not comply for that year. A Dedicated Member who for two consecutive years does not comply with the requirements to either report adequate activities per annum or is not paid-up on the last day of his/her birthday month of the reporting year, is self responsible for automatically losing his/her Dedicated Status on the first day of the month following the member’s birthday month following the second consecutive year of non-compliance.
- A member who has lost his/her dedicated status as per paragraph 4 will be notified by Email of this situation during January of the year following the suspension of his/her dedicated status with Natshoot.
Follow these steps once you have per Email been informed that your dedicated hunter and/or sports-person status has been withdrawn
- A dedicated member who had lost his/her dedicated status as explained in 4 above may apply to NHSA Exco for reinstatement of his/her status not later than 1 March after receipt of the official Natshoot Email informing him/her that his/her dedicated status has been suspended.
- The member may then submit a full explanation of proven reasons why Exco should consider his/her request for re-instatement of his/her dedicated member status. Such applications must be sent to admin@natshoot.co.za. If, however, NHSA Exco sees it fit, the member may be required to explain him/herself to Exco verbally via an electronic internet meeting scheduled for this purpose (a member will be informed timeously if last-mentioned meeting is required).
- Applications for re-instatement received after 1 March of the year following loss of dedicated status, will only be accepted by Exco in highly exceptional instances.
- If successful in having dedicated status re-instated, NHSA Exco will inform CFR in writing that the specific member’s dedicated status has been re-instated, indicating the reasons for that decision, plus the mitigations NHSA Exco had put in place to ascertain that the member will in future adhere to the relevant legal prescripts related to this matter. This procedure is necessary because Natshoot would have by the end of December the previous year reported to CFR that the specific member has forfeited dedicated status because of non-compliance.
- If unsuccessful in seeking reinstatement of dedicated status, the member will have to re-do the dedicated courses with NHSA (hunting and/or sport-person), if s/he would want NHSA to award dedicated status to him/her again.
- If a member has been unsuccessful in having his/her dedicated status re-instated, no RPL recognition of his/her possible dedicated hunter or sports-person status with another accredited association will be considered for re-awarding dedicated status with Natshoot.
Note 1: Members who stand to lose dedicated status due to non-compliance with the Natshoot policy prescripts, are again made aware of the serious consequences related to losing dedicated status because of non-compliance.
Note 2: In terms of Section 26(1) of the FCA, it is the responsibility of the person who had lost dedicated status in the above described manner, to, within 30 days after loss of said status, notify the SAPS (CFR) of the change in his/her circumstances re the legal ownership of his/her firearms. Use the SAPS 521(c) form – Change of is Circumstances Form.
ADVANTAGES OF LOGGING ACTIVITIES
WHY IS IT TO MY ADVANTAGE TO LOG MORE THAN JUST THE MINIMUM ACTIVITIES TO MAINTAIN MY DEDICATED STATUS?
- Each entry a member logs on his/her Activities page gets logged on his/her official NHSA Activities and Scores Report.
- A member’s official NHSA Activities & Scores Report is a valuable document to attach to all licence applications (new licence or renewal) as it shows SAPS your record of participation.
- You can thus show (prove), with a document on which each entry has been officially evaluated by Natshoot, that you are active in hunting and/or sport shooting and not only “collecting” firearms.
HOW ARE ACTIVITY ENTRIES EVALUATED
- All Activity Entries are individually evaluated, and approval is directly reflected on the member’s Natshoot Member Portal under Activities – or if there is one or other problem with the entry, the evaluators will send the member an Email out of the system indicating what the problem is, and how to correct it.
- Activity entries which have not yet been evaluated, reflect as Pending on a member’s activities entry page.
- Evaluators use the following inscriptions to indicate the “status” of each entry they have evaluated:
- Approved
- Approved via Scores
- Approved with feedback
- Acknowledged
- Reviewed with feedback
- Outstanding
- Declined
- Explanation of evaluation inscriptions:
4.1 Approved: when a member’s activity entry and attached proving documentation conforms with the prescripts of each entry category as indicated above, the evaluators will indicate that entry as Approved. The entry counts towards maintenance of dedicated status.
4.2 Approved via Scores: scores entries which members make on the Scores page of their Natshoot Member Page for NHSA In-House postal shooting exercises (or annual national competition), and which are approved under Scores, will automatically also reflect as approved activity entered. This entry counts towards maintenance of dedicated status. Remember it is the fact that your were on the shooting range for the day, which constitutes the activity, and not the number of targets you might have shot on that day. Therefore, it is always expedient to enter all postal scores on your Scores page as these reflect individually as target shooting scores on your Activities & Scores Report.
4.3 Approved with feedback: evaluators have approved the activity, but find it necessary to inform the member of something to correct with the next entry; i.e. please remember to also attach a hunting letter next time. This entry counts towards maintenance of dedicated status.
4.4 Acknowledged: entries are acknowledged so that they can reflect positively on a member’s NHSA Activities & Scores Report, but cannot count towards maintenance of dedicated status as it does not conform to the prescripts as explained under the categories of Natshoot accepted hunting and sport shooting activities. Entries indicated with Acknowledged as evaluator’s inscription, do not count towards maintenance of dedicated status.
4.5 Reviewed with feedback: the evaluators will indicate that this entry can only be approved if the member attaches additional proving documents or if the prescripts of the above categories of activities have not been met in full (evaluators will clearly indicate how the entry can be corrected to be approved). The member can then correct the specific entry on his/her Natshoot Member Page, Edit the entry, and then re-submit that entry for re-evaluation.
4.6 Outstanding: The activity or score is queried and has not yet been finally evaluated
4.7 Declined: activity entries, which do not conform to the prescripts of the above categories of activities at all, are Declined. A Declined entry cannot be deleted by the member or by the evaluators, as the system is set-up not to allow such actions.
- Explanation of inscription indicators on a member’s NHSA Activities & Scores Report:
The different “status” indications of an activity entry made by the evaluators all reflect on a member’s NHSA Activities & Scores Report. At the bottom of this report, the different evaluation indicators are explained so that the person reading the report will understand what each inscription next to an entry means. This is done in the following manner:
5.1 Pending: the entry has not yet been evaluated by NHSA.
5.2 Acknowledged: the entry is accepted as a valid activity to be entered but cannot count towards annual maintenance of dedicated status.
5.3 Outstanding: The activity or score is queried and has not yet been evaluated
5.4 Approved: the activity is approved and counts towards annual maintenance of dedicated status.
5.5 Declined: the activity was entered incorrectly and must be re-entered
NHSA UNCONDITIONALLY ACCEPTS THE WORD OF ITS MEMBERS
i. This is the official unconditional stance of NHSA. However, accreditation in effect means that NHSA is an extension of SAPS’s legal responsibility to control firearms in this country.
ii. NHSA procedures are electronic and our members mostly participate on their own or in small numbers. We also do not have branches like other associations where members can verify the activities of each other. All activity entries must, therefore, be accompanied by the attached activity confirming documents showing clearly that the reporting member had participated in that specific activity or event on a specific day or days over a specified time (i.e. the 4 days of a hunting trip).
RETAINING DEDICATED STATUS IS A REALLY SIMPLE PROCEDURE TO COMPLY WITH
i. We really cannot make the legally prescribed procedure of maintaining dedicated status simpler and more convenient to comply with than what is presented above, without starting to circumvent the prescribed legal process.
ii. As the above arrangements are important for NHSA to retain its accreditations and to conform with the legal prescripts attached to its accreditations, we ask members to please be diligent in attaching verifiable confirmation documents of their activities. Please do not be affronted if after having been asked once to conform, your incorrect entries are declined. NHSA cannot protect one member’s dedicated status to the detriment of more than 40,000 other members whose legal firearm ownership comes into play immediately if our accreditations come into contention.
iii. It is our considered opinion that if you would find the above procedures to difficult to comply with, it might be time for you to seriously consider reducing the number of firearms you own so as not to have to conform with the legal requirements attached to owning more than four firearms (or a semi-auto rifle or shotgun – or three handguns).
Save your Dedicated status
Members who hold dedicated status with Natshoot, may save their status, which can be reinstated at a later stage.
