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Hi Everybody, For those of you who are interested in keeping up with and helping all crossbow enthusists in the state of New York, please find below the latest artcale in the Albany News. This artical was a direct result of the combined efforts of Rick McDermitt and his team of volunteers that have started the New York Crossbow Coalition. A huge battle is now brewing at the legislative level in the state and lines have been drawn by the new coalition and their primary rivals New York Bowhunters Association. If we do not ban together under the New York Crossbow Coalition and as one voice put our combined efforts into winning this battle, we could very likely lose our crossbow hunting rights in this state forever. The legislation is up for review and signature again in 2012. If it's not signed, the laws will revert back to what they were two years ago, which is that crossbow will be illegal for hunting purposes anywhere within the state. Please take the time to join the NEW York Coalition on facebook and add your support to this vital team. Here is todays latest artical: Albany — Crossbow advocates and opponents have stepped up their mobilization efforts as the state’s regulations governing the use of crossbows head toward a “sunset” at the end of 2012. While the statewide group New York Bowhunters, Inc., maintains its stance against the use of crossbows during the archery season, a newly formed New York Crossbow Coalition is pushing for their inclusion. “For too long, a well-organized group of a minority of hunters in New York has effectively controlled the discussion surrounding the crossbow, its effectiveness, and its image, thus controlling all aspects of the crossbow’s legal uses,” Rick McDermott of the New York Crossbow Coalition wrote in an e-mail to sportsmen. McDermott says the group is advocating for legislation that would allow crossbow use during the archery season and “elevate the crossbow to its rightful place alongside the compound, recurve and longbows.” In response to that push, New York Bowhunters has urged its members to contact state lawmakers to reaffirm their position against the use of crossbows by any hunter – including seniors and physically challenged – during the archery season. New York Bowhunters vice president Richard Kirschner, in an e-mail to members, said crossbow advocates are “hiding behind the youth, female, senior, disabled and military veterans and attempting to use them for their own selfish desire to have a full inclusion crossbow bill passed.” Kirschner’s e-mail to the organization’s members said “the future of archery season depends on your immediate action. “The pro crossbow crowd is pulling out all stops to convince legislators and the DEC that there is only a handful of radical, selfish nut jobs that are opposed to the crossbow in archery season,” Kirschner wrote. McDermott, however, questions New York Bowhunters’ membership level – estimates have generally ranged from 2,000 to 4,000 – and said the crossbow coalition “is preparing to counter this vocal minority with factual data and give a voice to the thus far silent majority of the sporting community that desires full inclusion of the crossbow in all aspects of archery hunting.” New York lawmakers two years ago approved legislation allowing the use of crossbows during the regular firearms and late muzzleloader deer seasons. New York Bowhunters, Inc., didn’t oppose that bill, focusing its fight instead on keeping crossbows out of the archery season. DEC officials, however, have supported expanding the use of crossbows into the archery seasons, particularly for senior and physically challenged hunters. There remains some opposition outside the New York Bowhunters’ membership to the use of crossbows by healthy hunters during the regular archery season. But that opposition softens when it comes to seniors and those with physical disabilities. The crossbow legislation was approved under a two-year trial that expires at the end of this year. The New York Crossbow Coalition, whose membership numbers aren’t known at its early stages of existence, contends that crossbow use would pump millions of dollars into the state’s economy through the recruitment and retention of hunters. McDermott, in his statement, says it’s time for the sporting community “to stand together and send the pro-crossbow message to Albany with a united voice.” That message will almost assuredly be countered by New York Bowhunters, Inc., whose legislative chairman, Dave Kosowski, urged members in an e-mail to contact their lawmakers and reiterate their opposition to crossbows within the regular archery season. “Let them know you oppose crossbow use in archery season,” Kosowski’s e-mail read. “Mention your safety concerns, statistical data proving crossbows drastically increase wounding rates on deer and any other reasons you have.” Both sides gathered for a public session to discuss the crossbow issue last month in western New York at a hearing hosted by Sen. Patrick Gallivan. While most of those in attendance were supporters of crossbows, Kosowski, who took part along with former NYB presidents Gary Socola and Kevin Armstrong, called the gathering “an all-out assault on NYB and bowhunting in general. We were led to believe we would be sitting down with crossbow people and discussing issues back and forth so that the senator could better understand the issues.” The session may have laid the groundwork for the introduction of a bill that would extend the current crossbow regulation or expand its use. Currently, there is a bill (A4473) proposed that would expand crossbow use for seniors and physically challenged in any season. Given DEC’s public stance on favoring the expanded use of crossbows, New York Bowhunters, Inc., favors instead keeping the decision-making in the hands of state lawmakers, Kosowski indicated in his e-mail to members. Regards,