Bowhunting
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Bowhunting is the practice of killing game animals by archery. It has been a normal use of archery in every culture that had bows.
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[edit] Technique
In contrast to a rifle hunter, who may shoot effectively from ranges in excess of 200 yards (180 m); archers usually restrict shots to 20-30 yards. The distance depends upon individual ability, the target animal, bow setup, and weather.
Bowhunting for fish is called bowfishing. To make bowfishing effective, variations on standard archery equipment are done which including the addition of a line attached to a spool or a reel as well as a specially designed arrow. When bowfishing, archers need to take into account the refraction angle of the water.
Today, compound bows are usually preferred for hunting, although recurve bows are not uncommon and usually legal. Longbows are usually quieter and slower than modern bows. Crossbows are allowed in some jurisdictions and may be permitted for disabled hunters.
[edit] Legal and cultural considerations
Legal and cultural differences must be taken into consideration by the hunter. Bowhunting often has different seasons and restrictions from firearm hunting, and they differ significantly between countries, states, and provinces. To some, hunting represents a humane way of controlling animal numbers,[1] ensuring continuing financial interest in the maintenance of healthy wild populations and habitat,[2] and bringing urbanized humans to understand the natural world. Others are deeply opposed to bowhunting, on the grounds of cruelty.[3]
[edit] Europe
Some European countries including Croatia, Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom prohibit bowhunting.[4] Bowhunting, like target archery, was revived in Britain during the Victorian era, but has been banned since the 1960s.Currently Defera are considering the reintroduction of this traditional method of hunting. Nations like Denmark, France, Spain, Italy, Hungary and Finland use bow and arrow hunting as a hunting tool in modern game management. Currently there are 11 EU countries in which this art is activitly persued.
[edit] North America
In North America, as with other hunting methods, bowhunting is regulated by individual provinces and states. Regulations often address issues such as where (hunting unit), when (season) and what type (male/female) of individual animal species may be taken. In many cases, a special archery season is set aside, to minimize interference from rifle hunters. In addition, in an effort to maximize game recovery and shot lethality, there are often technical regulations, such as a minimum draw weight for the hunting of big game species.
Game hunted by archers includes all of the North American small and big game species. Generally in North America, bow hunting season "Bow Season" occurs either several months preceding or following the "Gun Season" for the same species.
Several states have recently allowed able-bodied hunters to use crossbows, a move that has been very controversial among bow hunters due the operational similarities between crossbows and guns.[citation needed] Some states restrict crossbows to special hunting seasons.
[edit] New Zealand
Organised bow hunting began in New Zealand in 1945. The New Zealand government regulates bowhunting[5] An annual 3 day field shoot tournament is held every Queens Birthday Weekend at various locations throughout New Zealand. Bowhunters must have permission to hunt on private land, cannot hunt in DOC lands, National parks,or any other reserves without a permit
There are no special seasons for bowhunters or for hunting with a firearm.[6] There is an active bow hunters society.[7]
[edit] Australia
Bowhunting is practiced in Australia and is not subject to regulation by law. Only non-native species are recognized as game by the Australian Bowhunters Association, however native species may be killed during government authorized culls.[8]
The states of Victoria and New South Wales both regulate bowhunting. In Victoria hunting is regulated through the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE)[9] In New South Wales this is done through the Game Council.[10] At the current time there are no specific hunting regulations in other states and territories.[11]
While both Victoria and New South Wales place licensing requirements on would-be bowhunters, the sport is self-regulated. The Australian Bowhunters Association and local clubs assess hunters through the Bowhunter Proficiency Certificate (BPC)which is designed to ensure that animals are killed according to humane principles[12].
[edit] References
- ^ Williams, Ted (March 2002), "Wanted: More hunters", Audubon magazine
- ^ Quammen, David (2004), Monster of God: The Man-eating Predator in the Jungles of History and the Mind, Hutchinson, ISBN 978-0091799571
- ^ "The PETA Guide to Animal Liberation". http://www.peta2.com/COLLEGE/pdf/Liberation%20Guide.pdf. Retrieved 5 October 2008. "Bowhunting is one of the cruelest forms of hunting because primitive archery equipment wounds more animals than it kills. Studies indicate that bowhunting yields more than a 58 percent wounding rate. For every animal dragged from the woods by a bow hunter, at least one animal is left wounded to suffer."
- ^ Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69), http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?activeTextDocId=809266, retrieved 6 May 2009, "if any person… uses for the purpose of killing or taking any wild animal… any bow or cross-bow… he shall be guilty of an offence."
- ^ DOC Otago Hunting Guide, p. 5, http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/parks-and-recreation/activity-finder/hunting/otago-hunting-guide.pdf, retrieved 6 May 2009
- ^ New Zealand Department of Conservation. "Activity Finder - Hunting". http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/activityprofile.aspx?id=35782. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
- ^ "New Zealand Bowhunters Society". http://www.nzbowhunters.co.nz/index.htm. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
- ^ Australian Bowhunters Association. More bowhunting information. Access date 3rd February 2009. http://www.bowhunters.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&Itemid=99
- ^ Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment. "Game Hunting in Victoria". http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrenrt.nsf/childdocs/-7380F92E35E27D99CA2573750023D375?open. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
- ^ "New South Wales Game Council". http://www.gamecouncil.nsw.gov.au/. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
- ^ Australian Bowhunters Asociation. "More Bowhunting Information". http://www.bowhunters.org.au/phpBB3/bowhunting_info.php. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
- ^ Australian Bowhunters Asociation. "Bowhunting in Australia". http://www.bowhunters.org.au/phpBB3/bowhunting_aus.php. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
[edit] See also
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