THE numbers relating to gun ownership in the Greater Bendigo region will shock some people.

Victoria Police statistics show Bendigo and surrounding suburbs has 57,621 registered guns.  

Now, that's a big number.

But we have to remind ourselves, that thanks to strict laws, we don't have gun problems like in the USA and most of our gun owners are responsible.

In fact, only people who have a valid firearm license are allowed to register a gun.

Strict criteria must be met to get a firearm license, including having a "genuine reason" for holding one.

Applicants must also complete an identify check, hand over a set of fingerprints to police and undergo a firearm safety course.

Police inspector Brad Dixon offered some reassurance for people concerned about Greater Bendigo's gun ownership rates.

"The majority of them are responsible owners," he said.

But Inspector Dixon stressed the importance of secure storage.

"We've probably seen a trend towards them being targeted in burglaries," Inspector Dixon said.

So if you are a registered gun owner, lock it away and play by the rules.