Why It Matters: On Tuesday, June 17, on the last day of their extended session, the New York Assembly passed New York Assembly Bill 8330 (AB 8330) and Senate Bill 6360 (SB 6360) which will normalize crossbows. Once the governor signs the legislation, crossbows will be permitted during the full archery season and onerous size …
Crossbows Normalized and Added to Full Archery Season in New York Read More »
Why It Matters: The attacks on the use of lead ammunition have continued throughout the 2025 legislative sessions across the northeast. The use of lead ammunition in hunting is a contentious issue in some states, with the primary concern being the potential effects on wildlife. However, bans on such lead products can cause a decrease …
Lead Ammo Continues to be Scrutinized in the Northeast Read More »
Why It Matters: On February 25th, without discussion, the New York State Senate Committee on Environmental Protection and Conservation voted 10-1 to ban the import, export, transport, process, sell, offer for sale, purchase, trade, barter, distribution or possession of any part or product of a list of the “Big 5” African animals including elephants, lions, …
Why It Matters: New York Assembly Bill 9862 (AB 9862) and Senate Bill 8479 (SB 8479) are headed to the Governor for signature. The enactment of this legislation will allow financial institutions to assign merchant category codes (MCC’s) to retailers who sell firearms and ammunition, thus allowing these financial institutions to potentially track and/or halt …
Merchant Category Code Legislation Heads to New York’s Governor’s Desk Read More »
Why It Matters: The New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, in partnership with the New York Sportsmen’s Advisory Council (NYSAC) and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), hosted their Aannual Sportsman-Legislator breakfast to discuss policies that will protect and promote the Empire State’s deep rooted outdoor heritage. Events such as the New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus’ breakfast are …
New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Hosts 2024 Sportsman-Legislator Breakfast Read More »
Why It Matters: Currently in New York, a crossbow is classified as a firearm and requires the purchase of a muzzleloader privilege to use a crossbow during the specified seasons. This classification and requirement have created a lot of confusion for hunters. The Federal Government has defined a crossbow as a “bow” and the Internal …
The Ongoing Effort to Expand Crossbow Use in the Empire State Read More »
Why It Matters: Limitations on the use of lead ammunition while hunting must be left under the professional, science-based discretion of the respective state’s fish and wildlife agency and not the misinformed efforts of the legislature. In New York’s case, the Division of Fish and Wildlife is the primary manager of the state’s fish and …
Why It Matters: Mentored youth hunting programs are crucial for introducing the next generation of sportsmen and women into the outdoors, and language such as what’s included in Governor Hochul’s proposed budget has the potential to leave a legacy of opportunities for New York’s youth hunters. The State’s Pilot Program, which allowed counties to opt-in …
Sporting Industry Pens Letter of Support for Mentored Youth Hunting in New York Read More »
Why It Matters: As New York wraps up its budget-setting portion of the year, the legislature will waste no time in heating up with committee hearings. Sportsmen’s policies such as the expanded use of crossbows and allowing 12 and 13year-old hunters to pursue deer with a firearm and/or crossbow remain top-line priorities as we enter …
The Long-Awaited Return of New York’s Sportsman-Legislator Breakfast Read More »
Why It Matters: Beginning during the 2021-22 hunting season, a pilot program was implemented in New York, allowing counties to authorize mentored deer hunting for 12 and 13-year-olds. The overwhelming acceptance of this program brings New York’s hunting age in line with most other states in the country. The success of that first year was …
Second Year of Empire-Sized Success for New York’s Mentored Hunting Pilot Program Read More »
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