Journée de Formation Obligatoire (JFO).

In France, hunting with bow and arrow has been legal since 1995. This is also possible for foreign hunters, provided that they present a French validated hunting permit. This validation can be for 3 consecutive days ( with a maximum of 3 times ) or for a whole hunting season ( 1 year ). When you choose the last option and validate for 1 year, you are obliged to follow a one-day training, the so-called JFO. This training is given in each French department and several times a year. The dates are usually posted on the website of the departmental hunting organisation and registrations are also made in this way.

The French bow hunting federation FFCA ( Fédération Française des Chasseurs a l'Arc ) has given us the opportunity to train our Flemish instructors to be JFO instructors as well. This gives us the opportunity to provide our members with a JFO training in Dutch every year or, if desired, an English one for other European bow hunting associations that wish to offer the JFO to their members.

https://ffca.net/

This international JFO is organized together with the bow hunting association of the department of Aisne 02 (ACA02).

https://acaa02.com/

How does a JFO course in France work?

The day is divided into a theoretical and a practical part. In the morning we talk about what hunting with bow and arrow entails and especially which values and standards a good bow hunter should have. Safety, responsibility and respect are the basic principles here. In the afternoon, participants can experience for themselves how to shoot with a traditional or compound bow. Emphasis is placed on distances and comfort zones in bowhunting can be practised. The day ends with a review of the material taught and receiving the acquired JFO certificate.