the law?

[hawkeye]

i guess it might vary from state to state.

i have a firearms license and a member of sporting shooters, but now that i'm getting into bowhunting (thanks adam :wink: ) i'm curious as to the law and bows??

is a bow deemed to be a firearm by cops (say if got pulled over on road and they saw it in car)? it's illegal to transport a firearm in vehicle through state forest/crown land/nat park etc in WA and wondering if this would apply to a bow as well??

i know i can ask local cops for confirmation, but reckon you people would know more about it (advice?) than the local plod.

am i excempt from fireams rules if i have a bow or does it count as a firearm??

thnaks for any feedback. :D :wink:

[timbo]

Hi Hawk,
I would guess it would be different in each state. I have just moved into Victoria and made lots of inquiries prior to bringing my gear over. Bows seem to be excluded from the firearms side of things here.
You don't need to have them locked up (as you do with longarms) there is also do restriction on using your bow in your yard either.
I am not sure about carrying a bow in State parks or other areas, for hunting you need a licence is if you got pulled up in these areas without the right document and reason I don't know what would happen.
Perhaps Woody or some of the other more senior members of the group might have a better knowledge then me.

I am sure that regardless of what you do or who you speak to someone else will always see it differently.

Cheers Tim

[jindydiver]

A bow is not a firearm.
You will need to look into your local legislation to see what the go is with having the bow in the forest, but your best bet always is to pack the bow away if in doubt. The last thing you want to do is to stand on the side of the road and start arguing the law with the cop that pulled you over. No matter how sure you are about where you stand you will find that most times you will be the looser in the end. :wink:

[bobzila]

to be counted as a firearm the predjectil needs to be fired by a charge so a bow is deffenetly not a firearm :D
just my 2cents

[hawkeye]

thanks for that and about what i gauged the situation to be... ta. :wink:

[adam]

I remember just out of canberra a few years ago I was sitting in my truck waiting for first light. The properties deer I was hunting were mostly off the side of the main rd, not used much. Sitting in there with face paint on and the works the cops drive past and then turn around and pull over next to me. I forgot I had face paint on and was thinking these guys are gunna freak when they see me in my 3d gear. Soon as I hopped out of the car you should have seen there faces. The only thing they were thinking about was there own lives. We ended up having a big laugh over it once I explained what was going on. The worst thing about it was they were so interested in bows and arrows and hunting deer that they talked to me till the sun was up and I never got to cover half the good country in the early hours of morning.

[grizzly]

..

[Sparra]

In NSW you can't take a bow into a national park..Not too sure about state forest but now with the game council i would say that is also out....

[johnno]

As mentioned a bow is not classified as a "firearm" under the Act due to the reasons previoulsy stated. In NSW a bow is not a "prohibited item" unlike a crossbow. In most parks state/federal they are generally clearly signposted "no hunting" and also the laws of "trespass" would apply. In respect to transporting a bow throught a park it would be a matter of the prevailing circumstances. i.e if locked away in the boot would be a different matter to having it on your lap or exposed on the back seat obviously ready to go. With regard to the knives issue the imputence is on the aspect of concealability, i.e a "switchblade" apart from being a prohibited weapon would draw a lot more attention that a hunting sheath knife locked away in the boot. In all matters I suspect the court would take the view of what was reasonable namely "what a reasonable and prudent person" would/ wouldn't have done given the prevailing circumstances. IMO :D

[rinaldo]

From what I understand is that in QLD if you are under the influence of booze then your bow will be treated as a firearm.

[interceptor]

When I worked in Cape York a few years back we had to live at the Heathlands ranger station. There was a full time ranger on site, and of course I had my bow with me (as you do). I told them that I had it and there thoughts were the same as the National Parks people I spoke with some time later. If it propels a projectile it is a firearm. Because of this I left my bow in its case inside the Rangers office until I was going hunting on private land an hour or so up the road.

Things may have changed, I think you could get different answers depending on who you asked, also the answer would also be likely to change if you were to ask them to put it in writting.

Just my thoughts and experience on the matter.

The main thing is as has been mentioned above, if you are unsure leave your bow at home.

Cheers Noel

[hawkeye]

interesting feedback.

i wonder what 'precedent' there has been in courts about prosecuting bow hunters?

eg - caught with a bow in vehicle by nasty Ranger in Nat. Pk and 'having the book thrown at you'?

anyone know what the worst offense you could be charged with and penalties or whatever?? has there ever been a case against a bowhunter for such a thing?

i wonder if i got caught by a nazi govt offical in WA forest whether it would also impact on my firearms license etc?

another eaxmple - i've JUST received in the mail a compulsory form to sign to have me checked for any criminal record (i'm a high school teacher) and while i have none, i wonder how that could change if i got busted with a bow for bulls*it! :roll:

anyone know the worst legal scenario that could happen if caught (not deliberately doing wrong thing bear in mind (innocently transversing thru a forest track say?)) in the wrong place at wrong time with bow? any legl cases/fines/ knowledge?

[Wellsy]

I've asked this question of a few different NP Rangers and all have replied the same.
In a national park a bow would come under the same controls as a firearm.
Wellsy

[jindydiver]

I've asked this question of a few different NP Rangers and all have replied the same.
In a national park a bow would come under the same controls as a firearm.
Wellsy

A bow is a means of taking game and is considered to be the same as a firearm in legislation covering national parks.
Although firearms (and other means of taking game) are illegal in a national park you are allowed to have them in your car while travelling on a road that passes through a national park. Your dramas only start if you leave the main road.