Hunting with a crossbow
If you are an avid hunter, you might want to hunt with a crossbow at one point. This is perfectly fair if you do it correctly.
Hunting with the crossbow
It goes without saying that you cannot simply shoot animals with a crossbow without any preparation. Please note:
- A sports crossbow is designed for shooting at targets. You cannot rely on it to have sufficient penetration to kill an animal quickly and painlessly. Be sure to consult a good hunting equipment store for advice on which weapons are suitable for hunting.
- You also need special hunting arrows or points for the arrows. These consist of sharp blades that cut deep into the animal's body and quickly lead to fatal injuries. The tips are differentiated according to the number of cutting edges. Like a spearhead, two-edged cutters have two cutting edges, three-edged cutters have three blades, and so on. Broadheads with more than four blades have poor flight characteristics. The blades are more effective anyway, they cut deeper with the same energy. The additional injuries from three or four tailors are of little use, since this is a local injury overall.
- Make sure that the blade is sufficiently sharp. You can test this excellently on paper: Place the blade on the edge of a sheet of printer paper. It should slide through with light pressure on the blade. If you have to drag the edge across the paper in order to cut it, it will be useless for hunting.
Basic principles of hunting
Every country has different hunting laws. As a rule, you will need to provide evidence that you are a safe shooter and also know how to properly kill animals with one shot. The idea of animal welfare does not exist in all states, and some countries have a very free handling of firearms.
The subject of hunting heats the mind. While some, above all of course the hunters, ...
- In Germany, hunting hoofed game and seals with a crossbow is expressly prohibited. Game, which can also be shot with shot, is not protected by § 19 BJG, but can be protected in state regulations. The interpretation of the Federal Hunting Act that you are allowed to hunt rabbits with a crossbow is controversial.
- In many European countries, hunting with the crossbow is on an equal footing with other hunting weapons. An overview of where hunting with a bow is allowed is given on the map showing which of the German Bow Hunting Association put on the net. Note that some countries do not view a crossbow as a bow. So the weapon is not always allowed if you are allowed to hunt with a bow and arrow.
- In Austria, hunting with unsuitable weapons is prohibited in some federal states. This also includes the air rifle and the crossbow, because these weapons are not suitable for painless killing of animals.
- In some provinces of Canada you even have advantages when you hunt with the crossbow. You are allowed to hunt well before the hunting season begins and during the general hunting season. In Quebec, for example, you don't need a special permit. You can purchase the license for the game you want to hunt from your outfitter, at gas stations and in various shops.
- In the United States, most states allow you to hunt with the crossbow at the same time as hunters with traditional firearms. In Texas and Oklahoma you can hunt before the riflemen, along with the hunters who use a longbow. More and more federal states are joining this regulation.
Hunting with the crossbow has fallen into disrepute in Europe because unsuitable arrows were used to hunt, which led to serious injuries to the game and thus to animal cruelty. Please always remember to only shoot animals with a weapon that is suitable for hunting, is accurate and has a high penetration power. Use only sharp broadheads.
