Josh Schnell holds a small gar he shot while making a video on bow fishing. 

Conservation may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you see a boat causing around carrying a bunch of people outfitted with archery equipment. As each arrow is launched into the water, some may wonder what is going on. Like most outdoor pursuits, the answer is not singular. Bowfishers are having fun while removing rough fish from our waters. 

First and foremost, bowfishers are out for a good time. They love combining archery and fishing. Having an outdoor opportunity that combines two favorite pastimes is so gratifying that sometimes bow fishers can hardly believe it exists. But bow fishing is very real and is rapidly growing in popularity. 

Aside from the obvious fun of bow fishing, the sport accomplishes a number of other things, including the reduction of undesirable and  invasive species of fish. Bowfishing is a popular method for taking many nongame fish that can be difficult to catch otherwise.