Crosbow crunch time - it's official!!!

It’s Official                                                     April 1, 2014

Late Monday night, the Senate and Assembly both passed the Budget and this morning Governor Cuomo signed it into law.

Thus, crossbows are now officially a legal hunting implement in New York!

I would like to thank Governor Cuomo for his support for this as well as the members of the Senate and Assembly that were influential in getting the compromise into the final budget. Senators Pat Gallivan, Dave Valesky and Mark Grisanti and especially in the Assembly, Sean Ryan, Aileen Gunther and Donna Lupardo for their leadership in getting the other members of their chambers to come to the table making New York the 28th state that allows crossbows during at least part of the archery seasons. 

The crossbow will now be turned over to the DEC to work on setting the regulations within the parameters set forth in the budget. The process will include a Public Comment period where all NY’ers will have the ability to voice their opinions on the use and seasons.

I would also like to thank everyone that took the time to make the contacts with their respective legislators and the leadership in the Assembly and Senate. Without your help and perseverance our grassroots effort would not have been achievable.

Another Thank You goes to all of the Organizations that partnered with our coalition including the Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, The NYS Farm Bureau, New York Conservation Council, NYS Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and the 4H NY Shooting Sports to name a few as well as many County Federations, Associations and local sporting clubs.

Today, crossbows have been awarded their proper place in the sporting community and everyone of us should be proud of what we have been able to achieve. As we have said from day one, “Together WE will Succeed”, and with hard work and determination we have.

Thank you and Happy Hunting

Rick McDermott
New York Crossbow Coalition
www.crossbowcoalition.com

Crossbow crunch time - UPDATE

This just came to me, by E-mail.

 

I am pleased to report that the 2014-15 NYS Budget – pending final approval by the Legislature - will make crossbows a legal hunting implement once again in New York State.
 
The budget language will allow crossbow use for all small game and any big game season that includes firearms. We will also have crossbow use in the last 14 days of the Southern Zone and the last 10 days of the Northern Zone early archery seasons. In addition, the archery set back is changed to 150' for archery and 250' for crossbows. Unfortunately, Suffolk and Westchester counties are once again eliminated from the crossbow inclusion.   
 
More will be forthcoming in an official press release.
 
Congratulations to all and I thank everyone that made the calls, sent emails and wrote letters to get us to this point.
 
Best Regards,
 
Rick McDermott
New York Crossbow Coalition

Crossbow crunch time

We are heading into the last full week of the budget negotiations. The crossbow issue will most likely go down to the wire to be decided. It is imperative that everyone continues to reach out to the leadership of the Senate and especially the Assembly.
 
Please make some phone calls this week expressing your desire to have the crossbow proposal, as submitted by the Governor, be included in the final budget.
 
Your calls have been making a difference, but remember, we are not only needing to counter the anti crossbow archers, but there have been calls coming from the League of Humane Voters, The Humane Society of the United States and the New York State Humane Association and most likely other anti hunting groups are chiming in.
 
We sit in the best position ever, but we are not home free. Please, Please, Please, even if you already have, make the phone calls, especially to Speaker Silver. If we continue to work together, in just over a week, the DEC will have the authority to begin the process of setting regulations for crossbow use.
 
Let's get this done once and for all!
 
Best Regards,
 
Rick McDermott
New York Crossbow Coalition
 
 
 
 
 
Assembly Speaker Silver
Senate Co-President Skelos
Senate Co-President Klein
speaker@assembly.state.ny.us
LOB 932
Albany, NY 12248
518-455-3791
Albany, NY 12247
518-455-3171
 
Albany, NY 12247
518-455-3595
 
Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee Chairman
Robert Sweeney
LOB 625
Albany, NY 12248
 

Youth Shoot/BSA Rifle Merit Badge event

    We've scheduled another Youth Shoot/BSA Rifle Merit Badge session, for Saturday, April 12th, at Old Bethpage R&P Club, at 70 Kean St., in West Babylon (Suffolk County), which is where we've done this before.
    It's open to ALL boys and girls, who are ages 12~17, at the time of the event. Boy Scouts will be able to use this event, to qualify for the Rifle Merit Badge. Scouts will have to provide BSA Blue Cards, for certification. Since the purpose of this event is to introduce as many youngsters as possible to the shooting sports, those who have previously attended will not be able to attend again.
    There is no cost, to the youngsters, their families or the BSA. The Suffolk Alliance of Sportsmen, Inc. (SASI), Camp-Site Sport Shop and Old Bethpage R&P Club, Inc. are absorbing the cost of everything.
    The youngsters will spend the morning, from 8:45am, until approximately noon, in the classroom, taking a basic rifle safety course, for which they will receive a course completion certificate. After that, a pizza lunch will be provided, to the youngsters and our working staff, at no cost. BSA staff, if any, will be on their own, for lunch but there are delis and pizzerias in the area.
    Once the youngsters and our working staff have enjoyed lunch, the youngsters will be moved to the range, in groups of 13, for one-on-one instruction, with certified, experienced instructors, who will teach them how to accurately shoot bolt-action, .22 caliber rifles. Each range relay is expected to take between 20~30 minutes.
    All rifles, ammunition, targets and safety equipment will be provided, courtesy of SASI, Camp-Fire Sports Shop and the NYS DEC. The students will be able to bring home their targets, as well as their reusable ear plugs.
    Only our working staff will be allowed on the range. All youngsters, who are not on the range, must return to the classroom, while awaiting their turns on the range. When they're done shooting, they may leave, if accompanied by an adult or they may return to the classroom, to await their trip home. It's recommended that the youngsters bring some reading material or other form(s) of portable entertainment, to help fill their waiting time. BSA staff may wish to engage in some form of BSA activity, before or after the youngsters' range time.
    No youngster is to bring his or her personal rifle to the event. We will only be using the rifles provided by our staff.
    Our insurance provider requires that we obtain certain paperwork, from the legal guardians of the youngsters, as well as from BSA staff attending. BSA staff must complete the adult version of the insurance-required paperwork.
    The required forms are attached, as PDFs and must be completed, then returned, to the designated address, at least one week BEFORE the scheduled event.
    We will accept only 39 youngsters, whose order of acceptance will be determined by being the first 39 to turn in the required paperwork. Applicants, whose paperwork is received, after the closing date, will be placed on a waiting list, in the event of cancellations or withdrawals.
    BSA staff, if any, is limited to one adult, per troop, because of space limitations. No other adults, other than our working staff, will be allowed admittance.
    We may be in need of staff assistance, in the form of Certified Rifle Instructors and cleanup staff. Also, we always seem to be able to use extra bolt-action, iron-sighted (no scopes), .22 cal, rimfire rifles.

    Range Instructors should expect to be there, from 10am~about 4pm. Cleanup staff should expect to be there from just about 11am, until about 4pm.
    Should you have any questions or like to volunteer your time or provide rifle(s), please feel free to PM me or call me, at my office, at (631) 226 7202. The office phone has 24/7 voice mail
Thanks.
Gary

Parental permission and hold harmless, for Youth Shoot.pdf (312.27 kb)

Hold harmless agreement, for adults, for Youth Shoot.pdf (292.32 kb)