Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Living life at the sharp end
Charlie Blance wonders whether it is time that the UK had a rethink on bowhunting
When I was a student, I believed bowhunting was bad, because someone in a position of authority told me that “bowhunting is bad”. Their reasoning was that an arrow was inhumane in comparison with a bullet and that bowhunting would encourage poaching.
However, over the years, I have seen plenty of information contrary to that belief and my own opinion has evolved. So much so that I am saving up for my own bow and I’m planning to sit the International Bowhunter Education Program course.
I have no doubt that plenty of Shooting Times readers will think that the idea of bowhunting is absurd, but there is also no doubt that plenty of people in your nearest city will have similar views on deerstalking.
As a species, we have been using the bow to hunt our food for thousands of years and it is believed that bows and other projectile weapons may have significantly aided our survival over other hominid species, such as the Neanderthals. Early hominids, such as the
Australopithecines, probably hunted opportunistically in a similar way to modern chimpanzees, grabbing small game with their hands.
Projectile weapons made it possible for their successors to tackle larger prey, for the ability to kill from beyond an animal’s reach is a huge advantage when said prey has tusks, antlers or powerful hooves. There is debate about who was the first to throw a rock at an antelope, but our species took the idea and ran with it.
Leap forward
The technology of archery was first developed by early modern humans in Africa and evidence shows use between 37,000 and 65,000 years ago. This technology was a huge leap forward from the lance and atlatl, or spear thrower.
To wield a spear, a hunter needed open space, which usually meant being in full view of the target. A bow required considerably less space and could be shot from a kneeling position, which brought stealth to the table. While a spear can be thrown once, a bow can be shot repeatedly
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
You can, however, buy a bow and practise on targets, and there are clubs that provide tuition, practice areas and education.
The British Bowhunters Association (BBA) was set up to support the countless UK bowhunters who go abroad to hunt, and to promote modern bowhunting as an effective, humane and ethical method of wildlife management. The BBA offers affiliated membership of BASC.
In June, I attended a BBA meet and learned a lot from the guys there. It was my first time shooting a compound bow and I was grateful to get a crash course from Chris
Sherrington, of Project Artemis, on how they work and how to use them.
I did all right for a complete beginner, hitting the majority of the 3D targets, and I was honestly taken aback by the sheer accuracy of the bow and the power behind it. Releasing the trigger at full draw is incredibly cathartic — the entire process is actually strangely calming. When you pull back the string, the rest of the world switches off, your mind stops thinking about everything else and homes in on the task of getting the arrow in that target.
Code of ethics
Bowhunting is legal in many countries around the world, including France, Denmark, Finland, Spain and Italy.
It’s perfectly legal for British citizens to bowhunt in these countries, although most countries require potential bowhunters to be trained.
The educational systems vary and some are specific to a country, but most are based on the International Bowhunter Education Program. This ensures that the hunter is competent and capable enough to humanely hunt with the bow, aligning with the strong code of ethics in the bowhunting community.
The common argument against bowhunting is that an arrow is inhumane in comparison with a bullet, but this depends on the operator. An untrained, careless or trigger-happy rifleman can cause as much pain and suffering as the equivalent in a bowhunter.
Modern hunting arrows are fitted with broadheads, made from highgrade steel and with multiple, razorsharp cutting edges, culminating in a cutting diameter of 25mm or more. When this enters the chest of an animal, it severs vital arteries and veins, resulting in an immediate circulatory collapse. To complement these lethal arrows, modern bows are incredibly accurate and, with a suitable draw weight, very powerful.
The bow is a quiet and close-range tool that has been used in various countries for discreet and urban wildlife management. In parts of North America, where the use of a high-powered rifle is too dangerous due to the close proximity of populated communities, bowhunters are used to manage deer populations.
In Madrid, a project was launched to control the wild boar population with bows, while trained bowhunters were used to reduce the rabbit and hare populations in Helsinki. Makes you think about all those fat grey squirrels in Edinburgh, eh? Maybe not a goer, but bowhunting as a
“Bowhunting amplifies the emotion and adrenaline rush that makes us feel alive”
form of discreet management is not something we should discount.
The mere mention of bowhunting can cause quite a stir among fellow rifle shooters and country folk, but why the knee-jerk reaction? Many who partake in shooting and stalking claim bowhunting is inhumane. However, with the required training and the effectiveness of modern equipment, the margin for error is similar to that in recreational rifle stalking.
An inherited stigma was the cause of my own initial scepticism, but a lack of information and discourse is also to blame. Bowhunting isn’t talked about openly, it is swept under the rug as some sort of taboo. I think it is important that we approach issues such as bowhunting with an open mind so our opinions can be formed on evidence rather than emotion.
But why would anyone want to hunt with a bow when a rifle is easier? Well, that’s the point. Bowhunting levels the playing field between human and beast. To get within 10 to 30 yards of a wild animal undetected requires skill and engages problemsolving capabilities. As most stalkers know, getting close evokes emotion that feels ancient, an adrenaline rush that makes us feel alive. Bowhunting simply amplifies that feeling.