Liguria legalizes hunting with bows and arrows

This, however, has landed the regional authorities in trouble with animal rights organizations

Last week, the regional government of Liguria (in Italy) amended the rules for hunters to include some new permitted activities. Among these is the licence to use bows and arrows to kill the game.

The provision specifies that the possibility of hunting with a bow and arrow is foreseen by national laws and that in recent years many other regions have included it in their regulations. Supposedly, the more ethical character of this type of hunting, which harks back to the traditions and customs and gives a fairer chance for the animals has been put up as an argument.

It turns out, however, that animal rights activists are having none of it and have actually described the new amendments as a form of “barbarism”.

According to the Gaia Animali & Ambiente and Genoese Animalists associations, hunting with a bow and arrow is an "exercise of cruelty" as the animal hit by the arrow does not die instantly, but through a slow and painful agony: in fact, it dies from bleeding or from being hit by additional arrows. 

The activists are not just being verbal about this, either. They have organized a so-called mail bombing campaign, which consists of massive sending of emails to the Liguria Region administration.

Shooting season is open on wild boars

The unusual weapon licence is not the only amendment in the hunting laws of the region.

In addition to the possibility of using a bow and arrow, selective hunting of deer and mouflon has been introduced. That means a planned culling of these animals according to certain criteria linked to their diffusion in the area.

Moreover, there was an extension of the hunting periods for fallow deer and wild boars. In particular, there will no longer be time restrictions for hunting boars - they can be killed all year round.

The latter step has been defended as necessary due to the demographic boom of wild boars, many of which enter the urban areas in search of food.