Being a bowhunter

Starting at the beginning is always good. Hopefully you will have read how to get started in issue 81 of Australian Hunter and have a bow, tight target groups, sharpened broadheads to shaving status and now figure it’s time to think seriously about hunting.

But before putting on the backpack and gently walking off into the grass, let’s look at a few things. As always, a landowner’s permission to hunt is mandatory. Next, we can only hunt feral animals. Native animals and birds are taboo but deer, wild goats and pigs are fair game, as are buffaloes and bantengs.

A quick recap on hunting deer

There are currently no seasonal regulations governing deer hunting in New South Wales. An R-licence applies if hunting public land, although a permit is not required on private property. In Victoria, a permit to hunt is required – with no closed season except for hog deer – while all hunting bows must have a 50lb draw weight. Queensland’s deer hunters require only a landowner’s permission. All bowhunting is banned in Tasmania. No matter your