****URGENT CALL TO ARMS FOR NEW YORK***

[Al Dente]

The long hard fought for Archery Season in NYS is once again being threatened with FULL INCLUSION of the crossbow under Assembly Bill A479A, which would allow crossbow expansion.  If this becomes Law, the floodgates would be opened for future inclusion of superior implements, such as the muzzleloader, and the AirBow (a big bore air gun that can fire an arrow from its' barrel).  Bowhunting is meant to be a challenge, that is the path less taken, the path that we have chosen.  The modern crossbow is more rifle-like than ever before.  The PSE TAC-15 and the Ravin Crossbow can shoot 1" groups at 100 yards!  The Ad for the Ravin even states "Meet your next rifle"!!!!
Please take the time to call your local Assembly Member, the NYS Assembly EnCon Members listed below, and Assembly Majority Speaker Carl Heastie and ask them to NOT SUPPORT A479A.  I know it is a huge undertaking to make these calls, but the sanctity and the history of the NYS Archery Season is at risk.  Protect it and preserve it for the future generations of bowhunters.

Here are a list of talking points to assist you if needed.

The crossbow is not a bow.  It is not hand drawn or hand held like a true bow.  It is pre-cocked and pre-loaded like a rifle is.  It shares other distinct characteristics of a rifle as well.  Some are:
The use of a telescopic sight
It is fired by pulling a trigger
It can fired from a standing/shouldered position, a prone position with bi-pods, or from a seated position off of shooting rails.
It has an effective range out to 100 yards as is seen and boasted about on many videos

Assembly Majority Speaker Carl Heastie 518-455-3791
Assembly EnCon Committee Chairman Steven Englebright 518-455-4804
Assembly EnCon Members:
Fred W. Theile 518-455-5997
Anthony H. Palumbo 518-455-5294
Andrew Raia 518-455-5952
Anthony D'Urso 518-455-5192
Melissa Miller 518-455-3028
Nily Rozic 518-455-5172
Robert C. Carroll 518-455-5377
Steven Cymbrowitz 518-455-5214
William Colton 518-455-5828
Jaime R. Williams 518-455-5211
Matthew Titone 518-455-4677
Deborah J. Glick 518-455-4841
Daniel J. O'Donnell 518-455-5603
Brian P. Kavanagh 518-455-5506  
Marcos A. Crespo 518-455-5514
Steven Otis 518-455-4897
Thomas Abinanti 518-455-5753
Ellen Jaffe 518-455-5118
Brian D. Miller 518-455-5334
Peter D. Lopez 518-455-5363
Didi Barrett 518-455-5177
Patricia Fahy 518-455-4178
Daniel Stec 518-455-5565
Marc W. Butler 518-455-5393
Barbara S. Lifton 518-455-5444
Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes 518-455 5005
Sean M. Ryan 518-455-4886

Thank you all for your support.

All the best, Al.

[Al Dente]

For those who took the time to make the calls, THANK YOU very much.  For those who did not, please take a few moments to make the calls.  There are only a few days left before the Legislative Session ends for this year. Let us protect the archery season from a superior implement.

Just a few thoughts.

The PSE TAC-15 (Tactical Assault Crossbow) and the Ravin Crossbow can shoot bolts in 3" groups at 100 yards.

The Ravin Crossbow is 10" wide uncocked, 6" cocked.  It's advertisement states "Meet your next rifle"

The Zurbin Crossbow has a barrel, no rails, that shoots either bolts or a 2-piece break-apart broadhead shaped projectile that is loaded with 10 pieces of buckshot.

Does any of this sound like archery to you?

[Mint]

Hey Al,

I sent out the emails and made the calls. A lot were voice mails though. Hopefully it doesn't pass.

[Al Dente]

Thank you Jeff.  We are coming down to the wire on this.  The Legislative year is winding down, and many Legislators have sent their staff home for the Summer, so answering machines are all the rage right now.  I appreciate you taking the time to do this.

[Al Dente]

Less than 2 weeks left.  Please make the calls to prevent a superior implement from getting FULL INCLUSION in the archery season.

[no]

thought I read that it died in comitee??

[Al Dente]

The Legislative year for 2017 in Albany ended Wednesday.  The "full inclusion" crossbow Senate Bill, S1386A was never brought called for a full floor Senate vote, and the Assembly companion Bill, A479A was never called out for a Committee vote within the Assembly EnCon Committee.

Thank you everyone who made the calls, sent the emails, and responded to the CapWiz Alerts we sent out.

[Mint]

   

[LittleBen]

Thought that maybe I would chime in with some numbers. Not range, or accuracy or FPS, but deer take numbers. First let me say that I prefer that crossbows be kept in gun season, and mozzleloader season, but I can live with them being the last 2 weeks of bow.

In 2016, approximately 46,000 deer were taken in bow season, 15,000 in muzzleloader season, and less than 10,000 were taken by crossbow. So even though the crossbow is "superior" and is legal for use is the most prime time of bow season, crossbows are responsible for only around 15% of the take during those 2 seasons.

The point I'm making is that although I don't agree with the choice to include them in bow season, I'm also not convinced they are going to become some dominant force.

Lastly, the 5 year average deer take in NY is ~230,000/year. And the average number of licenses sold is ~600,000. So only about 1 in 3 hunters is actually successful. Turns out it's usually the same guys every year. I doubt it will matter what they shoot.