The South Australian Government has confirmed that all bow hunting of animals and birds in the state will be banned from 1 December, 2024.
State Governor Frances Adamson has issued a proclamation banning the use of bows (including crossbows) to kill animals or birds in the state, as per the powers under s66 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, which state: The Governor may, by proclamation, restrict or prohibit the use of firearms or devices of a specified class for the taking of particular species of animals or for the taking of animals generally.
The official proclamation, made in the South Australian Government Gazette No 48 on 4 July also states it was made “with the advice and consent of the Executive Council”.
As Sporting Shooter has previously reported, the ban is understood to be part of a deal between the ALP Government (under Premier Peter Malinauskas since 2022) and the Animal Justice Party.
The government claimed it was an election promise despite the fact that it was not shared with voters before either the 2018 or 2022 state elections.
Initially, the ban was supposed to be conducted via restricting the issuance of hunting permits for bow hunting purposes, a move that would not have affected primary producers, feral pest control or Aboriginal hunting.
However, the Governor’s proclamation under s66 of the Act means that it is a blanket ban and there are no exceptions for those situations any more.
It will still be legal to take carp from the Murray River in some circumstances via bow fishing after the ban comes into effect.
While the SA Government is at pains to point out that bow and crossbow ownership remains legal and unaffected, those items can now effectively only be used for target shooting in the state.
The government has declined to offer compensation to bow hunters, arguing that they can still use their bows for archery competitions in SA or hunting elsewhere in Australia.
The government has also said possession of hunting arrowheads also remains legal, due to the fact a South Australian bow hunter can use them for hunting elsewhere in the country.
There are no changes to the laws or regulations regarding hunting with firearms in South Australia.
For more information on the bow hunting ban, visit: https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/plants-and-animals/sustainable-use-of-animals-and-plants/hunting-information/bow-hunting.
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