Newsletters

NHSA Newsletter

VOL. 13 (01) - 03-01-2017

NHSA Policy Document

 ADDITIONS TO NHSA POLICY ON SUBMISSION OF POSTAL SCORES

Original Policy effective from 1 March 2016 as per Newsletter Vol. 12(11)

These prescripts and rules are intended to continue to protect the integrity of the NHSA In-House Postal Target Shooting Events.

Protecting our postal shoots is something we all have a responsibility to uphold and respect, as our accreditation is directly linked to our system of Postal Target Shooting.

Due to the unfortunate continuance of some members to fraudulently indicate dates on which they purportedly shot In-House targets, Exco has found it necessary to implement additional rules in the process of submission of postal target scores.

TWO ADDITIONAL RULES

NHSA Postal Targets can no longer be entered on a member’s Activities Page.

As from 15 January 2017, Postal Scores may only be entered on a member’s Scores Page on his/her Personal Natshoot Profile Page.  NHSA postal targets entered as Activities, will from this date, be declined with only a reference to this policy document as reason.  NHSA targets can thus no longer be used for “target practice” purposes as activities to maintain dedicated status. 

Postal scores, when approved on a member’s Scores Page, automatically reflect as approved Activity since middle July 2016 (communicated per Email and per Newsletter at the time), as per the prescripts of the policy on maintenance of dedicated status in this regard (please read HERE).

All other correctly completed practice targets are still accepted proof for target practice, and can still be entered as either a hunting related activity or as sport shooting related activity.

Postal score entries older than three months no longer accepted.

Dates printed on NHSA Postal Targets will periodically change.

Irrespective of the date printed on a target, scores, which are older the three months when entered, will no longer be accepted and will be declined, with only reference to this policy document as reason. Members are urged to ascertain that they log their postal scores as soon as possible after having shot a specific exercise or exercises.

Because the dates printed on Postal Targets will continuously change in future, we advise members to rather not print large batches of targets, but to rather download targets from the website, as and when these are needed.

We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this may cause to the absolute majority of our members who really shoot frequently and who are serious about the responsibility to help protect the integrity of our postal shoots.  Exco has no other option than to institute these new additions in order to be able to continue to protect the continued legal ownership of all our members' firearms, by ensuring the continuance of our SAPS accreditation.

CONTINUATION OF EXISTING RULES AND PRESCRIPTS
Posted or faxed targets will not be accepted at the office, nor will these be posted back to the member, as the electronic submission of target scores has been in full operation since 1 November 2014.

The office will not enter Emailed scores on members’ personal pages – please get someone to assist you if you have problems entering scores on your personal web page (you are always welcome to call the licensing help line for assistance here).  Or please read the relevant section on the How To page on the Natshoot website.

As from 1 March 2017 no other target than the those with the most recent date stamp on as are reflected at the different exercises, and which can be downloaded there, will be accepted for electronic submission of In-House Postal target shooting scores.

WHAT MEMBERS STILL NEED TO DO: 

NHSA members may only register scores on their personal page on the Natshoot website which were shot on official NHSA and exercise relevant targets.  The execution of the exercise must strictly comply with the specific exercise for which the score(s) are entered.

By default all scores can only be entered as Exercise Type and then as Firearm Type and then according the drop down headings which follow each of the two primary entry markers for electronic entry of In-House scores (see Newsletter Vol 12 (06) dated 01-03-2016 in this regard please)

For a more detailed description of the exercise members participate in, the Guide for the relevant exercise on the exercise web page.  We suggest members attach the relevant Guide to applications for new licences or for renewal of licences – to indicate the specific exercise, they participate in for the specific firearm licence they are applying for.

Download the correct and exercise relevant target(s) from the Natshoot website, for the exercise you want to participate in – see Postal Shooting Exercises and Targets.  Each Exercise has its own Rules and Target(s) and these MUST be used to shoot the specific exercise, despite other exercises making use of similar looking Targets.

Make sure you read the concise rules for the specific exercise contained on the page where you download the relevant target(s).  Please be sure to stay within exercise rules !  

You may not colour the centre of a NHSA target when shooting a specific exercise, or place a sticker over the centre of the target to see the centre “better”.  This practice is totally against the spirit of equal participation.

Scores submitted on wrong targets or which do not adhere to prescripts of the rules of the specific exercise will be declined, with only a reference to this policy document as reason.  Unnecessary time is waste by evaluators who must continuously explain the rules to members who do not take the 10 minutes necessary to read a document like this one.

We have no other way of communicating rules or policies, other than by Newsletter. Our members must thus unfortunately read.  But policies once read are easy and simple to adhere to.

Directly after having shot a target, make sure you fill out all fields on the target: 

Member’s Initials and Surname + ID number; 

Name of Shooting Range – please let range stamp the target if they have a stamp; 

Calibre of firearm used; 

Date on which the target was shot; 

Complete the Statement by signing in the required space on each target; 

Score the target in the relevant scoring blocks at the bottom of each target; 

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).

Scanning of Shot Targets:  Only clear PDF-scans of the target(s) will be accepted - please be sure to place a coloured page behind the target so that the shots can be clearly identified please;

Submit the score of the shot target(s) on your Personal Natshoot Profile Page under the inscription, Scores, on the left side-menu on your personal page.  Please see the How To page on the Natshoot website if you are uncertain about the procedure to log in to your personal web page - Click Here.

Scores entered with targets of which all fields have not been completed, will be returned to the member to complete (Reviewed with feedback).  Obviously, these targets can be re-submitted once all fields have been filled out.

Evaluators of scores entries may at any time request that a member post a specific target to the office for verification purposes.  Members are thus requested to please keep their original targets for at least 12 months if need should arise that such targets may be requested.

ACTIVITIES & SCORES REPORT

You can always download your continuously updated Activities & Scores Report from your Certificates page of your Personal Natshoot Profile Page to show and prove participation when applying for a new licence or when renewing existing licences.

Enjoy every moment of your target shooting and shoot as often as you possibly can !! 

Remember you are competing against yourself.

Concentrate to better your personal score every time you visit the range.

Kind regards

Herman Els

Executive Chairman