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, steenbuck, duiker, klipspringer, springbuck, lechwe, and huntable game birds.
Medium game: Baboon, warthog, blesbuck, bontebuck, impala, nyala, and cheetah.
Large game: Gemsbuck, 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 bowmanship.
• 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 behavioral 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.