Last week, we launched a petition in Loomus to ban bow hunting in Estonia. The initiative is supported by a number of environmental and animal protection organizations.

You can sign here to support the ban on bow hunting.

The debate on legalizing the hunting of big games like roe deer was raised again at the end of 2021. We believe that instead of legalizing the bow hunting roe deer, we must start cooperating to rule out any bow hunting in Estonia, including for small animals. Therefore, this time we invite you to show your support for banning the bow hunting of all animals in Estonia.

“Bow hunting is no more effective than with firearms,” ​​said Anny Drobet, head of Loomus’ anti-hunting team. “The bow requires the hunter to aim the animal extremely precisely, which means that the probability of just injuring the animal is significantly higher than when hunting with a firearm. It is a brutal way of hunting at the expense of animal life.”

Bow hunting is banned in most European countries. Therefore, the legalization of bow hunting of roe deer could lead to an increase in the number of hunting tourists, which in turn will mean higher carnage. According to Mati Sepa, a hunter who does not support bow hunting, bow hunting would open a new profitable source of income for hunting tourism.

Already in 2020, bow hunting enthusiasts were lobbying for the legalization of bow hunting on roe deer in Estonia. Since 2013, bow hunting for small animals has been allowed. Our petition against the bow hunting of roe deer, launched in 2020, collected more than 10,000 signatures in a short time and was forwarded to the Minister for the Environment. Due to our intervention and public outrage, the plan to legalize the bow hunting of roe deer did not pass.