A GUN owner could lose his licence after allegedly lending three firearms to a friend to shoot foxes on a rural property in Victoria’s Western District.

Police said they found the guns and a quantity of ammunition on the back seat of a vehicle being driven by a man, 23, of Ballarat, after it was stopped for a random check just after midnight on Saturday at Ararat.

Sergeant Simon Grant, of Ararat Police, said the man who was pulled over claimed he held a gun licence, but a check had revealed he did not and had never held one.

The man has been charged with possessing longarms while unlicensed and possessing ammunition while unlicensed, and is to appear in Ararat Court on a date to be fixed.

The maximum penalty for these offences is two years’ jail.

Sgt Grant said: “It’s not a good thing for other hunters who are doing the right thing when clowns are getting around with guns when they shouldn’t be.

“The mate who loaned him the firearms is also committing an offence and his licence will be suspended this week.

“He will have to explain to the firearms registry why he should get it back.”