Bowhunting: Reliving our Survival Instincts

The name of the sport, bowhunting, conjures the image of our ancestors stealthily going for the game in the freezing cold of winter. The picture in our minds causes our blood to run faster. There is indeed a different kind of excitement that comes with bowhunting. For those who are unfamiliar with the sport, bowhunting is the type of archery that involves special hunting skills in the taking of game. It is a sort of rifle hunting but the difference lies in the distances that both types of hunters are from their object.

When hunting with firearms, the common distance is 200 to 300 yards. The challenge in bowhunting is that the hunter should only be as far as 20 to 30 yards from the game. Otherwise, the efficiency of the hunting equipment is curbed.

Some of the necessary factors to consider in order to be a successful bowhunter are:

 Skill and practice,
 Target animal,
  Setup of the bow and arrows,
  Weather, and
  Distance

The type of bow that most hunters like best is the compound bow. The reason for this is simple. The compound bow allows faster arrow flight and lets the arrow cover longer distances without the same change in trajectory like in other types of bow. Some hunters also prefer the recurve bow. The design of the recurve bow was made in such a way that the hunter can attain longer distances per shot because of the extended outward curving limbs. There are some hunters who use the longbow for bowhunting, although this is not the bow of choice because arrows released from the longbow are usually slower. Another downside of using the longbow is that the energy stored in the arrow is not very high. This means the trajectory of the arrow would show a shorter distance and a more curved travel path.

Bowhunting in Different Parts of the World

Several countries have varying rules regarding the sport of bowhunting from totally banned hunting to open season yet still regulated hunting.

 Europe. In Europe, some countries do not allow bowhunting at all because the sport seems to confirm human cruelty to animals. The United Kingdom, Germany, and Ireland prohibit bowhunting but some countries like France, Lithuania, and Finland have reintegrated the sport since the year 2000.

 North America. Bowhunting in North America is governed by the state or the province. In addition, there are also rules as to when hunting is allowed. The type of animal for game is also regulated. There are seasons to be followed and respected so as not to disrupt Mother Nature heavily with excessive hunting.

 New Zealand. Bowhunting in New Zealand is limited to vermin. And the rules are stringent on this. A hunter should obtain a license in order to be able to hunt in government designated areas. Also, hunting game birds require a different type of license.

 Australia. In the land down under, bowhunting is allowed as long as the game is any specie that is not native to the country. These species, called introduced species, usually disrupt the balance of Australia's ecosystem that's why bowhunters are allowed to hunt these as game. New South Wales and Victoria are the only places in the country that require bowhunting licenses. In the other provinces, licenses are not required but the sport is regulated by the Australian Bowhunters Association.

The best thing about bowhunting is that it brings us back to that time in our history when we had no meat grocer to depend on for food. We get to renew our hunting and survival instincts.

Don't forget the online Archery Store carries a large selection of Bowhunting equipment.