History NYS archery

[bpb]

The History of

 

New York State Archers & Bowhunters

 

N.Y.F.A.B.

 

 

NEW YORK FIELD ARCHERS (NYFA) was organized in 1949 by a group of "bowhunters".  The members of this group believed that the bowhunters of this State needed to group together in order to address their needs. 

Dr. Paul Crouch, a bowhunter who was responsible for the two week bow season for the antlered deer in 1948, was NYFA's first Bowhunter and Conservation Chairman.  Dr. Crouch, along with his successor, Bill Wadsworth, and NYFA, were instrumental in achieving many of the hunting privileges we enjoy today.  These include:

 

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• In 1952 it became legal to take a deer of either sex while bowhunting.
  

 

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• In 1967 bowhunting stamp was first issued.  The stamp plus a big game license enabled a person to hunt deer with a bow in the early "bowhunting only" season.
  

 

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• In 1974 the bow season was extended to four weeks in the Northern Zone and to five weeks in the Southern Zone.
  

 

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• In 1975 a five day bow season was added after the gun season.
  

 

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• In 1976 the Junior Archery License became effective.
  

 

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• In 1977 the pilot course of the Bowhunter Education Program began with volunteers from NYFA holding classes for all new bowhunters.
  

 

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• In 1979 use of the mechanical release was approved for bowhunting.
  

 

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• In 1980 the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation adopted the BEP course and required that all bowhunters complete a bowhunting training course.  NOTE:  This course is being used throughout the United States and the world.  NYFA boasts very proudly that we piloted such a prestigious and timely program.
  

 

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• In 1982 NYFA becomes New York Field Archers & Bowhunters ( NYFAB).
  

 

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• In 1986 the "second deer permit" was adopted.
  

 

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• In 1987 NYFAB supported the Deer Search program which was adopted by the DEC.
  

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[sweet old bill]

I came to NYS to shoot the NFAA at Watkins glen in 1970 for the first time. They had 4 courses of 28 each targets on each range. The fire tower had a flag of just NYS archery NFAA clubs and it had over 150+ clubs. This seems to me to be the top of the time for clubs. I am not saying theat 3D has not kepp us going. But I do feel we now have a changing ability of time to the archer and archer family. We use to set up all shoots that the family would attend, even plan on games for the kids, meals, and it was a all day affiar. With at the end of the shoot all would stay to see who was the top shooters.

Now it get me in and out. Want to join a club, heck no, got no time.

Bill

[Doc]

Back when I was shooting NFAA competitions, I was a member of NYFAB. They were basically the NYS branch of the National Field Archery Association and sanctioned all such competitions. In fact when we opened up our public archery range back in 1965, we affiliated ourselves with NYFAB and therefore NFAA. You don't hear too much about NYFAB anymore. Of course I have been out of the NFAA competition archery scene for quite a few years, so I'm not sure just what the structure of competitive archery is anymore.

Doc

[sweet old bill]

New York is more a IBO 3D's now, yes there still is NFAA paper targets course but they are now far between areas. My closest is Oxford NY and for me this is about a full hours plus drive.

[Doc]

That's too bad. I spent a lot of years in field archery, and it was a huge activity not only for me, but our whole family. Well, I guess I should be happy that I got a chance to enjoy it while it was big. Things change and I guess occasionally, we DO throw out the baby with the bath-water. 

Doc