Hei, could you or one of your Finnish friends please give me some advice? We are moving to Finland soon and I would like to take our bows with me. My family is doing traditional, instinctive archery and we would like to continue once we get there. Are there any specific laws about bows? Do we need a permit to use them or even to own them?
Kiitos!
Moi ja tervetuloa Suomeen!
According to this article by Yle, you do not need a permit to own or use a bow, however, to transport it, you need to have an acceptable reason to do so. You are not allowed to carry it with you just for the fun of it. Transporting it from place A to place B or to and from practice is generally an acceptable reason. Should the police stop you and ask about it, your reason for carrying it is always assessed based on the situation. This applies to all items that can be used to harm others, such as knives and tools. And of course, do check with the airline (or however else you're shipping your items to Finland).
I found a hunting forum with a discussion about the legality of practising archery in your own garden. One of the users says he spoke with the local police and a member of an archery club who was also a police officer. He was told that he should discuss the hobby with the neighbours and be aware that someone might still call the police on him if they see him and feel threatened. So the conclusion seems to be that it's not illegal, so yes, you can do this, but you need to be certain it's safe and you should tell your neighbours. If you're renting, or live in a terraced house etc., you should also contact the owner/estate association (known as taloyhtiö).
According to Perinnejousimetsästäjäin Liitto Ry (The Association of Traditional Bow Hunters), a hunting bow must always be inside a carrier bag while transporting it on a motorised vehicle. Same applies if you're walking outside of the designated hunting grounds, and it must be unloaded, too. You are also not allowed to practice outdoors without permission of the landowner. It's probably for the best to apply these to a non-hunting bow, too. The association's website has information in Finnish on the legal aspects of hunting in Finland, if that's something you're interested in.
Finns are big on associations, so it might be a good idea to look into a local archery club or the previously mentioned Association of Traditional Bow Hunters (their website has a section on instinctive archery) to make local friends and connections. The Finnish Archery Association has information on competitions and local associations.
If any of my followers know more about the subject, please feel free to add/correct any relevant information!
