BILL NUMBER: S6360A
SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to clar-
ifying provisions regarding the use of crossbows for hunting
 
PURPOSE:
The bill aims to clarify and potentially expand the provisions governing
the use of crossbows for hunting in New York by amending the environ-
mental conservation law.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 11-0103 of the environmental conservation law
by adding a new subdivision 33, which defines "long bow" to include
longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, and crossbows.
Section 2 amends subparagraph 9 of paragraph b of subdivision 4 of
section 11-0901 of the environmental conservation law to revise the
definition and technical specifications of crossbows used for hunting,
removing specific size and draw weight restrictions.
Section 3 amends subparagraph 9 of paragraph c of subdivision 4 of
section 11-0901 of the environmental conservation law to align crossbow
requirements with the changes made in Section 2.
Section 4 amends section 11-0907 of the environmental conservation law
to update provisions regarding the use of crossbows during various hunt-
ing seasons, including removing certain restrictions on their use during
archery and muzzle-loading seasons and allowing the department to regu-
late crossbow use in any big game hunting season where longbows are
permitted.
Section 5 sets a residential buffer zone of 500 feet for Westchester,
Suffolk, and Nassau Counties, and allows other counties to opt into that
provision.
Section 5 states the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Current statutes governing the use of crossbows for hunting in New York
are inadequate for game management purposes, do not satisfy hunter pref-
erences for use of crossbows, and fail to effectively capitalize on
crossbows as a tool to recruit and retain hunters. Additionally, cross-
bows serve as an implement that is accessible for hunters with physical
limitations and are preferred by a growing group of hunters looking for
an alternative to traditional hunting implements. Further, statutory
crossbow specifications do not align with standard crossbow design or
market availability, making it nearly impossible for the public to find
and use a crossbow that is legally compliant in New York.
Statutes should be amended to allow crossbow use for hunting in the same
places, in the same manner, during the same time frames, and with the
same eligibility requirements as with vertical bows. In addition, by
removing the restrictions on crossbow size (e.g., minimum limb width)
and maximum draw weight, more appropriate specifications effective for
hunting and consistent with standard crossbow designs can be used. This
will simplify, standardize, and expand access to archery hunting for
more New Yorkers.
Hunting with crossbows is expressly prohibited in parts of the state
suffering from chronic and excessive deer-related impacts (e.g., deer-
vehicle collisions, loss of forest regeneration and biodiversity,
increased tick-borne illness) like Suffolk and Westchester counties and
portions of Albany and Monroe counties. In these areas, current statute
constrains deer hunting to use of vertical bows. In other areas of the
state, use of crossbows is constrained to only the final days of the
archery season. Thus, allowing crossbows to be used in the same places
and same manner as vertical bows is an essential step toward meeting the
public's desire for hunting opportunity and deer management. Many of
these areas are near urban centers and use of crossbows will open new
opportunities for New Yorkers near where they live. Additionally, cross-
bows are an excellent tool for mentored hunting programs, providing a
more rapid learning curve and consistent proficiency than vertical bows
for new archers.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IM LICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S6360: 11-0103 environmental conservation law, 11-0901 environmental conservation law, 11-0901(4) environmental conservation law
S6360A: 11-0103 environmental conservation law, 11-0901 environmental conservation law, 11-0901(4) environmental conservation law, 11-0931 environmental conservation law