Zimbabwe Bow Permits

Since I am dragging my bow along I started to try and determine who required a bow permit.

In the country profile here on AH I found the following:

Importation of Bows & Arrows into Zimbabwe
It is legal for hunters to import bows for bowhunting purposes into Zimbabwe and no import permit is required.

This is not the case currently.
Import permits are required to enter Zimbabwe now, under some circumstances.
It is also hit and miss, as always at customs. Some gat asked some don't. You decide.

You can not apply at the border, as you can for rifles.
Apparently the permit fee is $400.00 USD

If you show up without one in hand, guess who keeps your bow (in storage hopefully/ with a fee of course for storage)

So, another $400 touch just to bring your bow.

Namibia, Botswana and South Africa are looking good on this front for sure.

Well, somebody sure knows how to squese the lemon....

Cash grab.

It seems to me that Zim is doing everything it can to discourage hunters from travelling there.

Originally Posted by BRICKBURN

Since I am dragging my bow along I started to try and determine who required a bow permit.

In the country profile here on AH I found the following:

Importation of Bows & Arrows into Zimbabwe
It is legal for hunters to import bows for bowhunting purposes into Zimbabwe and no import permit is required.

So what is a person to do? How can a person avoid being in this situation? Have you found out how to apply in advance?

This is not the case currently.
Import permits are required to enter Zimbabwe now, under some circumstances.
It is also hit and miss, as always at customs. Some gat asked some don't. You decide.

You can not apply at the border, as you can for rifles.
Apparently the permit fee is $400.00 USD



If you show up without one in hand, guess who keeps your bow (in storage hopefully/ with a fee of course for storage)

So, another $400 touch just to bring your bow.

Namibia, Botswana and South Africa are looking good on this front for sure.

Did you find out how to apply for a bow permit in advance? What about carrying the current regulations with you as proof.
Are you going to spend the $400.00 in advance, just in case? The outfitters need to jump on this so they can provide clients
or potential clients with the correct info. This may discourage some hunters from hunting there.

Originally Posted by BRICKBURN

Since I am dragging my bow along I started to try and determine who required a bow permit.

In the country profile here on AH I found the following:

Importation of Bows & Arrows into Zimbabwe
It is legal for hunters to import bows for bowhunting purposes into Zimbabwe and no import permit is required.

This is not the case currently.
Import permits are required to enter Zimbabwe now, under some circumstances.
It is also hit and miss, as always at customs. Some gat asked some don't. You decide.

You can not apply at the border, as you can for rifles.
Apparently the permit fee is $400.00 USD

If you show up without one in hand, guess who keeps your bow (in storage hopefully/ with a fee of course for storage)

So, another $400 touch just to bring your bow.

Namibia, Botswana and South Africa are looking good on this front for sure.

Thanks BRICKBURN for this important change, I updated the information page for Zimbabwe. Should anyone has further information please share it here.

I have never had the need to apply for a bow permit to Zimbabwe. Been through the border hundreds of times with no problems. Some officials like to throw their weight around. Do not get intimidated by them.
If the law changed then it did so in the past month as I was there at the end of June with a bow.

It will be good to travel with an updated copy of the legislation on your person and produce that when stopped. Maybe some of the Zim guys on the forum can supply one here that can be downloaded for use.

Originally Posted by Fritz Rabe

I have never had the need to apply for a bow permit to Zimbabwe. Been through the border hundreds of times with no problems. Some officials like to throw their weight around. Do not get intimidated by them.
If the law changed then it did so in the past month as I was there at the end of June with a bow.

It will be good to travel with an updated copy of the legislation on your person and produce that when stopped. Maybe some of the Zim guys on the forum can supply one here that can be downloaded for use.

Fritz,
Do you have a link for a copy of the legislation for us?

This just occurred to someone. Perhaps someone at the border was doing a personal collection at the border.
Several bow hunters have been successfully fleeced then if this is not true!!
Neither prospect is good news.

This is a fee from Zimparks way down in the notes.

"Special hunting permits(Inclu using bow & arrow, & handgun)..... US$400.00"

Perhaps it relates to hunting in specific areas.
Make sure you talk to your PH.

The link
Licence and Permits

Your outfitter should be able to secure these for you in advance of your hunt. I took my bow in 2009 on my buffalo hunt and had no issues whatsoever. However, I did have it packed in my duffle bag and not in a case advertising for all to see that it was a bow.

I think this new $400 regulation is ridiculous and yet another stab at the hunter attempting to bring tourism and money into the country. It honestly saddens me.

Who with and what will you be hunting in Zim Brick?

Hey Brick....Just got this off another Forum site:

Posted 31 July 2012 11:42
For anybody traveling to bulawayo be aware that you now are required to have a permit for your bow. It is not something you can get at the airport as with your rifle. It must be done prior to your arrival. My bow is still sitting in customs, or so I hope. They are charging me $2/ day storage. There were several other hunters in the same boat. The permit is $400 and must come from your the parks dept. so your PH apparently has to get it before your arrival. Apparently in Harare th is is not the case. So just a heads up for any bow hunters, check with your PH, apparently this is something new. But I know of 4 hunters in the last two weeks in the same boat. If you get here w/o permit, they will impound it and then you can get a permit and thenpick it up, but it may be a couple of days.

Another money grab! This stuff has to stop!

I have sent a message to a PH friend of mine in Zim that is part of the Zimbabwe bowhhunters association.
I as soon as I hear back I will pass the info along.
I am thinking that this is possibly due to the area being hunted. The government concessions typically do not allow bowhunting. Exceptions can be sometimes made by applying for a permit to bowhunt or handgun hunt in these areas. The handgun hunting permit, I believe is $200.00 and $400.00 for a bowhunting permit. We did a buffalo handgun hunt two years ago but I have not done a bowhunt in Zim for many years so may stand corrected.

After finding out there was a possibility for a permit fee for some places I thought this might require some updating.

Look forward to anything you do find out Tim.

Just to clarify what I posted previously.
You do need a permit to hunt in certain areas with a bow. That is different to the permit for importing and transporting a bow in the country. As stated before. I have never been asked for any permit to brig a bow into Zim. My bows were inspected every time I entered the country but never was I asked for an import permit.

If this has changed since then someone that knows the true facts must please keep us informed as I have a few clients that are looking to bow hunt there in the near future.