Bowfishing Ethics


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The sport of bowfishing has been around a long time, but out here in Colorado it is notwidely practiced. It is our responsibility as ethical sportsman to act in a professional manner and take the time to educate the public about our sport. Below are some tips on how you can help.

Your individual actions, good & bad, can have an enormous impact on how bowfishing is viewed!

Join the Bowfishing Association of America

Carp Info

Be an Ethical Sportsman

NEVER leave your fish on the shoreline, in trash cans or dumpsters. First off it is a waste of usable fish and secondly YOU look like a fool. Imagine if you came across some dead fish laying on the shoreline or in a trash can, what would you think of the people who did that? Your individual actions, good & bad, can have an enormous impact on how bowfishing is viewed! Read below for some ideas on what you can do with the Carp you harvest.
Don’t over-bowfish any particular lake. Rotate where you bowfish. The goal is to help manage Carp populations and not completely eradicate them unless the DOW desires that. Have fun and help manage our fisheries for future generations.
Be aware of others around you. If other people are fishing nearby, DON’T cramp their space and bowfish right next to them. Be safe, keep a good distance and share the waters with your fellow fishermen. Don’t get tunnel vision when bowfishing.
Take the time to answer people’s questions. When you are bowfishing it is very common for others to ask what you are doing. Many people have never seen someone bowfish! Be courteous and take the time to show them your equipment, demostrate how its done and the safety mechanisms in place.
Explain to other fisherman why you bowfish. Not only is it fun, but as bowfisherman & women we help to keep non-native fish populations in check. Doing so improves Colorado fisheries by enabling better habitat and water conditions for other good-eating game fish such as Wiper, Trout, Bass, Walleye and other fish that the DOW spends a lot of money on to stock in Colorado waters.
As with all other hunting and fishing activities, always follow set state laws and Division of Wildlife regulations when bowfishing. Always have your fishing license on hand.
Ethically dispatch a Carp as soon as you reel it in. Knock it on the head with a billy club or steel pipe.
Put the fish you shoot to good use. Read the section below for some ideas.

Carp: Put them to good use

Although not well known for being a family favorite…Carp can be eaten and it’s worth trying at least once! First off you have to properly clean the carp.
Recipes: Read here for some recipes. Want more good recipes? Check out these links from the experts at FishExplorer.com and the Invasive species cookbook. Lastly check out this article from the Rocky Mountain News on eating smoked carp.
Carp taken by bowfishing makes excellent fertilizer and composting material. Try posting an advertisement on CraigsList.com offering free fertilizer & compost will get you an AMAZING amount of responses! Gardeners and farmers will be more than happy to take your fish and make good use of them. Create your own local network of individuals interested in getting some free composting materials. That way you can always have a place to drop off some of your fish every time you go fishing!
Contact local composting and fertilizer companies. Local farmers, greenhouses or compost companies like A1 Organics who have taken Carp shot at our tournaments and recycle it into useful compost and fertilizer are excellent ways to make use of what you harvest.
Wildlife organizations. There are many organizations here in Colorado who rehabilitate and care for injured /disabled wildlife, and just those without a good home. Try contacting them to see if they would be interested in getting free food for their animals. Many of these organizations run on donations so they are sometimes very happy to receive any free food sources. Carp just might fit the bill in some cases! For the 2008 season COBF will be donating hundreds of pounds of Carp taken at our tournaments to the Wild Animal Sanctuary here in Colorado. The Carp will go to feed dozens of bears, tigers and more!