Syracuse.com - Crossbow legislation update: They're currently illegal to use as a hunting implement

[HuntingNY-News]

However, shouldn't the trained wildlife biologists and staff of the DEC, which is charged with overseeing wildlife and hunting in this state, have the final say in such matters? At this point, that's not happening.

As it stands now, hunters across the state will not be able to use crossbows for hunting this fall. Crossbows, which for the past two falls were used by deer hunters, are now an illegal hunting implement.

What happened? Was there a spate of accidents? Did too many deer get killed?

No, nothing like that. Crossbows fell victim to politics.

.

As a result of legislation passed in 2010, the use of crossbows was allowed on a trial basis for the 2011 and 2012 fall hunting seasons, restricted to only the regular firearms and following late muzzleloading seasons. That bill expired Dec. 31, 2012.

Late last year, there was a crossbow bill authored by Assemblyman Robert Sweeney, D-Lindenhurst, who chairs the Assembly's Environmental Conservation Committee and plays a strong role in deciding what legislation gets to the full Assembly for a vote. Sweeney's district is downstate at the southwest corner of Suffolk County.

The Sweeney bill, supported by New York Bowhunters, a bow-hunting advocacy group, would have again for a two-year period only allowed use of crossbows to hunt big game (deer and bear) during the regular firearms and late muzzleloading seasons - not during the regular bowhunting season. In addition, itt would have also eliminated the Columbus Day weekend youth firearms hunt for deer, which occurred this past fall for the first time.

A late session veto by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, apparently prompted by supporters of the DEC-supported youth hunt, killed Sweeney's bill.

At the beginning of this year, crossbow advocates such as Pulaski resident Rick McDermott, president of the 1,750-membrer N.Y. Crossbow Coalition, pinned their hopes on legislation like A283, sponsored by Assemblyman Sean Ryan, D-Grand Island. This bill and its companion bill in the Senate, S1699B, sponsored by Sen. Patrick Galavan, R-xxx, would have put crossbows and regulations concerning their use for hunting in the hands of the state Department of Environmental Conservation DEC. Both lawmakers are from western New York.

The bill passed overwhelmingly in the Senate, but failed to get out of Sweeney's committee to the full Assembly before it adjourned June 21.

"Basically, we have not been able to get movement by Assemblyman Sweeney to get the crossbow bill on his committee's agenda to get discussed and voted on," McDermott said. "The committee chairman controls the agenda."

McDermott said Sweeney has been asked by his group for a reason for the lack of action.

"No reason has been given," he said.

I called Sweeney Wednesday afternoon. Sweeney pointed out he was chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee when the original crossbow bill came through and passed, adding that crossbows would be legal now if not for Cuomo's veto

"I gave (crossbows) a chance. My concern is that the real agenda of certain people, including the DEC, is to put crossbows in the archery season," he said. "They are a superior weapon. They do not belong in the archery season. Crossbows and bow hunting are not compatible."

Sweeney is entitled to his opinion, as is McDermott. That's what happens in politics.

However, it seems that the recommendations of the trained wildlife biologists and staff of the DEC, which is charged with overseeing wildlife and hunting in this state, should carry a lot of weight when it comes to drafting legislation on such matters.

Evidently, Sweeney doesn't think so.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog