Syracuse.com - 2012 could be a pivotal year for hunting with crossbows in this state

[HuntingNY-News]

The legislation allowing the use of crossbows across the state has a sunset clause of Dec. 31 of this year. Meanwhile, Cortland County is trying to correct a miscommunication that ended up with a ban on crossbows there during the regular firearms season.

Crossbows arrived on the state’s deer hunting scene this fall, thanks to a state law finally allowing their use. Although the final numbers are still being tallied, they apparently didn’t make much of an impact.

“Our preliminary numbers indicate that less than one quarter of one percent of the reported deer take so far was by crossbow,” said DEC spokesman Rick Georgeson. “We should have our final deer numbers, including numbers broken out by county, compiled by mid-February.”

I put the word early on in this column and on my outdoors page on syracuse.com that I wanted to hear from any successful crossbow hunters in Central New York. No one contacted me.

The push for crossbows began with an effort to include their use in the regular bow hunting season — if nothing else, to provide a hunting implement for seniors and disabled hunters who could no longer pull back a regular bow.

The original crossbow bill, authored by Sen. David Valesky, included those ideas. However, by the time it reached the state Assembly and made its way back to the state Senate before finally being signed by the governor, the bill was revised five times — thanks to lobbying by the New York Bow Hunters and other anti-crossbow interests.

The end result was that crossbows were banned during the regular bowhunting season. They were only allowed during the regular firearms and late muzzleloading seasons. They were classified as “firearms” and couldn’t be used in “bowhunting-only” areas of the state.

Hunters could use them for deer and bear, but weren’t allowed to fire them at small game, or even non-regulated wildlife such as feral hogs. There were no special provisions for seniors or handicapped hunters.

Finally, the law allowing their use had a sunset clause of Dec. 31 of this year.

Now what?

Part of the problem seems to be articulating everyone’s wants and desires in a special law passed by state lawmakers. What about passing a law making crossbows a legal hunting instrument and leaving it up to the state Department of Environmental Conservation to come up with rules and regulations?

The Onondaga County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs sent a resolution stating just that recently to the state Conservation Council to present to its membership for consideration.

Bottom line: Something has to be done, if nothing more than making the existing law permanent.

Otherwise, all those folks who spent hundreds of dollars for crossbows to use this past hunting season and next fall just may find themselves out of luck.

Getting things straight

While other hunters across the state could use crossbows during the regular firearms season this past fall, there was one exception — Cortland County.

That could change this fall.

Cortland County lawmakers, in their efforts to get legislation through allowing the use of rifles in their county for hunting deer, were mistakenly under the impression that if crossbows were allowed the rifle bill wouldn’t pass.

They felt the crossbow issue was too controversial and instructed their local state lawmakers — Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton and state Sen. Gary Finch— to write up a special legislation banning their use during the regular firearm season, and only to allow their use during the following late muzzleloading season in Cortland County.

The county officials who requested this legislation were unaware that crossbows were being allowed statewide this fall for the first time.

Thursday night, the Cortland County Legislature took steps to change things.

The Legislature unanimously passed a resolution stating that “Whereas, a communication gap happened and Cortland County is the only county in New York State that allows center fire rifle hunting during the regular season for big game that does not allow (crossbows) during the same season” that the law be changed to allow crossbow hunting during the regular firearms season this fall in the county.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog

[burmjohn]

It will be interesting to see what happens this year. I'll be following this for sure!

[skyhunter]

the NY Bowhunters Ass. sure are a selfish bunch. it's a shame they have that kind of pull in the legislature. sounds like a good deal of corruption going on there.

that sunset clause sounds like a classic example of this corrupt relationsionship.

[burmjohn]

With the cost of a Crossbow, I wonder what if any impact it would have on the bow season anyways. I'll admit, I'm a bit selfish when it comes to bow season, I love being out there alone during that time of the season! One thing I would like to see is something more added to the bow hunting courses to cover the safety, use and handeling of a Crossbow. I can see it being a popular option for new hunters, so hopefully they can cover that. Besides me being selfish, I pray and hope it brings new hunters out into the woods, we need more people involved in the sport ASAP!

[WNYBuckHunter]

I'm pretty sure the sunset clause was put in because the current regs are not what DEC really wants. They (DEC) have already come out and said they want crossbows in archery season. The preliminary regs were put in place to make crossbows legal for any hunting use in NY with the least amount of complaining from NYB and other organizations like it.

Just the other day (1-26-12), there was a round table discussion with legislators, hunters, and other groups concerning crossbows. I believe it was held near Albany, but don't quote me on that part. From what I hear, it was just a pow-wow for legislators to hear the arguments on all sides. I also hear that NYB was the only group there that was against crossbows in archery season, and that their main argument was that they wanted people to bow hunt the "hard way".

Personally, I would like to see more of these meetings held in different areas of the state.

[Dom]

My opinon is that only the disabled should be the only one's allowed to use them for all seasons.Why should an able body person need to use them there is no good reason.Just my opin.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Dom,

I agree. There is also no good reason to need a rifle or shotgun that shoots more than one round.

[Dom]

My father inlaw is a retired vet from the Marine's.He has had quad bypass and refuses to get his parking pass and still hunts with his SHOTGUN.He know,s what he can and cannot do.He say's why take from the one's that need it most.

[growalot]

That didn't take long....a sarcastic remark to someones opinion....didn't I just see a thread on here regarding this? ....hhhmmm New year...nothing changes

[Culvercreek hunt club]

You are reading too much into it Grow. It was not meant sarcastic. It was in illustration. only

[growalot]

AAAHHH...perhaps it was just your font that made it seem that way

[Dom]

What was sarcastic.Was not my post was it.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

No Dom, one of the problems with the written word. You can't see or hear the inflecton..lol

[WNYBuckHunter]

My father inlaw is a retired vet from the Marine's.He has had quad bypass and refuses to get his parking pass and still hunts with his SHOTGUN.He know,s what he can and cannot do.He say's why take from the one's that need it most.

Thats great for him, but he should also be allowed to make the choice to use one or not, just like he has the choice to use a single shot rifle or shotgun, or what caliber he wants to use. Its not about need, its about choice.

[SteveB]

Why should an able bodied person need to use a compound vs a recurve - there is no good reason. Just another opinion.

[Chevy]

Why should an able bodied person need to use a compound vs a recurve - there is no good reason. Just another opinion.

I've been bowhunting for 27 years. When I took my safety class the instructor handed me a compound bow to practice with. Then I bought my own. I've never known a recurve. Why are you suggesting that compound bow should be illegal or something?

The issue is whether a gun like weapon should be legal during archery season.

[SteveB]

Not at all. Just showing the "able bodied don't need one" anti crossbow position as extremely weak.

Never heard a crossbow go bang, belch smoke, or blow an animals head off.

But we've been thru this before.

[Doewhacker]

Going off the number that used them this year, it may not be a huge issue any more. Hardly any one tried the darn things.

[WNYBuckHunter]

The issue is whether a gun like weapon should be legal during archery season.

Sorry, but that argument no longer flys in NY, as the DEC has already come out and said that they consider the Crossbow to be a form of archery equipment.

[Doewhacker]

Sorry, but that argument no longer flys in NY, as the DEC has already come out and said that they consider the Crossbow to be a form of archery equipment.

They have also said AR's have no biological impact yet fans continue to use that as an arguement for them....figured I rehash another great topic..

[WNYBuckHunter]

LOL true story doe!

[SteveB]

They have also said AR's have no biological impact yet fans continue to use that as an arguement for them....figured I rehash another great topic..

Let's not forget blaze orange as something else we all can agree on

[Chevy]

Some day I'll be hunting during archery season in head to toe orange, with a cross bow, looking for buck of 3 pts or better on one side......lol

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Going off the number that used them this year, it may not be a huge issue any more. Hardly any one tried the darn things.

Faced with the choice of xbow or gun I can see that. If it was included I think the numbers would go up

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Some day I'll be hunting during archery season in head to toe orange, with a cross bow, looking for buck of 3 pts or better on one side......lol

250' away from the neighbors house, in a treestand with no harness..lol