Application
This unit describes the skills required to trap and kill animals in a survival situation. The individual is not expected to be an expert trapper or butcher, but rather to have sufficient skills and knowledge to catch animals using trapping techniques, and to kill and butcher the animal including inspecting for signs of disease.
This unit was developed for Defence personnel but may be relevant to others.
The skills and knowledge described in this unit must be applied within the legislative, regulatory and policy environment in which they are carried out. Organisational policies and procedures must be consulted and adhered to.
Those undertaking this unit would act autonomously, while performing concrete, tasks in a broad range of contexts which may be highly unpredictable.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions section. |
1. Trap animals | 1.1 Develop a capture plan including trap height, location and type, as well as means of attraction, by identifying animal signs and by interpreting drinking, eating, foraging, mating, and sleeping habits. 1.2 Acquire bait attractive to the targeted animal. 1.3 Create traps from natural resources. 1.4 Deploy and camouflage traps on likely animal travel routes. 1.5 Check traps regularly for captured animals. |
2. Slaughter animals | 2.1 Conduct slaughter humanely to cause minimum stress for the animal. 2.2 Skin or pluck carcass. 2.3 Hang carcass for butchering. 2.4 Butcher carcass by cutting edible portions (dressing) of meat and by removing internal organs. 2.5 Inspect offal for signs of disease. 2.6 Protect meat from the elements including flyblow, scavenging animals and the sun. 2.7 Maintain hygiene of the slaughterer. 2.8 Maintain hygiene of the carcass. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the candidate must demonstrate evidence of performance of the following on at least one occasion.
demonstrating safe knife-handling
constructing, siting, setting and camouflaging the following traps:
simple snare – focusing on the functionality of the snare and the fixing of the aperture
Fig 4 – focusing on the functionality of the mechanism
a frame – focusing on the functionality of the mechanism
ensuring own safety
efficiently despatching the slaughter
removing offal and cuts of meat without rupturing the animal’s internal organs, thereby spoiling the meat
examining carcasses for disease and parasites
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence required to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the depth of knowledge demonstrated must be appropriate to the job context of the candidate.
basic animal anatomy
hazards associated with animals
Assessment Conditions
Competency must be demonstrated in a simulated workplace environment, with access to animals for slaughter. The candidate should have access to a knife as minimum equipment.
Consideration must be given to holistic assessment with other survival units.
While a person can demonstrate the technical ability to capture and kill animals, doing so in a survival situation is crucial. Assessment under simulated survival conditions includes:
food restrictions
absence of normal living conditions and amenities
significant period of time
Refer to advice in the companion volumes.
Assessors must satisfy the NVR/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
The foundation skills demands of this unit have been mapped for alignment with the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). The following tables outline the performance levels indicated for successful attainment of the unit.
ACSF levels indicative of performance:
Further information on ACSF and the foundation skills underpinning this unit can be found in the Foundation Skills Guide on the GSA website.
Competency Field
Survival