Did you know it's ILLEGAL to bowhunt native animals?

What can I hunt with a bow?

When hunting on declared and open public land in NSW you will need to apply for and print off a written permission issued by the DPI. This written permission lists the game that can be targeted on each specific public land area. Hunting outside of the rules listed in your written permission is an offence and attracts heavy penalties and suspension or cancellation of a Game Hunting Licence.

When hunting introduced game on private land you must only target wild introduced game in a manner that inflicts no unnecessary pain or suffering. For example, introduced birds like starlings and Indian mynas are species where a humane and ethical outcome from harvesting them with a bow is unlikely. However small, medium and large game, when hunted by a skilled and ethical hunter can be well suited to hunting with bows. Examples include rabbits, hares, feral cats, foxes, feral goats, feral pigs and the six introduced deer species.

In NSW, native animals are protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 and can only be harvested under strict licensing conditions using firearms. Native species like kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, possums, goannas and native birds like brush turkeys, ducks and emus are all protected and must not be hunted with bows. These species are occasionally found with target arrows piercing their body, indicating that it is likely new or novice bowhunters have targeted them with archery equipment including target or blunt arrows. This situation is unacceptable and should be discouraged. 

This article is an excerpt from STAY ON TARGET: Be an ethical bowhunter, a booklet that contains important information about being a safe, ethical and responsible bowhunter, published by the NSW Department of Primary Industries.