Archery and Bowhunting in modern Greece

[el greco]

Like here, back in Greece hunters are the minority and none of them bow-hunts as it is illegal. Even if it were legal though, there are very few people that shoot the bow and the vast majority are target shooters.Here and there, people will ask about the possibility of bow-hunting, but never a serious discussion has taken place amongst the hunting community.Inspire by the recent surge of bow hunting organizations in other European countries I would like to engage and educate the Greek hunters about the joys and thrills of bow hunting. There are a lot of respectable hunting clubs, with thousands of members, with strong hunting ethics, it is just that their weapon of choice is the shotgun,the only weapon that Greek law will allow. Legal game that hunters can take include rabbits,waterfowl,goats,wild boars. We have lots of bears, deer and wolves but the tree haggers will raise hell if God forbid somebody hunts them.( villagers of course will totally ignore the rich city folks and kill the wolves which literally destroy their livestock).
Anyway, how would you recommend that I should approach those hunting clubs and their presidents?

[shag08]

I wasn't aware there were that many critters to hunt in Greece...good info there. I learn something every day.

In my opinion, presidents of local hunting clubs won't have much pull. It's more of a regional/national political b.s. issue...the government is the only body able to change local/national laws. Granted, if all hunters and people interested in hunting, could make up a grass roots effort with lots of support, people would listen.

The government needs to look at the American model for hunting and see the REVENUE that it brings in. Governments are all about money...hunting is a MULTI billion dollar industry in the states. From license fees, ammo taxes, sales taxes, thousands of jobs created from bowyers to guide services to the guy who works in the sporting goods store, people traveling to hunt which supports other local economies, it all makes money.

I know we are very passionate about what we do and how we do it. This is just my humble opinion on the matter. Others will vary greatly...but you can't hardly argue with the fact that it makes money for the Government.

[el greco]

I hear ya. But my intention is to stirr the interest to people that we are on the same page. If they want to take it up a noch it would be up to them. I am sure hunters in Greece want to extend their hunting season as much as we want here.

[el greco]

http://kstrikalon.gr/index.php/en/
That is just one of the many hunting clubs back in Greece

[LongStick64]

From my experiences they do hunt, but it is not hunting for sport which is a large portion of hunting here and other countries that advertise as hunting havens. People there greatly hunt to put food on the table, they don't hang trophies on the wall. Also they do hunt but the anti government beliefs lead them to hunt as the see fit, as long as they don't get caught. Either way bribing your way out of a situation has been the norm in Greece, that is slowly going away now that the Government has made such drastic reductions in services. I admire your efforts but first you would need to convince them of bowhunting as a sport that can generate income for the Government, then you'll have more interest, but as I said the overall feeling there is not pro regulation. Remember we created Democracy, not Tyranny.