do you need a gun licence of something to own a bow

Australia! Sweeet. Is archery a big thing there? I live in New Mexico USA, and sometimes it seems like nobody out here cares about any sports except the norm. Football, baseball ect. I feel so deprived!!

in my part of the world (Ireland) it is illegal to own a crossbow but not to own a longbow. Legally here If i am caught walking down the street with a crossbow i am carying an offensive weapon but if i have a longbow i am carrying an item of sports equipment. Go figure

They were going to bring in a policy for licenscing 4 or 5 years ago, once when a kid accidently shot and killed his neighbour, christmas morning... i was involved in the corner report and had to try and recreate the shot (Next to impossible... totally freakish shot)... the policy never got off the ground.

You will get arrested if your carrying your bow (A weapon) around a local park taking pot shots... you wont get arrested if your in an achery club practicing. They are lethal weapons, and if your caught carrying one around while having 'bit of fun' expect serious punishment.

Defiantly join an achery club, not only will they teach you to shoot properly. I couldnt hit a target from 30m, i can now hit a clout target (Size of a human head) from 135m... and from 200+ arrows, i rarely miss the X (Inner bullseye size of the small side of a matchbox)Ive also shot at Club, State, National and World level, Club shooting is loads of fun.. i shot round straw fita targets.. but you can join an ABA(Australian bowhunters assc) and you can shoot animal targets.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/redstagg/metals.jpg
Our Familys Medals Cabinet (only 3 trophies for other spots in there ... lawn bowls and basketball these are at the top)

2 Words of caution
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But dont use home-made boys... unless its a proper laminated longbow, built under the supervision of someone who knows what there doing ... i have seen several home-made bows, ranging from fiberglass, car suspenion, wood, plastic... all home made bows ive seen have broken in the middle of the bow and 2 fractured the shoots skull, another ..the shooter got huge bits of plastic lodged in there arm.

Also NEVER EVER use wooden arrows.... ive seen them snap mid shot on some high powered bows and send a shower of splinters deep into the shoots arm, (Through clothing) it only takes a slight fracture in the arrow for it to happen on low powered toy bows aswell

hey lukerambo i am an aussi kid and i have been shooting bows for about 2 years. owning a bow depends on your age. if you live in/around sydney private message me and i will give you some good shops and lesson places.

In Portugal the legislation for crossbow it's very similar to any firegun. The new law has been aproved this year. You need to pass some medical and psicological exames and to do some shooting to get a licence. There are more restritions like if you have commited some crime you can't have a licence. Altought you can have a "normal" bow, similar with the olimpycs ones without a licence, this bows can't have sharp arrows and stuff like that.

There are archery clubs all over Aus. I have a bow myself

as it is not a fire-arm the answer is no, and don't bother correcting me i already checked the laws for Australia.

Since I have no idea where you live the answer is maybe, just call your local police station/constabulary/polizi.