Denmark Legalizes Bowhunting

Other European nations could soon follow.

Way back in 1987, I went to Denmark to teach a Bowhunter Education Class. It was one part of a larger and ongoing effort by Danish hunters to get bowhunting legalized for large deer species (red, fallow and sika). Here we are, 37 years later, and Denmark has — finally — legalized big-game bowhunting as of Jan. 1, 2024. What took so long?

We take our bowhunting seasons for granted here in America, though many contemporary archers don’t know there were early skirmishes in many states as modern bowhunting opportunities were established throughout the 20th century. Yet as contentious as some of those debates were, they were nothing compared to what many European nations have gone through. For starters, anti-hunting groups are strong and many in Europe. They continually rail against bowhunting and accuse archers of wounding and losing an incredibly high percentage of animals hit, even though research done here in America shows this is not a significant problem. While no one questions that bowhunters wound some deer, the famous Camp Ripley study — a multi-year study conducted in the 1990s at a large military reservation in Minnesota — showed that 87 percent of deer shot with a bow were recovered by hunters. And of the remaining 13 percent, many survived the wound and live.

Despite the Camp Ripley study and other research conducted by a variety of state wildlife agencies, anti-hunting groups such as the Humane Society of the United States sometimes claim as many as 80 percent of bow-shot animals are lost and left to suffer slow, agonizing deaths. Though easily refuted with data, such claims can certainly sway the tide of public opinion, and many European anti-hunting organizations have used such smear tactics to good effect.

Another obstacle to European bowhunting is the complex way hunting is regulated there. Allow me to use Austria as an example. Austria isn’t Denmark, but there are lots of parallels. In both countries, hunting rights belong to the landowner, and in Austria a landowner can only exercise those rights if he or she owns at least 284 unbroken acres. The landowner must also secure a hunting permit, and if he or she does not have one, then the landowner must have the land hunted and managed by an authorized person. The landowner does receive payment for allowing hunting, and those hunting on the land must maintain a healthy game population and also take farming and forestry interests into account.

Hunters in Austria and most other European countries also must take in-depth training classes. This isn’t the one-day “hunter safety course” most of us took here in America. Rather, hunters in Europe must prove their knowledge of all applicable hunting, conservation and forestry regulations. They must demonstrate a mastery of firearms and proper safety practices, as well as know the biology, physiology and characteristics of all hunted species. They also may be required to know gun-dog training, how to process game meat for human consumption, first aid and more. In other words, becoming a hunter in Europe is a far more serious commitment of time and money than it is in America.

In spite of it all, hunting is a big deal in Denmark. Three to 5 percent of Danish residents are hunters, which explains why there are 93,000 members in the Danish Hunters’ Association. They have 900 hunting clubs scattered throughout Denmark. But keep in mind that every one of those is a gun-hunting club. If bowhunting was going to become legal in Denmark, the DHA would have to support it.

As part of that process, a four-year analysis of bowhunting was conducted to examine myriad issues such as blood loss after the shot, average time from the shot until death, average distance covered after the shot, etc. This was critical in the policy shift to allow bowhunting; nothing would have happened without a full consideration of these factors. Once that analysis was done, the Wildlife Management Council (consisting of hunters, anglers, farmers, environmentalists and animal-welfare groups) supported the change being promoted by the Danish Bowhunters Association. Finally, in February 2023, the Council recommended a change in regulations, which led to a smooth passage of bowhunting, which became a legal hunting method in Denmark as of Jan. 1. I might add all of this comes with regulations for the hunter and equipment. Bowhunters must pass the Danish hunter education course and a two-day bowhunter education course. They must also pass a proficiency test. For hunting sika, fallow and red deer, arrows must weigh at least 33 grams (509 grains), and broadheads must have fixed blades (no mechanicals) and at least three cutting edges with a cutting diameter of at least 25 mm (one inch).

“This landmark decision is a beacon of hope and inspiration for bowhunters across Europe,” said Kirsten Anderson, chairman of the Danish Bowhunter Association. “While we in Denmark now have the privilege to hunt the full range of deer, it’s encouraging to see the growing momentum in countries like Norway, Sweden and others where bowhunting organizations are actively working towards similar opportunities. This positive movement across Europe reflects a growing appreciation for responsible and sustainable hunting practices.”

It has been years in the making, but it’s finally legal. Congratulations to the Danish bowhunting heroes who made it happen!