Hunters facing ban on shooting animals with bow and arrows

A move to ban SA hunters from shooting animals with a bow and arrow has many up in arms – they say it’s an “eco-friendly method” with “no negative outcomes”. Do you agree?

The hunting of animals using a bow and arrow is set to be banned by the state government, sparking outrage from sporting shooters.

Deputy Premier and Climate, Environment and Science Minister Susan Close has revealed the government was considering what options were available to implement the move, including introducing it by regulation.

“I have asked the department to undertake targeted and thorough consultation,’’ she said.

“That feedback will be considered in determining a process and proposed timeline.’’

The ban, which was a policy commitment Labor took to the last election, will not affect bow ownership and sales or other practices, such as target archery.

Deputy Premier Susan Close. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

Shooters Union South Australia president Peter Heggie said he was shocked at the move, stating it “would have significant consequences across the entire outdoor pursuits community’’.

“Bow hunting is an eco-friendly hunting method which has been practised throughout the world for more than 5000 years, and has countless participants here in Australia,” he said.

“It delivers a rapid kill to the animal and gives a wide range of people the ability to harvest their own free-range protein, and presents absolutely no public safety risk – especially since the overwhelming majority of it occurs on rural, privately-owned land.

“Banning it will only have negative outcomes for South Australians, taking away yet another form of recreation, food access and opportunity to support our regional and outback areas.

“At least from our perspective, it will result in more people obtaining firearms licences and buying guns for hunting, but I’m sure the people calling for this ban won’t see that as a positive thing either …”

In November last year a Social Development Committee report following an inquiry into issues related to bow and crossbow hunting in SA made 12 recommendations, but a ban was not among them.

The recommendations included introducing tighter controls on the sale of bows and crossbows, developing a code of practice for the humane killing of animals during bow hunting, more rigorous policing of hunting sites, increased penalties under the Animal Welfare Act and the introduction of permits and increased training for bow hunters.

Shooters Union SA president Peter Heggie.

Mr Heggie said there were “thousands’’ of bow hunting enthusiasts in SA who stalked animals such as rabbits, foxes, goats and deer with a bow.

“Politicians should be focused on the reducing the cost of living, not removing a method that thousands of people use for food harvesting or recreation,’’ he said.

“This ban is from what I can see is just a personal whim. There is no danger to public safety, there is no ecological damage. What is the science and the legitimate reason behind this?”