Archery and The Law

One of the ‘grey’ areas in the sport of archery is the letter of

the law regarding the carrying and use of a bow and arrow.

Is the bow classed as an offensive weapon, could I be arrested for shooting anywhere other than an archery club venue? 

Anything at all can be classed as an offensive weapon if it’s been made, adapted or intended to cause injury. Take an innocent length of wood, in itself not an offensive weapon, hammer a large nail through it at one end, in an instant the wood becomes a very dangerous offensive weapon.

The bow is not regarded by law as a Prohibited Weapon, however, should you be stopped carrying one late at night in a public place for instance and could give no good reason for carrying it then you could be arrested for carrying it with intent to cause harm.

What if you didn’t have any arrows on you? Doesn’t matter. They could be hidden nearby as far as the officer’s concerned.

As for the arrows, they fall under the Small Blades Act (Pointed and Bladed Articles) and could most definitely be classed as offensive weapons unless good reason or lawful authority were offered in defence. Good Reason and Lawful Authority are the two defences that can be applied to show that possession of a bow and arrows is both legal and inoffensive. Carrying your bow to an archery club constitutes good reason. Taking it to an archery shop to be measured for arrows or for repairs etc is good reason. Taking it to your mates for an evening of knocking back tequila shots and seeing who can hit next door’s chimney pot is not a good reason!

Also it's worth mentioning that bow hunting is illegal in the UK and constitutes an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

It is perfectly legal however to go on to private land (with the owners consent) to practice archery, although you should still exercise reasonable care towards others to prevent any accidental harm or injury.

If this is a private field with no public access or rights of way, you should be fairly safe to assume that you are in the clear if you have a reasonable overshoot distance. A domestic garden is a different story, whilst technically there is no law prohibiting it, the risk of causing accidental damage or injury due to a mistake are considerable. As such we do not condone private garden practice without vigorous safety precautions such as safety backdrops, blunt practice arrows, warning signage etc..

There are a lot of ifs and buts concerning archery and the law. The greatest way of avoiding arrest or prosecution is by applying good old common sense. If it doesn’t feel right or makes you feel uncomfortable, don’t do it. 

There’s also the very important matter of insurance to take into consideration. Membership of an Archery GB club includes insurance cover but it has its limitations. One of them being that it doesn’t cover you whilst you’re engaged in a back garden private shoot ! Without delving too deeply into what is and isn’t covered by your GB insurance you won’t go far wrong if you abide by the simple rule of, “If you’re shooting at any club or authorised archery event you’re covered but if you’re shooting anywhere else then make sure you’re bank account’s loaded because you may well need it . . . ! ”

      Safety is the key word when considering where and when to shoot. Always be aware that you are handling a weapon that can be very dangerous if mis-used. Treat it with respect and likewise treat anyone or anything within its range with respect and hopefully you’ll have a long and happy relationship with Her Majesty’s Constabulary.

Happy Shooting!