Making The Bowhunting Legal

[Oldaro]

Hi, I'm new to this Forum. My cordial greetings you all.

I live in Croatia, and shoot all kind of turnaments, but I prefer 3-D. The bowhunting is illegal where I live, and I'm currently trying to change that.

Here's the problem: Croatian and Slovenian archers are currently battling forces various to legalize bowhunting on their territories. A number of neighboring states are doing the same. Currently, all local bowhunters have to travel abroad, or hunt the fenced-in areas, which certainly isn't what bowhunting is all about.

Here's what we plan: In order to let the proper information in to the general public, and especially to the rifle hunters, we are trying to get the disinformation out first. As you all know, there's a lot of superstition around regarding bow and arrow, and there's really no other word for it; people tend to believe that the bow, being a silent weapon, attracts the outlaw hunter, and that the modern bow can shoot the deer at half a mile, just because they can't draw the string. In short, there's an enormous work to be done, legislative-wise and sociologically, not a lot of it easy, not a lot of it pleasant. Just like in a bowhunting itself.

Here's what I need: Data. Info. Written material. Printed matter. Explanations. Graphic material. Visual aid. Law constructs. Ethical side of things. Control Hows & Wheres. Educational matter.
I would greatly appreciate if you send (to the address below) anything to do with the ethical, legislative and informational aspect of the bowhunting in your part of the world. I need to know the Rules; what caused them to be set and what problems they solved? What are the things that didn't work? I'd like to use some material describing the effects of BH upon various game population. What proved to be the effective ways of public education re bowhunting? We would need books, prospects, leaflets, posters, postcards, videos ... the lot.

Right away, please don't overdo with prospects; although it is always nice to leaf trough some of those. About videos, please ask first! The chances are we already have the ones you intended to mail! All the material is going to be used publicly, and if you think some of it might infringe upon a certain copyright, please warn!

Thank you for your help! :D
The e-mail address for that purpose: old_arrow@yahoo.com ... and whoever decides to send in some material, mail me and I'll answer with my snail-mail address.

[Marcus]

I don't check this area often (good mederator huh?) so just saw this.
Interesting situation for sure. I have not heard of rifle hunting being allowed but not bowhunting. I really have no info that will help your cause. However keep us updated on it.
What is the main sourse of game there?
good luck

[Oldaro]

Hi, Marcus

not checking can also mean that you don't have much to moderate, everybody being nice to each other etcetera, huh?

Well, there is some stir in the hunting society around these parts. The older hunters keep to their ways, thinking they keep up the tradition, while forgetting in the same time that the arrow killed more life than all the rifles in history - what for food, what for the hell of it. So they need be reminded that there is more traditional than their traditional, and simply because they're naming the bowhunting 'slaughter' doesn't mean that it's the case.

Several surrounding countries are trying to legalize bowhunting as well, and to this end we need to prove against general opinion that it is firstly and foremostly effective, and (most important), that it excludes hunters that only know how to shoot down their quarry from a distance. You know what kind of people I mean.

As for the game prevalent in these parts, there is a lot of roe deer, wild pigs, proper deer, mouflon, and some brown bear. There is also lots of pheasant, hare, rabbit, snipe... and usual vermin. Croatia has very different landscapes inside its relatively humble territory, from the northern planes over the hilly, mountain and alpine regions to the Mediterranean type littoral at the coast and several hundred islands.

Look it up on some detailed map (internet!) and see for yourself.