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Watered-downed Crossbow Bill Passes Both Houses

Some form of crossbow legislation passed both houses – Senate and Assembly – earlier this week. We’re still trying to figure out what we ended up with as of this writing due to some last minute amendments that came through to muddy the waters up. It started with a phone call from my brother at 6:45 a.m. last Wednesday letting me know that Sen. George Maziarz was just on WLVL Radio in Lockport announcing the passage of the crossbow bill from both the Senate and Assembly. Something that we’ve been fighting for since 1990 when we first experienced these hunting tools while on an outdoor adventure in Ohio. Twenty years later, it appears that our pleas have been heard. But to what extent? At first glance, it appears as though changes were made to the legislation due to pressure from the New York Bowhunters. I looked at a video of a presentation made by a NYB representative at a committee meeting of the Senate’s Environmental Conservation Committee and my first question was is it legal to misrepresent the truth and state untruths before such a committee? Al (I couldn’t hear this last name) from NYB claimed that their organization represented ALL the bowhunters of New York State. I’m a bowhunter from New York. So are my brothers. So are many of my friends. They didn’t represent us, yet they were claiming they were. A membership of somewhere between two and three thousand members, they claim to be the voice of all 172,000 bow hunters in the state. At least that was the last number for 2009-2010 from the DEC website. In 2008-09, there were over 204,000 archery tag holders in New York. It sounds like they should be more concerned about retention and recruitment rather than keeping people out of the woods.

He went on to state they these crossbow are deadly – being able to shoot “accurately out to 100 yards out of the box.” He also claimed that “many” handicapped permits are currently available in the state right now. So what constitutes “many?” Something like 33 permits have been issued for physically challenged hunters. However, if you can move your trigger finger – that’s right, just move it – you don’t qualify. You must use this bow by using a mouth release only – sip and puff. Their attitude, and they’ve stated it publicly on “many” occasions, is that some time you have to admit you can’t pull the bow back and hang it up – you shouldn’t be out there.

So where did we go with this legislation? First, kudos to Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte who led the charge in the Assembly; as well as Sen. Dave Valesky and Sen. George Maziarz in the Senate. Without their support, we never would have gotten as far as we did. At the very least, we are further than we ever have been before. As far as the legislation, it looks like one thing is for sure – you can use a crossbow during the regular firearms and muzzleloading seasons in the state. That isn’t going to generate any special license sales for sure. One clause that was included in the original bill was that the crossbow could be used during any season on private land. Why not? NYB pushed to have that removed and they succeeded. Another portion of the bill addressed physically-challenged hunters. If you had a doctors slip showing that you couldn’t pull a compound or recurve bow back, you could obtain a special use permit and be able to use them during the archery season. NYB pushed to have this removed, too, and it appears that they were successful. Physically-challenged sportsmen need to be allowed to hunt in warmer weather and the early archery season should be when these sportsmen can hunt with a crossbow. How about an Oct. 1 start to an early season just for handicapped sportsmen until the start of the regular archery season? When are people going to realize that NYB want to keep people out of the woods to have the resource for themselves, ultimately controlling how you and I hunt? If anyone wonders why the bill is what it is, now you know. There is still one more hurdle for this round. We still need Governor Paterson’s signature. Be sure to drop him a note or give him a phone call to let him know that the crossbow bill needs to be signed (A.924-E/S.6793-B). And be sure to drop a note to these legislative supporters of the crossbow as we continue to move forward on this important issue. Let them know you are not happy with the final version. There is a sunset clause in this legislation that allows for this to come up for review in two years. And it doesn’t go into effect until Oct. 1, 2011.

Press Release June 30 2010

Assemblywoman DelMonte's bill to legalize crossbow hunting passes both houses -
Bill to be sent to governor for his signature

A bill introduced by Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte (D-Lewiston) passed both the Assembly and Senate that lays the groundwork for legalized crossbow hunting in New York State (A.924-E/S.6793- B). Current law only allows longbows to be used for bow hunting while crossbows are solely permitted for certain physically disabled hunters; however, that limits certain hunters - such as seniors and veterans with disabilities - from bow hunting because longbows can be prohibitively heavy. "Hunting is an important recreational activity and wildlife management tool and we should be expanding the opportunities for those who wish to hunt but are physically limited from doing so," said DelMonte. "Denying certain hunters a tool that can allow them to continue a beloved pastime just doesn't make sense to me, and that's why I believe the state should legalize crossbow hunting."

DelMonte's legislation requires acceptable crossbows to use 14-inch and longer arrows and include a working safety. The bill would also empower the state Department of Environmental Conservation to establish a crossbow hunting season to coincide with rifle hunting season and allow crossbow use on private property during any deer-hunting season. She said states that embrace crossbow hunting, including Georgia, Michigan and Ohio, appear to benefit from the activity's merits, as it's an environmentally sound recruitment and retention tool for hunters.

Only two states ban crossbow hunting - New York and Oregon. "It has been more than 20 years in the making, but finally New York State has joined with 48 other states and legalized the modern crossbow," said Bill Hilts Sr., president NYS Crossbow Hunters Assn. "Thanks to the determined efforts of Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte and Senator David Valesky, New York residents can enjoy the challenges of using a crossbow, if they so wish. The horizontal bow will be most welcomed by the youth, women, elderly and physically challenged of our state. The crossbow is just another safe way to hunt!"

"Hunting brings nearly $1 billion annually to New York and is a critical contributor to our economy and culture," DelMonte continued. "This bill maintains safety while catering to a wider array of hunters. Hunting access will improve, and a broader variety of hunters will only improve appeal, helping generate needed revenue while attracting tourists to the Niagara region." DelMonte recently held a press conference in Albany to urge for the bill's passage. She was joined by a bipartisan group of legislators, the Safari Club, the NYS Conservation Council, the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Councils and SCOPE.

The bill is the latest in a long line of sportsmen-minded measures DelMonte has supported in recent years, including: o Ch. 344 of 2008 - a law granting big-game hunting privileges to 14- and 15-year-olds in New York State as long as they're supervised by an experienced hunter; o Ch. 600 of 2005 - a law allowing sportsmen to use rifles to hunt deer and bear in 11 upstate counties; and o A.3270 of 2010 (passed the Assembly) - a bill that would create the Empire State Fishing Trail program to capitalize on the state's emergence as a top bass fishing destination.

FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Wednesday, June 30, 2010
CONTACT: Adam Tabelski, (716) 731-8740

SENATE GIVES FINAL PASSAGE TO CROSSBOW HUNTING LEGISLATION

Senator George Maziarz (R-C, Newfane) is pleased to announce that the State Senate has given final passage to legislation (S.6793-B) he co-sponsored to allow for hunting with crossbows in New York State.

“Normally I’m forced to spend a lot of time in Albany fighting against new laws that infringe on sportsmen’s rights,” Senator Maziarz said. “Today, I’m very pleased that we’re doing something positive for the hunting community. By incorporating the use of crossbows, we are opening up more hunting opportunities for a variety of New Yorkers, including seniors and the disabled. This is a step in the right direction that is long overdue.”

Senator Maziarz has been working to get a crossbow bill passed into law for a number of years. He first introduced legislation in 2003 to direct the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to promulgate rules and regulations for hunting with a crossbow. His predecessor, Senator John Daly, had advocated for similar legislation in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

“Opening the door to crossbows is good for the sportsmen community as a whole,” Senator Maziarz added. “Getting more people involved can only be a good thing for preserving and expanding sportsmen’s rights in Albany.”

The legislation approved today specifies that crossbows shall be authorized for any big game season when the shotgun or muzzle loader is permitted. Crossbows for hunting deer and bear must have a fourteen inch bolt, a seventeen inch width, a twenty-four inch length, a draw weight of between one hundred and two hundred pounds, and a trigger safety. Training on the safe use of crossbows will also become part of the curriculum of basic hunter education courses.

Incorporating crossbow hunting in New York State has been supported in the past by groups such as Disabled Sportsmen of America, Safari Club, New York State Conservation Council, the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs, and the Shooters’ Committee on Political Education (SCOPE).

The bill also eases the requirements for physically disabled persons to obtain permission to use a longbow modified with a mechanical device to help draw, hold, and release the long bow.

Senator Maziarz has encouraged Governor David Paterson to sign the bill into

Bill to give the DEC crossbow control

The beat and heat goes on between the pro-and anti-crossbow factions.

The New York Bowhunters (NYB) remain chief among the anti-crossbow crowd. When founded in 1991, NYB posited banning crossbows in New York State as one of its leading efforts.

Since then, NYB has gone on to sponsor many worthwhile youth, veteran and handicapped programs. But the NYB leadership remains adamantly opposed to crossbows.

NYB often refers to the crossbow as a “crossgun,” implying that it is more of a firearm than an archery device. Also, NYB spokesmen consider the skill level needed to use a crossbow to be well below that required of an archer shooting and hunting with a vertical bow handheld at full draw.

Over the years, NYB has taken exception to crossbow supporters, particularly outdoor writers who have used the crossbow and written columns favoring its legalization in New York State as a hunting device.

For nearly two decades, NYB officers and crossbow advocates have tangled bow strings around crossbow issues.

Former NYB President Kevin Armstrong commented that anyone with a typewriter could be an outdoor writer. Current NYB head Gary Socola referred to Bill Hilts Sr., American Crossbow Association official, as “Hitler” when it comes to passing crossbow legalization in New York.

In his latest appeal to NYB members to block pending legislation, Socola decried media reliability after Bill Connors, outdoor columnist for the Poughkeepsie Journal, discredited Socola’s data on crossbow dynamics in Georgia six years after it was legalized in that state.

Connors pointed out that Georgia state officials had placed all hunting devices under one license category, which voided any statistics, including those used by Socola, on crossbow use decline or increase.

Socola cites Hilts and Region 9 (far Western New York) factions as the main source of self-serving support for crossbow legalization, but appeals statewide have shown support for its use as a hunting device.

Assemblywoman Francine Delmonte (D-Niagara Falls) has sponsored bill A924, which is moving forward to give the Department of Environmental Conservation powers to regulate crossbow use throughout the hunting season.

DEC officials, once reluctant to comment on crossbow issues, have begun to see it as a viable hunting option. Patricia Riexinger, DEC Director of the Division of Fish, Wildlife, and Marine Resources, wrote: “I view X-bows as an important tool for managing deer populations. I also believe that they are a legitimate implement for enabling people to hunt a little longer.”

Delmonte has scheduled a press conference at 10 a. m. Wednesday in Albany on the crossbow legislation. Harold Palmer, New York State Conservation Council legislative vice president, is making arrangements for groups and individuals to attend this meeting. For details, call Palmer at (315) 894-3302.

"Mark - Great to see a crossbow page on your site. I have attached the last editorial from the Horizontal Bowhunter Magazine. Perhaps you can use it, perhaps not. You have my blessings if you decide it is printable. I would like to help with more if you are interested. Thank you."

Daniel James Hendricks Crossbow Advocate
POB 251, 20 NE 9th Ave
Glenwood, MN 56334 320-634-3660
Email: bowtwang@charter.net
Web Site1: www.horizontalbowhunter.com
Web Site2: www.crossbowhunting.net
Web Site3: www.uffdaclub.com

Daniel James Hendricks, Crossbow Advocate

Following is a story of crossbow hunting in general. Daniel James Hendricks is the publisher of Horizontal Bowhunter Magazine

PUBLISHER’S PERSPECTIVE
Daniel James Hendricks 

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL

The lack of hunter unification is something that we can all do something about.

An AP article by David Crary entitled “Numbers of Hunters Fall, Worrying Some” serves as the proverbial handwriting on the wall and should stir even the most callous hearted of contemporary hunters. We are all in trouble!

Reasons given by experts for declining hunter numbers include the loss of hunting land to urbanization, prohibitive costs of modern hunting, land access, and lack of hunter unification.

As a hunter that just recently lost another chunk of his sacred suburban bowhunting ground to the clearing of lots for a commercial housing project, I can identify with the first point. Even in expanding rural communities, more and more good chunks of hunting land are being chopped up and put on the sales block in the name of profit and progress.

Bowhunters watch helplessly as the price of basic equipment rises, not to mention the cost of all the accessories that are quickly becoming necessities for the savvy archer. It is becoming a rich man’s sport and therefore prohibitive to citizens in the lower income brackets. Tack on the theft that is taking place by the oil companies for petroleum products, which taxes every trip into and out of the field and now you are talking about a passion that is capable of consuming large chunks of a family’s disposable income.

As more prime hunting land is removed from the local hunter’s access through group buy-offs by out-of-towners and private leasing, it is becoming even harder for the locals to find good private ground. This naturally increases traffic and hunting pressure on the parcels of the public land that are available. All of these reasons are cause for serious concern, however, the last point listed in Crary’s article is inexcusable.

The lack of hunter unification is something that we can all do something about. Solving that problem starts with the person that stares back at you from the bathroom mirror each morning. When we are continually informed by a multitude of knowledgeable and professional sources that we must all work together to guarantee our pursuit of the wild and the bounty and beauty it provides, it staggers my mind that so many of us still spend our time, our energy and our financial resources on mortal combat against our hunting brothers and sisters.

All of us that are supportive of the crossbow hunting opportunity know exactly what I’m talking about. When radical groups, which represent a vocal minority of bowhunters make a statement like “the crossbow is the most serious threat to bowhunting today”, we can put our finger directly on the type of thoughtless, selfish cancer that is threatening the future of all hunting. In all fairness, this is perhaps the most prevalent example of blatant hunter cannibalism, but it is not the only violation that is currently taking place. There are skirmishes in the black powder community, conflicts over shooting preserves as well as many other struggles that keep hunter’s attention directed away from the real threats that are methodically dooming us all.

In my travels, I am heartened to discover that more and more people are grasping the big picture. Hunters are quickly realizing that personal greed and selfishness are not the ways to abet our very real struggle for survival. If we are to preserve our heritage, we must recruit new members of all ages and both sexes. The only thing that is more important than numbers, however, is uniting those numbers into a single voice that speaks for the rights and freedom of all hunters.

If you do not approve of someone else’s method of hunting, don’t try to kill it by going to war against it, that is the action of an anti-hunter. It’s really that simple! If you don’t like it, then don’t do it! When and if each of us learns to live and let live with our hunting brethren, then perhaps we will have a chance to protect what is so near and dear to us all. Undeniably, if hunters continue to tear away at one another like a pack of rabid dogs, the future of all hunting will be dark and predictably short.

Good hunting and please take care, be well and God bless.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: If you have an interest in hunting with or shooting a crossbow, please visit our websites horizontalbowhunter.com  crossbowhunting.com  to learn more about the American Crossbow Federation, Inc. (ACF), The ACF is dedicated to promoting and preserving all forms of legal hunting with all legal weapons, especially the crossbow.

One of the greatest benefits of belonging to the ACF is that you will receive the quarterly publication, the Horizontal Bowhunter Magazine, an International Quarterly dedicated to informing, educating and entertaining the modern crossbow hunter and perpetuating the crossbow hunting opportunity for everyone that chooses to use one.