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Archery buffs busted for illegally hunting goats on Busan's Gadeok Island

Published: 28 Jul. 2025, 16:56

Compound bows used by a group of archery club members in Busan to illegally hunt black goats [BUSAN GANGSEO POLICE PRECINCT]

Armed with compound bows and wire snares, a group of archery enthusiasts in Busan turned illegal hunters — killing black goats on a rural mountainside over the course of a year.

Police said Monday they had apprehended 11 people, including nine archery club members and two from a government-designated wildlife capture team, on charges of habitual theft and violating the Animal Protection Act.

Between April 2024 and April this year, the suspects hunted 14 black goats in the mountains near Saebaji and Oepo ports on Gadeok Island in Busan's Gangseo District, according to police. The goats, which grazed freely, had been raised by two residents who had set up pens in the area.

The archery club members used “compound bows,” a type of recreational archery equipment not classified as a firearm or weapon under current Korean law. The suspects reportedly modified the arrowheads to increase their lethality and divided the meat among themselves after hunting.

The two members of the wildlife capture team are additionally accused of setting wire snares — typically used for boar hunting — to trap the goats.

In one incident, some suspects were caught by residents slaughtering a goat on-site and fled the scene. One reportedly escaped into the mountains, while another climbed down a coastal cliff and swam to evade capture.

Police suspect that additional illegal hunting activities may have occurred, citing the group’s behavior, phone records, the number of participants, and their history of similar offenses. Investigations are ongoing, according to police.

“Given the nature of the crimes, communication patterns and prior offenses, we believe further incidents are likely and are continuing to expand the investigation,” said a police official.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]