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Modern sport bowfishing (occurring in the US), which is often an effort to amass hundreds of native fish in single outings (sport killing) and to discard them as full-bodied carcasses afterwards,<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Quinn |first=Jeffrey W. |date=2010-12-01 |title=A Survey of Bowfishing Tournaments in Arkansas |url=https://doi.org/10.1577/M10-008.1 |journal=North American Journal of Fisheries Management |volume=30 |issue=6 |pages=1376–1384 |doi=10.1577/M10-008.1 |issn=0275-5947}}</ref><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":2" /> runs exactly counter to central principles of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=North American Model of Wildlife Conservation :: Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies |url=https://www.fishwildlife.org/landing/north-american-model-wildlife-conservation |access-date=2022-08-31 |website=www.fishwildlife.org}}</ref> In addition, a modern biological understanding of several of these targeted native species (e.g., [[Bigmouth buffalo|Bigmouth Buffalo]], [[Bowfin|Bowfins]], [[Quillback]]) has shown that they exhibit complex life cycles that are especially prone to overfishing.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wright |first=Jeremy J. |last2=Bruce |first2=Spencer A. |last3=Sinopoli |first3=Daniel A. |last4=Palumbo |first4=Jay R. |last5=Stewart |first5=Donald J. |date=2022-10-03 |title=Phylogenomic analysis of the bowfin (Amia calva) reveals unrecognized species diversity in a living fossil lineage |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-20875-4 |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=16514 |doi=10.1038/s41598-022-20875-4 |issn=2045-2322}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sinopoli |first=Daniel A. |last2=Stewart |first2=Donald J. |date=2020-10-19 |title=A Synthesis of Management Regulations for Bowfin, and Conservation Implications of a Developing Caviar Fishery |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/fsh.10526 |journal=Fisheries |volume=46 |issue=1 |pages=40–43 |doi=10.1002/fsh.10526 |issn=0363-2415}}</ref> Although some invasive species are sport bowfished in the US including some [[Cyprinidae|carp]] species (e.g. [[Eurasian carp|common carp]]), the vast majority of sport bowfished species are ecologically-valuable native species including [[gar]]s, [[bowfin]], [[Ictiobus|buffalofishes]], [[Carpiodes|carpsuckers]], [[Moxostoma|redhorse]], several other [[Catostomidae|catostomids species]], [[freshwater drum]], [[Mooneye|hiodontids]], [[paddlefish]], [[Ameiurus|bullheads]], and [[Ictalurus|catfish]]. These native species have been increasingly pursued in sport for several years, and thus new sportfish management is long overdue.<ref name=":2" /> Sport bowfisheries management of native species must be commensurate with the amount of fish removed from the [[ecosystem]],<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last=Molinaro |first=Sarah A. |last2=Stein |first2=Jeffrey A. |date=2019 |title=An Estimation of Harvest and Angler Habits at Bowfishing Tournaments in Illinois |url=https://experts.illinois.edu/en/publications/an-estimation-of-harvest-and-angler-habits-at-bowfishing-tourname |journal=Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference 2019}}</ref> which is significantly greater per bowfishing participant due to the lethality of the sport (catch and release is not possible),<ref name=":7" /> and nonexistent limits or extremely liberal limits.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> In addition, approaching and killing fish aided by power spot lights at night is relatively easy because fish are less skittish, wind conditions are calmer, many fishes move shallower, there is no fighting glare from sun and clouds, there is less boat traffic and less law enforcement.<ref name=":0" /> Indeed, the 21st Century night bowfishing has grown in popularity and legality and is most practiced by experienced bowfishers.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=York |first=Betsey |last2=Schooley |first2=Jason D. |last3=Scarnecchia |first3=Dennis L. |date=2022-08 |title=Oklahoma Bowfishing Values and Perspectives toward Nongame Fishes and Their Management |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/nafm.10795 |journal=North American Journal of Fisheries Management |language=en |volume=42 |issue=4 |pages=1020–1040 |doi=10.1002/nafm.10795 |issn=0275-5947}}</ref> More than 1,000 native fish can be removed in a single bowfishing outing by experienced bowfishers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bostian |first=Kelly J. |title=Trashed fish: Science for gar, buffalo targeted by bowfishing long overdue |url=https://kellyjbostian.substack.com/p/trashed-fish-science-for-gar-buffalo |access-date=2022-08-31 |website=kellyjbostian.substack.com |language=en}}</ref>[[File:Night bowfishing - muskie.jpg|thumb|306x306px|A [[Muskellunge|muskie]] as seen from a night bowfishing boat. ]]In [[saltwater]], [[Batoidea|ray]]s and [[shark]]s are regularly pursued.
Modern sport bowfishing (occurring in the US), which is often an effort to amass hundreds of native fish in single outings (sport killing) and to discard them as full-bodied carcasses afterwards,<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Quinn |first=Jeffrey W. |date=2010-12-01 |title=A Survey of Bowfishing Tournaments in Arkansas |url=https://doi.org/10.1577/M10-008.1 |journal=North American Journal of Fisheries Management |volume=30 |issue=6 |pages=1376–1384 |doi=10.1577/M10-008.1 |issn=0275-5947}}</ref><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":2" /> runs exactly counter to central principles of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=North American Model of Wildlife Conservation :: Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies |url=https://www.fishwildlife.org/landing/north-american-model-wildlife-conservation |access-date=2022-08-31 |website=www.fishwildlife.org}}</ref> In addition, a modern biological understanding of several of these targeted native species (e.g., [[Bigmouth buffalo|Bigmouth Buffalo]], [[Bowfin|Bowfins]], [[Quillback]]) has shown that they exhibit complex life cycles that are especially prone to overfishing.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wright |first=Jeremy J. |last2=Bruce |first2=Spencer A. |last3=Sinopoli |first3=Daniel A. |last4=Palumbo |first4=Jay R. |last5=Stewart |first5=Donald J. |date=2022-10-03 |title=Phylogenomic analysis of the bowfin (Amia calva) reveals unrecognized species diversity in a living fossil lineage |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-20875-4 |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=16514 |doi=10.1038/s41598-022-20875-4 |issn=2045-2322}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sinopoli |first=Daniel A. |last2=Stewart |first2=Donald J. |date=2020-10-19 |title=A Synthesis of Management Regulations for Bowfin, and Conservation Implications of a Developing Caviar Fishery |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/fsh.10526 |journal=Fisheries |volume=46 |issue=1 |pages=40–43 |doi=10.1002/fsh.10526 |issn=0363-2415}}</ref> Although some invasive species are sport bowfished in the US including some [[Cyprinidae|carp]] species (e.g. [[Eurasian carp|common carp]]), the vast majority of sport bowfished species are ecologically-valuable native species including [[gar]]s, [[bowfin]], [[Ictiobus|buffalofishes]], [[Carpiodes|carpsuckers]], [[Moxostoma|redhorse]], several other [[Catostomidae|catostomids species]], [[freshwater drum]], [[Mooneye|hiodontids]], [[paddlefish]], [[Ameiurus|bullheads]], and [[Ictalurus|catfish]]. These native species have been increasingly pursued in sport for several years, and thus new sportfish management is long overdue.<ref name=":2" /> Sport bowfisheries management of native species must be commensurate with the amount of fish removed from the [[ecosystem]],<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last=Molinaro |first=Sarah A. |last2=Stein |first2=Jeffrey A. |date=2019 |title=An Estimation of Harvest and Angler Habits at Bowfishing Tournaments in Illinois |url=https://experts.illinois.edu/en/publications/an-estimation-of-harvest-and-angler-habits-at-bowfishing-tourname |journal=Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference 2019}}</ref> which is significantly greater per bowfishing participant due to the lethality of the sport (catch and release is not possible),<ref name=":7" /> and nonexistent limits or extremely liberal limits.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> In addition, approaching and killing fish aided by powerful spot lights at night is relatively easy because fish are less skittish, wind conditions are calmer, many fishes move shallower, there is no fighting glare from sun and clouds, there is less boat traffic and less law enforcement.<ref name=":0" /> Indeed, in the 21st Century night bowfishing has grown in popularity and legality and is most practiced by experienced bowfishers.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=York |first=Betsey |last2=Schooley |first2=Jason D. |last3=Scarnecchia |first3=Dennis L. |date=2022-08 |title=Oklahoma Bowfishing Values and Perspectives toward Nongame Fishes and Their Management |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/nafm.10795 |journal=North American Journal of Fisheries Management |language=en |volume=42 |issue=4 |pages=1020–1040 |doi=10.1002/nafm.10795 |issn=0275-5947}}</ref> More than 1,000 native fish can be removed in a single bowfishing outing.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bostian |first=Kelly J. |title=Trashed fish: Science for gar, buffalo targeted by bowfishing long overdue |url=https://kellyjbostian.substack.com/p/trashed-fish-science-for-gar-buffalo |access-date=2022-08-31 |website=kellyjbostian.substack.com |language=en}}</ref>[[File:Night bowfishing - muskie.jpg|thumb|306x306px|A [[Muskellunge|muskie]] as seen from a night bowfishing boat. ]]In [[saltwater]], [[Batoidea|ray]]s and [[shark]]s are regularly pursued.
==Equipment==
==Equipment==


Revision as of 15:54, 4 October 2022

Night bowfishing
Modern bowfishing often occurs at night shown here with a specialized boat: raised platform on bow with powerful floodlights and several bowfishers. See Scarnecchia and Schooley 2020[1] for more details.
Sport bowfishing is prone to excessive waste of native species. For example, century-old bigmouth buffalo of Minnesota and the cycle of modern bowfishing. See Scarnecchia et al. 2021[2] for more details

Bowfishing is a method of hunting fish that uses specialized archery equipment to lethally shoot and retrieve the animal. Fish are shot with a barbed arrow that is attached with a special line to a reel mounted on a bow or crossbow. Historically, bowfishing was practiced for subsistence. During the late 20th Century and into the 21st Century bowfishing has increasingly become an ethically problematic sport prone to wanton waste of historically-underappreciated native species in the United States.[1][3][2][4][5][6][7] Bowfishing's ecological damage has become amplified since the rise of night bowfishing during the 21st Century.[1][3] No bowfisheries management,[1][2][4] complex native fish life histories,[3][5][6][7] lack of funding for historically (and derogatorily) deemed "rough fish",[2][4][8] and the heightened vulnerability of freshwater fishes and their habitats worldwide[9][10] further exacerbates the ecological waste of modern bowfishing.


Modern sport bowfishing (occurring in the US), which is often an effort to amass hundreds of native fish in single outings (sport killing) and to discard them as full-bodied carcasses afterwards,[1][11][5][2] runs exactly counter to central principles of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.[12] In addition, a modern biological understanding of several of these targeted native species (e.g., Bigmouth Buffalo, Bowfins, Quillback) has shown that they exhibit complex life cycles that are especially prone to overfishing.[3][4][2][1][5][6][7][13][14] Although some invasive species are sport bowfished in the US including some carp species (e.g. common carp), the vast majority of sport bowfished species are ecologically-valuable native species including gars, bowfin, buffalofishes, carpsuckers, redhorse, several other catostomids species, freshwater drum, hiodontids, paddlefish, bullheads, and catfish. These native species have been increasingly pursued in sport for several years, and thus new sportfish management is long overdue.[2] Sport bowfisheries management of native species must be commensurate with the amount of fish removed from the ecosystem,[15] which is significantly greater per bowfishing participant due to the lethality of the sport (catch and release is not possible),[15] and nonexistent limits or extremely liberal limits.[1][4] In addition, approaching and killing fish aided by powerful spot lights at night is relatively easy because fish are less skittish, wind conditions are calmer, many fishes move shallower, there is no fighting glare from sun and clouds, there is less boat traffic and less law enforcement.[1] Indeed, in the 21st Century night bowfishing has grown in popularity and legality and is most practiced by experienced bowfishers.[1][16] More than 1,000 native fish can be removed in a single bowfishing outing.[17]

A muskie as seen from a night bowfishing boat.

In saltwater, rays and sharks are regularly pursued.

Equipment

Bows

Traditionally, bows were usually very simple.[1] Most did not have sights, and aiming was executed by line-of-sight judgment down the arrow. Modern sport bowfishing mostly uses sophisticated compound or lever-action bows,[1] some of which are fitted with laser sights. There are a couple of types of rests including the hook-and-roller rest, and the whisker biscuit. Most bowfishing bows have little to no let-off and are typically designed for 40-50 pounds (18–23 kg) of draw weight. Some other bows can have as much as 120-pound (54 kg) draw weight.

The crossbow is also sometimes used in this manner and has its own advantages, including the use of a reel. See Recreational fishing.

Arrows

Bowfishing arrows are considerably heavier and stronger than arrows used in other types of archery and are most commonly constructed of five-sixteenths-inch (0.79 cm) fiberglass, but solid aluminum, carbon fiber, and carbon fiber reinforced fiberglass are also used. Bowfishing arrows generally lack fletching, as it can cause the arrow to flare to one side or another underwater and they are not required at the relatively short ranges associated with bowfishing. Lighted nocks, and other custom features for arrows associated with night bowfishing are commonly available. Line is attached to the arrow by tying to a hole in the arrow shaft or through the use of a slide system.

Line

Bowfishing line is often made from braided nylon, Dacron, or Spectra. Commonly used line weights range from eighty to four-hundred pound test, with six-hundred being used when bowhunting for alligators. Line color is normally either lime green, white, or neon orange.

Reels

Three types of reels are commonly used in bowfishing: Hand-wrap, spincast, and retriever. Hand-wrap reels are the simplest reels; they consist of a circular spool that line is wrapped onto by hand and then secured in a line holding slot. When the arrow is shot the line comes free from the line holder and feeds off the spool. Fish are caught by pulling the line in hand over hand; hand-wrap reels are the least effective at fighting arrowed fish, but they can be used in conjunction with a float system to shoot and fight large trophy fish. Retriever reels have a "bottle" which holds the line in place. When shot the line comes out either until the shot goes too far and the line runs out or the hunter pushes down a stopping device which can be used to keep a fish from traveling out too far. Some retriever reels have slots cut in them and are known as slotted retriever reels. They are more commonly used for alligator, alligator gar, shark and other big game that will take more time to chase down than smaller game fish.

Boats

Although bowfishing can be done from the shore, bowfishers most often shoot from boats. Flat bottom "john boats" and canoes are used in areas of low water, as they have less draw, but are unsuitable for open water. Larger boats can accommodate multiple hunters. Many of these boats are highly customized specifically for bowfishing, with raised shooting platforms, and generators to provide electrical power to multiple lights for bowfishing at night. In dense marshlands that are unfriendly to boat propellers, airboats, which incorporate top-mounted fan propulsion for operating in very shallow waters, are usually used.

Arrow with three prongs carrying three barbed points. For catching fish in rivers. From Guyana. Photographed at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter, Devon.

Techniques

A modern bowfisher takes aim at spawning carp in an Iowa pond.

Along with fishing from boats and off the shore, wading and shooting is also effective as long as the hunter does not mind getting soaked. Wading in rivers allows the shooter to get up close to the fish if the hunter is skillful. When keeping fish while wading, the hunter may utilize a stringer tied to a belt loop.

Standing on large rocks in shallower parts of a river is another technique. This provides a better view higher out of the water. Going from rock to rock in a river with two hunters gets the fish moving if they are inactive. It is similar to herding the fish to the other hunter; while one hunter is wading the other is stationary on a rock.

All of these river techniques typically work best for carp or catfish, depending on the location.

Aiming

Due to the light refraction at the water surface and the optical distortion of the apparent position of underwater objects (which would appear to be shallower), aiming straight at the target silhouette usually results in a miss. Aiming well below the target compensates for this optical illusion. Depth and distance of the target also impact how far below the fish to aim.[citation needed]

The Filipino Negritos traditionally used bows and arrows to shoot fish in clear water.[18]

Targeted species

Huge native smallmouth buffalo harvested with a single arrow in Mississippi River backwaters, Iowa.

Freshwater

Saltwater

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Scarnecchia, Dennis L.; Schooley, Jason D. (October 2020). "Bowfishing in the United States: History, Status, Ecological Impact, and a Need for Management". Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. 123 (3–4): 285–338. doi:10.1660/062.123.0301. ISSN 0022-8443.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Scarnecchia, Dennis L.; Schooley, Jason D.; Lackmann, Alec R.; Rider, Steven J.; Riecke, Dennis K.; McMullen, Joseph; Ganus, J. Eric; Steffensen, Kirk D.; Kramer, Nicholas W.; Shattuck, Zachary R. (December 2021). "The Sport Fish Restoration Program as a Funding Source to Manage and Monitor Bowfishing and Monitor Inland Commercial Fisheries". Fisheries. 46 (12): 595–604. doi:10.1002/fsh.10679. ISSN 0363-2415.
  3. ^ a b c d Lackmann, Alec R.; Andrews, Allen H.; Butler, Malcolm G.; Bielak-Lackmann, Ewelina S.; Clark, Mark E. (2019-05-23). "Bigmouth Buffalo Ictiobus cyprinellus sets freshwater teleost record as improved age analysis reveals centenarian longevity". Communications Biology. 2 (1): 1–14. doi:10.1038/s42003-019-0452-0. ISSN 2399-3642.
  4. ^ a b c d e Rypel, Andrew L.; Saffarinia, Parsa; Vaughn, Caryn C.; Nesper, Larry; O’Reilly, Katherine; Parisek, Christine A.; Miller, Matthew L.; Moyle, Peter B.; Fangue, Nann A.; Bell‐Tilcock, Miranda; Ayers, David; David, Solomon R. (December 2021). "Goodbye to "Rough Fish": Paradigm Shift in the Conservation of Native Fishes". Fisheries. 46 (12): 605–616. doi:10.1002/fsh.10660. ISSN 0363-2415.
  5. ^ a b c d Lackmann, Alec R.; Kratz, Brandon J.; Bielak-Lackmann, Ewelina S.; Jacobson, Reed I.; Sauer, Derek J.; Andrews, Allen H.; Butler, Malcolm G.; Clark, Mark E. (2021-04-09). "Long-lived population demographics in a declining, vulnerable fishery — bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus) of Jamestown Reservoir, North Dakota". Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. doi:10.1139/cjfas-2020-0485.
  6. ^ a b c Lackmann, Alec R.; Bielak-Lackmann, Ewelina S.; Jacobson, Reed I.; Butler, Malcolm G.; Clark, Mark E. (2022-08-01). "Otolith allometry informs age and growth of long-lived Quillback Carpiodes cyprinus". Environmental Biology of Fishes. 105 (8): 1051–1064. doi:10.1007/s10641-022-01315-8. ISSN 1573-5133.
  7. ^ a b c Lackmann, Alec R.; Bielak‐Lackmann, Ewelina S.; Butler, Malcolm G.; Clark, Mark E. (2022-08-23). "Otoliths suggest lifespans more than 30 years for free‐living Bowfin Amia calva – implications for fisheries management in the bowfishing era". Journal of Fish Biology: jfb.15201. doi:10.1111/jfb.15201. ISSN 0022-1112.
  8. ^ Guy, Christopher S.; Cox, Tanner L.; Williams, Jacob R.; Brown, Colter D.; Eckelbecker, Robert W.; Glassic, Hayley C.; Lewis, Madeline C.; Maskill, Paige A. C.; McGarvey, Lauren M.; Siemiantkowski, Michael J. (2021-04-19). "A paradoxical knowledge gap in science for critically endangered fishes and game fishes during the sixth mass extinction". Scientific Reports. 11 (1): 8447. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-87871-y. ISSN 2045-2322.
  9. ^ He, Fengzhi; Zarfl, Christiane; Bremerich, Vanessa; David, Jonathan N. W.; Hogan, Zeb; Kalinkat, Gregor; Tockner, Klement; Jähnig, Sonja C. (2019-08-08). "The global decline of freshwater megafauna". Global Change Biology. 25 (11): 3883–3892. doi:10.1111/gcb.14753. ISSN 1354-1013.
  10. ^ "The World's Forgotten Fishes". wwf.panda.org. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
  11. ^ Quinn, Jeffrey W. (2010-12-01). "A Survey of Bowfishing Tournaments in Arkansas". North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 30 (6): 1376–1384. doi:10.1577/M10-008.1. ISSN 0275-5947.
  12. ^ "North American Model of Wildlife Conservation :: Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies". www.fishwildlife.org. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
  13. ^ Wright, Jeremy J.; Bruce, Spencer A.; Sinopoli, Daniel A.; Palumbo, Jay R.; Stewart, Donald J. (2022-10-03). "Phylogenomic analysis of the bowfin (Amia calva) reveals unrecognized species diversity in a living fossil lineage". Scientific Reports. 12 (1): 16514. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-20875-4. ISSN 2045-2322.
  14. ^ Sinopoli, Daniel A.; Stewart, Donald J. (2020-10-19). "A Synthesis of Management Regulations for Bowfin, and Conservation Implications of a Developing Caviar Fishery". Fisheries. 46 (1): 40–43. doi:10.1002/fsh.10526. ISSN 0363-2415.
  15. ^ a b Molinaro, Sarah A.; Stein, Jeffrey A. (2019). "An Estimation of Harvest and Angler Habits at Bowfishing Tournaments in Illinois". Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference 2019.
  16. ^ York, Betsey; Schooley, Jason D.; Scarnecchia, Dennis L. (2022-08). "Oklahoma Bowfishing Values and Perspectives toward Nongame Fishes and Their Management". North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 42 (4): 1020–1040. doi:10.1002/nafm.10795. ISSN 0275-5947. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. ^ Bostian, Kelly J. "Trashed fish: Science for gar, buffalo targeted by bowfishing long overdue". kellyjbostian.substack.com. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
  18. ^ March, Alden (1899) The history and conquest of the Philippines and our other island possessions; embracing our war with the Filipinos in 1899 Page 39.

References

  • Bear, Fred (1980). "Underwater Bowhunting". The Archer's Bible (revised ed.). New York: Doubleday. pp. 123–129. ISBN 0-385-15155-1.
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