Univers Chasse Pêche · Licensed French agency
Bow Hunting in France
France is one of the European countries where big game can be hunted with a bow. Bowhunting has its own national rules, and one of them matters a great deal if you come from abroad: with a temporary validation of your foreign licence for 3 or 9 days, you do not need the French bowhunting course.
Univers Chasse Pêche is a licensed French hunting travel agency based in Toulouse, registered with Atout France under no. 031950034 and covered by the APST financial guarantee. We organise bow hunting trips in France on grounds we know, with guides we work with, and we prepare the programme with you in English before anything is booked.
Why hunt with a bow in France
- Big game is open to the bow. Wild boar, red deer and mouflon can be hunted with a bow on the private estate we use near Toulouse.
- A clear legal framework. Bowhunting in France is governed by a national ministerial order that sets the rules on training, equipment and arrow marking.
- No French course for a short stay. A visiting hunter whose foreign licence is validated for 3 or 9 consecutive days is exempt from the French bowhunting training.
- Grounds within reach. The estate is about an hour by road from Toulouse-Blagnac airport.
Species and methods
The species and the method always depend on the ground, the animal and the guide. This is what we can organise today.
Wild boar, red deer and mouflon on a private estate near Toulouse
The estate covers 600 hectares, managed and fenced, and is hunted all year round for wild boar and mouflon (red deer from 1 September to 31 March).
| Species | With a bow | Indicative fee |
|---|---|---|
| Wild boar, non-trophy | Yes | from €500 per animal |
| Mouflon, young rams and ewes | Yes | from €500 per animal |
| Wild boar, trophy | On request | quoted with your programme |
| Red deer | On request | quoted with your programme |
| Mouflon, trophy ram | On request | quoted with your programme |
The €500 figure is the fee for one animal only. It is not the price of a hunting trip: hunting days, guiding and accommodation are quoted with your programme.
Methods. The estate is hunted in two ways, and your guide chooses between them with you according to wind, cover and the animal:
- from a stand, in high seats or ground positions over trails and feeding areas, at first and last light;
- by stalking on foot along woodland edges and forest tracks.
A bow needs closer range than a rifle, and closer range takes more time. Plan more days than you would for the same hunt with a rifle; we set the number with you when we build the programme.
Hunts on the same estate:
In the Pyrenees: free range, mountain ground
Pyrenean chamois and free-range red stag are hunted by spot and stalk in open mountain terrain. Whether a bow programme is realistic there depends on the sector and the guide. Ask us, and we will tell you honestly before you book.
The rules for a visiting bowhunter
These rules come from the French ministerial order of 18 August 2008 on bowhunting (arrêté relatif à l'exercice de la chasse à l'arc, amended on 16 July 2012), from the French Environment Code and from the national hunters' federation. They are general rules: the conditions of each ground come on top of them.
Your licence and its French validation
You need a hunting licence valid in your own country, and this route is for non-residents of France. Your foreign licence must be validated in France, either temporarily for 3 or 9 consecutive days, or for the season. Validation is made with the departmental hunters' federation of your choice. We explain the steps and the documents when we prepare your dates.
The French bow hunting course
Every bowhunter in France must have attended a one-day bowhunting training session. Non-residents, French or foreign, whose foreign licence is validated for 3 or 9 consecutive days are exempt (order of 18 August 2008, article 3). With a validation for the season, the course is required.
Marking your arrows
A hunter with a foreign licence must mark every arrow carried, indelibly, with the number of the French validation of the licence for the current hunting period (article 12).
Your bow and broadheads
Only bows drawn and held at full draw by the archer's own strength are allowed, so crossbows cannot be used (article 8). For big game, broadheads must have at least two blades, with a cutting diameter of at least 25 mm or a cutting edge of at least 40 mm on each blade (article 9). Target points and any toxic or explosive device are prohibited (article 10). An arrow may only be nocked during the hunting action (article 11).
Insurance and documents
Hunting insurance with an insurer authorised in France is compulsory. In the field, carry your foreign licence, your French validation and your insurance certificate.
Sources
Order of 18 August 2008 on bowhunting (NOR DEVN0815462A), amended by the order of 16 July 2012 · French hunters' federation, bowhunting · Validating a licence · Foreign hunters, FAQ
Bow hunting trips in France
How your bow hunt is organised
Four steps, with one contact in English from the first question to your return home.
Your project
Tell us the species, your dates, your bow and your experience.
Ground and guide
We check the ground and the guide, then send you a written programme: days, method for each species, accommodation, fees, and what is or is not included.
Paperwork
We prepare the formalities with you: licence validation, insurance and arrow marking, so that nothing is left for the first morning.
The hunt
Your guide chooses the stand or the stalk with you, day by day.
Why book through a licensed French agency
- Financial protection. As a travel agency registered with Atout France and covered by the APST guarantee, the sums you pay before departure are protected under French travel law.
- One contact, in English, from the first question to your return home.
- Grounds we know. We only propose estates and guides we work with directly.
- A programme in writing before you commit, with every fee listed.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners bow hunt in France?
Yes. You need a hunting licence valid in your country, validated in France, and hunting insurance with an insurer authorised in France. With a 3 or 9 day validation, no French bowhunting course is needed.
Do I need a French bow hunting licence or certificate?
There is no separate bow licence: your foreign licence is validated in France. The French bowhunting training certificate is not required with a 3 or 9 day validation (order of 18 August 2008, article 3). It is required with a validation for the season.
Are crossbows legal for hunting in France?
No. The bow must be drawn and held at full draw by the archer's own strength alone.
Which species can I hunt with a bow with you?
On the estate near Toulouse: wild boar, red deer and mouflon, depending on the animal and the guide. In the Pyrenees, chamois and free-range red stag may be possible depending on the sector; ask us first.
How much does a bow hunt cost?
Non-trophy wild boar, young mouflon rams and ewes start from €500 per animal, for the animal only. Trophy animals, hunting days, guiding and accommodation are quoted with your programme.
How many days should I plan?
More than for the same hunt with a rifle. We set the number with you according to the species and the method.
Plan your bow hunt in France