Crossbows Are Approved (CC2)

A contentious debate over crossbow use in New York carried into the closed door, late night sessions used to craft a state budget. The budget language allows for crossbow use in portions of the Northern and Southern zone archery deer and bear seasons was in place. While Governor Andrew Cuomo’s budget proposal would have placed the crossbow decision fully in the hands of the DEC, what emerged from the budget making process were specific crossbow use regulations that were developed by state lawmakers. These are some of the regulations; you can hunt during the final 14 days of the Southern Zone archery deer and bear seasons. You can hunt during the last 10 days of the Northern Zone archery deer and bear seasons.  You can use crossbows for small game, including wild turkey but not waterfowl. Finally you can use crossbows during any season in which firearms are allowed. The age limit for crossbow use is 14, compared to the current 12 year old minimum for compound, longbow and recurve hunters. I honestly kind of have mixed feelings about crossbows being now legal. I think that crossbows should be able to be used by people with disabilities. Therefore it would make it easier for them to kill big and small game animals. This would also give them an equal opportunity to harvest animals just like everyone else without disabilities. People that do not have any disabilities should not be allowed to use them during any type of hunting season in New York. It would make it extremely easy for people to kill any type of animal. Therefore I think that there should have been some sort of regulation that would allow crossbows to be allowed for people with disabilities and where they should not be allowed to be used by people without any disabilities.