Syracuse.com - Crossbow hunters watching Albany closely these days

[HuntingNY-News]

The current regulations, which limit their use to hunting for big game during the regular firearms and muzzleloading seasons, expire on Dec. 31.

Those who advocate expanding the use of crossbows for hunting in this state have their fingers crossed.

Current regulations, which limit their use to hunting for big game during the regular firearms and muzzleloading seasons, expire on Dec. 31.

Crossbow advocates are hoping that a new crossbow bill, which would extend the current regulations for two years, gets vetoed. The legislation arrived on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s desk earlier this month.

The bill, A10583A, was authored by Assemblyman Robert Sweeney, D-Suffolk County, and is endorsed by the New York Bowhunters.

Sweeney’s bill would do away with the special DEC-endorsed youth firearms hunt during the Columbus Day weekend, which took place for the first time this fall.

The main issue boils down to this: Crossbow hunters want to hunt during bowhunting season, which precedes the firearms season. Bowhunters say they’re not against crossbows — they just don’t want to share the woods with them during that time.

Rick McDermott, of Pulaski, president and founder of the 660-member N.Y. Crossbow Coalition, wants Sweeney’s bill vetoed. His group would like to see legislation that would allow the use of crossbows during the bowhunting season and that would hand the regulatory authority over crossbows to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

“Currently, crossbows are only allowed to be used to hunt deer and bear,” McDermott said. “You can’t use one to hunt turkeys, bowfish for carp, small game, or even varmints (such as woodchucks).”

To find out more about the Crossbow Coalition, <a href="http://www.nycrossbowcoalition.com">see the group's website or call McDermott at 882-1540.

To get the other side, see the New York Bowhunters website .

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog