Bow Hunting in
Namibia
Namibia has a long tradition of hunting with a bow and arrow.
Practised by various rural communities; the most well-known of
these is the Kalahari Bushmen, who traditionally hunt with
poisoned arrows. Bow-hunting for trophies in its modern form was
legalized during 1997 and is thus a recent development. The
predominant drive behind this development was the ever-growing
trophy hunting sector.
Modern-day trophy hunters who would like to hunt in Namibia with
a bow, can select from a large variety of outfitters. Due to
Namibia's natural habitat, types of game and seasonal changes in
vegetation, bow-hunting requires the highest standard of hunting
skills and ethical behaviour.
Game Species
Namibia offers a large variety of game species for trophy
hunting. These include :
Small Game: Rock-rabbit (hyrax), rabbits,
porcupine, African wildcat, caracal, black-backed jackal, Damara
dik-dik, steenbok, duiker, klipspringer, springbuck, lechwe,
and hunt able game birds.Medium Game: Baboon, Warthog,
Blackbuck, Bontebok,
Impala, Nyala, and Cheetah.
Large Game: Gemsbok, kudu, Hartebeest, Roan
Antelope, Sable Antelope, Tsessebe, Waterbuck, Wildebeest,
plains and mountain Zebra, Eland and Giraffe.
Hunting Techniques
Bow-hunting in Namibia is practised using a number of
techniques. Hunters may lie in ambush in areas frequented by
game, or they may stalk their prey. Animals have to be within 20
m -30 m, relaxed and unaware of the hunter. Normally only
"side-on" shots are taken. Due to the difficulty of achieving
the above criteria, bow-hunting in Namibia is technically a
highly selective sport and requires above normal self-discipline
and physical fitness. Surrounding game species are disturbed
very little and are often not even aware of the hunt that is
taking place.
Legal Requirements
A Hunting Guide, Master Hunting Guide or Professional Hunter
with additional qualifications for bow-hunting must guide trophy
hunters visiting Namibia. Bow-hunting for trophies may only take
place on special game farms and areas which are registered for
this purpose with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.
Licences for various game species may be organized by the
outfitter.
Bow energy is specified as follows:
Small Game -25 ft/lb
Medium Game -40 ft/lb
Large Game -65 ft/lb.
Hunting with the use of dogs is illegal.
Bow-hunting
is guided by the Code of Conduct as set out below
:
- Hunting to take place on the principles of fair chase,
as defined hereunder.
- When bow-hunting, the hunter makes use of stalking as
well as lying in ambush
- Use of correct hunting methods and equipment to harvest
animals in the least traumatic way possible
- Bow-hunters should practise and train continuously to
enhance their bowman-ship.
- They have to abide by the relevant laws, other legal
requirements and recognized codes of conduct.
- They must actively enhance the survival of wildlife
populations, protection of biodiversity and the promotion of
sustainable utilization.
- Ensure humane practices in the utilization of wildlife.
- Engage at all times in fair and honest , practices
- Educate others regarding the benefits of sustainable
use, conservation procedures and the ethics of hunting.
- Recognize indigenous rural community needs relating to
sustainable natural resource utilization.
Fair Chase
Every sport hunter should pursue an animal only by engaging in a
fair chase of the quarry. Fair chase is defined as the pursuit
of a free. roaming animal or enclosed roaming animal possessed
of the natural behavioural inclination to escape from the hunter
and be fully free to do so. Said animal is to be hunted without
an artificial light source, not from a motorized mode of
transportation. No ethical hunter while sport hunting must take
female animals with dependent young. A sport-hunted animal
should exist as a naturally interacting member of a sustainable
wild population located in an area large enough for it to breed
and forage or hunt freely. Hunted animals should be sustained
within a natural state of balance between forage, predators and
prey. The above definition may be modified by the regional
hunting associations based on legal, customary and necessary
circumstances which may be unique to each country or area.
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