Chapter 3: Safe and Responsible Bowhunting
The Bowhunter's Creed

In trying to adopt your own code of responsible behavior when bowhunting, it may be wise to consider the following statements which make up the National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) “Bowhunter’s Creed.”

I firmly resolve, without reservation, to uphold the following bowhunting principles.

• I will support the national, state, and provincial regulatory agencies and conservation organizations in the propagation and management of all game.
• I will, at all times, actively support and promote hunting with the bow.
• I will abide by current game regulations and at all times conduct myself as a sportsman so as not to bring discredit to the bowhunting community.
• I will respect all landowners’ rights.
• I will assist all bowhunters in locating places to hunt, but I will not impose myself knowingly on another bowhunter.
• I will enjoy the challenge of the hunt and will study the habits of the game I hunt.
• I will use legal archery equipment and will search long and diligently to track down and recover any wounded game.
• I will not undertake or commit any act that could be considered as detrimental to the ancient and honorable art of bowhunting.

Some Hunting Statistics

• Total number of U.S. licensed hunters (all types of sporting arms) is over 14 million.
• 36% of all licensed U.S. hunters (all weapons) hunted with a bow at least once in the last two years.
• 57% of all bowhunting takes place on private land.
• 94% of bowhunters hunted either white-tailed deer or mule deer.
• Active bowhunters hunt with a bow an average of 19 days per year.

These were taken from the report from Responsive Management, "Bowhunting in the U.S., Results of a Recent Study."