Bow and crossbow hunting

The state government is banning the use of bows and crossbows to kill animals in South Australia, other than carp, effective 1 December 2024.

The ban reflects a commitment made by the state government to prohibit the use of bows and crossbows to kill animals in South Australia.

The ban will take effect on 1 December 2024.

The ban was introduced through a proclamation made by the Governor of South Australia, under section 66 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972.

This section of the Act says that the Governor may, by proclamation, restrict or prohibit the use of firearms or specific devices to kill a particular species, or animals generally.

In this instance, the proclamation states that bows and crossbows may no longer be used to take any animal other than any species of carp. You can read the full proclamation in the South Australian Government Gazette.

All people who use a bow or crossbow in South Australia to hunt animals, except where they are bow fishing for carp in accordance with the Fisheries Management Act 2017.

This includes:

• holders of a valid Basic Hunting Permit, which is required to lawfully hunt an animal not protected by the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (NPW Act) in most circumstances
• Aboriginal hunting, within the context of the NPW Act, when undertaken with a bow or crossbow
• landholders, family members, or an agent of a landholder intending to destroy an animal not protected by the NPW Act that is causing damage to crops, stock or other property on the land
  
• the destruction of an animal not protected by the NPW Act that is endangering human life
• any settings and scenarios where a permit may not be required, but you intend to use a bow or crossbow to kill an animal other than a species of carp.

The ban will not affect:

• bow fishing – a bow and arrow can be used to fish for carp in the River Murray outside of the mainstream. Please visit the PIRSA website to learn more about all of the relevant rules, restrictions and requirements of bow fishing
  
• lawful hunting using devices other than bows or crossbows (e.g. guns, spears)
  
• the recreational use of bows and crossbows that doesn’t involve hunting (e.g. target archery)
  
• spear fishing (using a hand fish spear or spear gun). Please visit the PIRSA website to learn more about relevant rules, requirements and restrictions for spear fishing
  
• Aboriginal hunting, within the context of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, when not using a bow or crossbow (e.g. when using a gun or other device)
  
• duck and quail hunting – bows and crossbows already can’t be used to take protected species under a Duck Open Season Hunting Permit or a Quail Open Season Hunting Permit
  
• ownership of bows and crossbows – they can still be used for recreational purposes that don’t involve hunting
  
• ownership of hunting-specific bow and crossbow equipment, such as broadhead arrows or bolts – they can still be used in other jurisdictions that allow this form of hunting, or for recreational purposes that don’t involve hunting in South Australia.

There are options available to landholders to manage animals that might be damaging or otherwise causing issues on your property.

You can:

• use a gun or other legal device to manage the animal
• engage a professional contract shooter or a volunteer pest control group to manage the animal
• visit the Department of Primary Industries and Regions website to learn about using poison baits to manage some feral animals.

Remember, you must hold a Permit to Destroy Wildlife to lethally manage protected native animals. Visit our manage, control or destroy wildlife page for more information on these permits. These permits do not allow the use of bows or crossbows.

The ban will be enforced by staff from the Department for Environment and Water and SA Police as authorised under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972.

Penalties up to $1,000 will apply.

As bows and crossbows can be used for other recreational purposes in South Australia, and to hunt in other jurisdictions where they are permitted, there is no plan to offer a buy back.

As you can still hunt using guns and other lawful devices, there is no plan to refund Basic Hunting Permits.

Yes. In South Australia, a person must not hunt or have possession of any firearm or device, including bows or crossbows, for the purpose of hunting, unless that person holds a hunting permit issued by the National Parks and Wildlife Service or is exempted from holding a hunting permit.

There are also existing limitations on use and possession of crossbows under legislation enforced by the SA Police.

DEW invited stakeholders to provide feedback on the approach to implementing the ban in early 2023. This included understanding perspectives of the timing of the ban and how the ban should be communicated. This has been used to inform how we will educate stakeholders about the ban’s implementation.

South Australians wanting to share their views on the ban and intended implementation approach were also invited to contact DEW between February and April 2024. This feedback offered valuable insights and has been used to add further information to this page to address questions and concerns.

Until the ban commences on 1 December 2024, bows and crossbows can still be used for Aboriginal hunting purposes.

Once in effect, the ban applies to Aboriginal hunting when undertaken with a bow or crossbow.

This is because the proclamation made under section 66 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 applies to all hunting scenarios.

All other firearms and devices currently permitted can still be used for Aboriginal hunting purposes, and you can read more about this on our Aboriginal hunting and gathering page.

All species of carp have been excluded from the ban.

A bow and arrow may still be used to fish for carp (only) in the River Murray in some circumstances, as is provided for by the Fisheries Management Act 2017.

This is the only form of bow fishing legally permitted in South Australia.

For further details and current advice, visit the PIRSA website.

Yes. Bow fishing was included in the details of the ban previously published on our website.

The government has excluded bow fishing from the ban given that a bow and arrow may be used to fish for carp (only) in the River Murray in some circumstances, as is provided for by the Fisheries Management Act 2017.