Bow Fishing ? ? ? ? Can I? ? ?

[bambodoggy]

Hey All,

I'm fully (and painfully) aware that all hunting with Bow's is illigal in the UK but I can't work out if that applies to fishing with Bow's too.... I have a nice compound bow I picked up in the US with fishing arrows and a real on the front (Burt Renolds in deliverance style) but don't know if I'm allowed to use it over here.
As far as I know harpoon fishing is allowed so bow fishing may be....

What do you guys think? I've looked through the "wildlife and Country side Act 1981" and can't see any mention of them.

Hope somebody out there knows!

Thanks guys,

Phil.

 

[Stuart]

very unlikley but somone on here will know for sure

 

[tomtom]

im fairly sure your not allowed to shoot anything that is alive in the uk with a bow! be it on land or in water..

 

[Ed]

im fairly sure your not allowed to shoot anything that is alive in the uk with a bow!

Yep.... your spot on there, though laws maybe different at sea, but you can't on river, estuary, lake or pond.


Ed

 

[alick]

It's interesting. I've heard the same rumour - that there's no prohibition to fishing by bow - and everytime i've heard it crop up there are lots "I think" opinions but never anything definitive.

Ed, you seem sure on this, can you tell us which statute it is that bans bowfishing or even just a pointer to where you heard it ?

A big thanks in advance. :biggthump

 

[tomtom]

course if you build a canoe you can paddle in to international waters!

 

[Ed]

Ed, you seem sure on this, can you tell us which statute it is that bans bowfishing or even just a pointer to where you heard it ?

I thought it would come under the wildlife and country side act..... thats what I go by...... and I quote

Section 11 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as amended by Schedule 12 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 create the offences of setting self-locking snares and snares that cause bodily injury to any wild animals that come into contact with them, or using bows, crossbows or explosives to kill or capture them;

As I see it, the above law basicly outlines that it is an offence to use a bow to kill or capture 'ANY' wild animal.

Where have you seen this rumour about it being legal.... I'll check it out

:biggthump
Ed

 

[tomtom]

alick i can see where your coming from.. a fish might not be classed as an animal.. but i shouldnt think it is allowed... but then there is spear fishing..??? maybe ross on BB would know!

 

[Stuart]

the definition of an animal is:

An organized living being endowed with sensation and the power of voluntary motion, and also characterized by taking its food into an internal cavity or stomach for digestion; by giving carbonic acid to the air and taking oxygen in the process of respiration; and by increasing in motive power or active aggressive force with progress to maturity.

there for a fish is an animal.

and as such Section 11 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as amended by Schedule 12 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 prohibits the use of a bow to kill or capture a fish.

 

[tomtom]

cheers Stuart :biggthump

 

[Les Marshall]

I'm on duty at a police custody centre at the moment and I have just asked the duty sergeant about this one, he says that it is illegal to use a bow for fishing in fresh water, but not too sure about the sea. ack:

 

[bambodoggy]

Wow...thanks all, mighty fine resposes.... I had a feeling it wouldn't be allowed but just thought I'd see what you guys thought...

This is maybe going to sound daft but the C&WL Act only mentions (obviously) wild animals.....so would it in theory be possible to use a bow for fishing at say a trout farm....provided of course the owner let you?

Also, thanks to Ed for putting my post in the right place... I'm a newey here and didn't mean any offence to our veggie brothers and sisters

Phil.

 

[tomtom]

trout farm :rolmao:

well the one i go to only says no barbless hooks.. nothing about no barbless arrows! :wave:

 

[alick]

Hi Ed. Thanks, that helps :You_Rock_

This one appears from time to time in archery circles as wel as having - I think - popped up on BCUK once before. As I'm new into archery over the last 6 months I've noticed it two or three times recently while randomly browsing archery sites.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act is reasonably well known so I imagine the confusion must arise from whether fish are wild animals or not. I'd never assume that common sense applies to stautes - quite the reverse - and in fact will be very impressed if that excellent definition Stuart quoted was from the law books.

It would be so nice to have to eat my own words !

Cheers

 

[Bowser]

alick i can see where your coming from.. a fish might not be classed as an animal.. but i shouldnt think it is allowed... but then there is spear fishing..??? maybe ross on BB would know!

At the moment, dont have a scooby!! I'll have a look through the laws when I'm on duty next & try and find a definitive answer.

 

[tomtom]

Thanks Ross :biggthump

 

[Rob]

This is maybe going to sound daft but the C&WL Act only mentions (obviously) wild animals.....so would it in theory be possible to use a bow for fishing at say a trout farm....provided of course the owner let you?

Good question.

I have talked about that with some of the fishery owners that I have complained at over the years for me not catching enough with a fly. I have not come across one that would be comfortable with it. This may be more to do with you shooting the big ones you might not normally catch.

 

[Moonraker]

Or cross over the English Channel Since 1995 it has once again been legal to use a bow/crossbow to hunt game in France. I am not sure about fishing though and suspect it is not as most fishing federations are very traditional and protect the game fishing stocks.

There was one anecdote which I thought may be worth quoting here. Robert Hardy, in his book 'Longbow: A Social and Military History' states:

"The Member of Parliament briefed to defend the bowhunter's interests before the House of Commons in 1963, was in the lavatory when his turn came to speak." So bowhunting in England and Wales was outlawed.

On such moments laws are made ):

From my research the l'arbalete or crossbow was much more commonly used for hunting than the English longbow which was designed really for battle when the advantage in distance was important. They were often noted in the inventories taken after the dissolution of the Knights Templar in the early C14th for instance from the Preceptories which functioned as organisational centres for their lands and were mostly farms with or without a chapel. So weapons found there were for the normal rural use in Europe at that time).

 

[bambodoggy]

That sounds about right for the UK parliment!

Any idea how I go about hunting in France....what licences do I need and how do I find a hunting ground?
My french is a little limited (only just schoolboy french really) but I pick up langues quickly (even if I can't spell them)... ):

Also, do any of our law enforcement buddies on here know whether customs are likely to freak if I'm carrying a compound crossbow in my hand luggage? ? ?

Cheers all.....

 

[Moonraker]

bambodoggy, I am afraid as I don't hunt or use a bow I am not sure on details. here are a couple of links which may guide you:

Bow Hunting - In the forests of Normandy

Big game season from June to the end of the winter. Small game days are organized in autumn & winter.

This is an English site (American?) on organised bowhunting in Normandy. Have a look through the site. There are some serious animals they have there :shock:

Bit of info from the French government site on hunting in France generally:

Hunting: validation of a foreign hunting permit

A hunting permit may be granted to non-resident foreign nationals holding a foreign hunting permit in order to hunt in France, for a period of nine consecutive days. It may be renewed three times, subject to the payment of the provisional national or departmental hunting fee for nine-day periods and of a provisional Departmental Hunting Federation membership fee.

Documents required

1 insurance certificate valid in France

hunting permit issued in country of origin or any other alternative administrative document

1 identity document or passport

2 passport-size photos (35mm x 45 mm)

A permanent hunting permit may be issued once the applicant has taken a theoretical and practical examination and paid stamp duty and an annual national hunting fee.

Hunting season: hunting is allowed only during certain periods of the year. Bird shooting is prohibited in the case of nestlings or during the different stages of reproduction and dependence. In addition, shooting of migratory birds is prohibited during the return journey to their nesting place. Game shooting is prohibited from 6 a.m. on Wednesdays to 6 a.m. on Thursdays.

For further information please contact Ministère de l'Aménagement du territoire et de l'environnement (Ministry of Regional Planning and the Environment), Direction de la Nature et des paysages, Sous-Direction de la Chasse, de la faune et de la flore sauvages, Bureau de la Chasse. Telephone: 01 40 81 7

This site has a LOT of general hunting info for France and is in English:

*France - Firearms Legislation

Moving between member States or Coming from abroad

Moving between EU member States

French residents need an EFP (European Firearms Pass) to travel/transit to another member State. The prior consent of the transited/visited member State is necessary when the accompanying firearm is under authorisation in the transited/visited member State.

Visitors from another member State do not need a prior consent from the French authorities when they travel with firearms subject to declaration or free sale but do if they travel with firearms subject to authorization. Firearms of military calibres are prohibited.

A written invitation is necessary.

In France the cross bow is listed under Class 6:

Category VI (cold steel)
i.e.:

- bayonet, saber-bayonet, dagger, dagger-bayonet
- bludgeon
- cross bow
- Ninja stars
- lachrymal aerosol

I once watched a late night bow hunting programme where a couple of guys were bow hunting pheasant. I was very impressed with their dedication as that is one seriously difficult art They did eventually come away with a few. I think it must of taken hours to get a shot for the camera on film.

Hope this helps.