Bow and arrow attacks on wildlife on the rise, prompting call to outlaw compound bows
Wildlife carers say there are an increasing number of bow and arrow attacks on native animals, prompting calls for the weapons to be prohibited.
But bow hunters say their sport is being tarnished by the actions of a few reckless amateurs.
Wildlife rescue organisation WIRES says it is seeing an increase in the number of native animals being shot with arrows, with devastating consequences.
"The animal is lame, sometimes the animal has been shot in the head, or in the body, hasn't been killed, there's usually infection at the entry site and maybe damage to internal organs," WIRES general manager Leanne Taylor told the ABC.
"They're often dehydrated, they've been exposed to extremes of either heat or cold because they're not as mobile, they may be underweight because they haven't been able to access food.
"It can be anything from days to weeks with an animal in that state, and they suffer prolonged pain."
NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge wants to see the modern compound bow listed as a prohibited weapon, like the crossbow.
Galah pierced by an arrow in New South Wales
PHOTO: A galah sits on a power line after being shot with an arrow (Supplied: WIRES)
A compound bow uses wheels and cables to reduce the draw weight of the bow, making it easier to hold while aiming.
"Compound bows are extremely lethal weapons. They're designed to kill, and in NSW there is literally nothing regulating their sale, nothing regulating their use," Mr Shoebridge said.
Compound bows are freely available to buy online and at markets. The ABC found high-quality compound bows for sale at Paddy's Markets in Sydney's Chinatown, priced between $400 and $900.
"They are weapons of death which the law simply doesn't touch," Mr Shoebridge said.
"You don't need a licence to buy them, there's no age limit on when you can buy them, and there are few, if any, laws restricting their use either in suburban Sydney or in parks or in open spaces."
Mr Shoebridge said arrows typically used for hunting are broad-head arrows designed to cause maximum injury, with barbs to lodge the arrow in flesh.
"When you combine those lethal arrows with a modern compound bow you have a genuine killing instrument," he said.
www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-29/native-animals-being-hunted-with-bow-and-arrows/5...