Amd §§11-0701, 11-0703, 11-0901, 11-0903, 11-0929, 11-0931 & 11-0933, rpld §11-0713 sub 6, §11-0901 sub 3 ¶c
sub¶ 3, subs 11 & 16, §11-0907 sub 10, §11-0929 sub 2 ¶b sub¶ 5, En Con L
Authorizes the taking of wildlife by the use of a crossbow; makes related provisions.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6872
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 18, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER, LUPARDO, STECK, SANTABARBARA, BUTTENS-
CHON, LEMONDES, BARRETT, MILLER, BENDETT, BLANKENBUSH, MANKTELOW,
GALLAHAN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ANGELINO -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
crossbows; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating ther-
eto
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Paragraph a of subdivision 1, the closing paragraph of
2 paragraph a of subdivision 2, paragraphs 1 and 2 of subdivision 3,
3 subdivision 5 and subdivision 9 of section 11-0701 of the environmental
4 conservation law, paragraph a of subdivision 1 as amended by section 21
5 and subdivision 9 as amended by section 17 of part EE of chapter 55 of
6 the laws of 2014, the closing paragraph of paragraph a of subdivision 2,
7 paragraphs 1 and 2 of subdivision 3 and subdivision 5 as amended by
8 section 1-a of part R of chapter 58 of the laws of 2013, are amended to
9 read as follows:
10 a. entitles a holder who is twelve or thirteen years of age to hunt
11 wildlife, except big game, as provided in title 9 of this article
12 subject, specifically, to the provisions of section 11-0929 of this
13 article. It entitles such holder to possess firearms as provided in
14 section 265.05 of the penal law. [A holder who is twelve or thirteen
15 years of age shall not hunt with a crossbow.]
16 A holder may take fish with a longbow or crossbow as provided in
17 titles 9 and 13 of this article.
18 (1) who is between the ages of twelve and sixteen years to hunt wild
19 deer and bear with a longbow or crossbow during the special archery
20 season and during the regular season, as provided in title 9 of this
21 article, subject to the provisions of section 11-0929 and subdivision 3
22 of section 11-0713 of this [article] title;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00745-01-5
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1 (2) who is eighteen years of age or older to hunt wild deer and bear
2 with a longbow or crossbow, as provided in title 9 of this article, in a
3 special [longbow] archery season; and
4 5. A non-resident bear tag entitles a person who has not been a resi-
5 dent of the state for more than thirty days who also possesses a hunting
6 license to hunt bear during the regular open season therefor or in an
7 open season fixed by regulation pursuant to subdivision eight of section
8 11-0903 of this article. It entitles a non-resident holder who also
9 possesses a hunting license with bowhunting privilege to hunt bear with
10 a longbow or crossbow during the open bear season. It entitles a non-re-
11 sident holder who also possesses a hunting license with muzzle-loading
12 privilege to hunt bear with a muzzleloader during the open bear season.
13 9. A muzzle-loading privilege when included on a hunting license enti-
14 tles a holder who is fourteen years of age or older to hunt wild deer
15 and bear with a muzzle-loading firearm [or crossbow], as provided in
16 title 9 of this article, in a special muzzle-loading firearm season.
17 § 2. Paragraph b of subdivision 6 of section 11-0703 of the environ-
18 mental conservation law, as amended by section 2 of part R of chapter 58
19 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
20 b. Except as provided in section 11-0707 and section 11-0709 of this
21 title, no person shall (1) hunt wild deer or bear unless such person
22 holds and is entitled to exercise the privileges of a hunting license,
23 and meets the requirements of this article; (2) hunt wild deer or bear
24 with a longbow or crossbow in a special [longbow] archery season unless
25 such person holds and is entitled to exercise the privileges of a hunt-
26 ing license with a bowhunting privilege and meets the requirements of
27 this article; or (3) hunt wild deer or bear with a muzzle-loading
28 firearm in a special muzzle-loading firearm season unless such person is
29 at least fourteen years old and holds a hunting license with a muzzle-
30 loading privilege and meets the requirements of this article.
31 § 3. Subdivision 6 of section 11-0713 of the environmental conserva-
32 tion law is REPEALED.
33 § 4. Subparagraph 3 of paragraph c of subdivision 3 of section 11-0901
34 of the environmental conservation law is REPEALED.
35 § 5. Paragraph c of subdivision 3 of section 11-0901 of the environ-
36 mental conservation law, as amended by section 19 of part EE of chapter
37 55 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
38 c. Wild small game and wild upland game birds shall be taken only by
39 longbow, crossbow or gun, or by the use of raptors as provided in title
40 10 of this article, except that:
41 (1) skunk, raccoon, bobcat, coyote, fox, mink and muskrat may be taken
42 in any manner not prohibited in this section or in title 11 of the Fish
43 and Wildlife Law; and
44 (2) frogs may also be taken by spearing, catching with the hands, or
45 by the use of a club or hook[; and].
46 § 6. Subparagraph 9 of paragraph b and subparagraph 9 of paragraph c
47 of subdivision 4 of section 11-0901 of the environmental conservation
48 law, subparagraph 9 of paragraph b as added by section 6 and subpara-
49 graph 9 of paragraph c as added by section 7 of part EE of chapter 55 of
50 the laws of 2014, are amended to read as follows:
51 (9) with a crossbow unless such crossbow shall consist of a bow and
52 string, either compound or recurve, that launches a minimum fourteen
53 inch [bolt] arrow, not including point, mounted upon a stock with a
54 trigger that holds the string and limbs under tension until released.
55 The trigger unit of such crossbow must have a working safety. The [mini-
56 mum limb width of such crossbow shall be seventeen inches, have a] mini-
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1 mum peak draw weight [of] shall be one hundred pounds [and a maximum
2 peak draw weight of two hundred pounds]. The minimum overall length of
3 such crossbow from buttstock to front of limbs shall be twenty-four
4 inches.
5 (9) with a crossbow unless such crossbow shall consist of a bow and
6 string, either compound or recurve, that launches a minimum fourteen
7 inch [bolt] arrow, not including point, mounted upon a stock with a
8 trigger that holds the string and limbs under tension until released.
9 The trigger unit of such crossbow must have a working safety. The [mini-
10 mum limb width of such crossbow shall be seventeen inches, have a] mini-
11 mum peak draw weight [of] shall be one hundred pounds [and a maximum
12 peak draw weight of two hundred pounds]. The minimum overall length of
13 such crossbow from buttstock to front of limbs shall be twenty-four
14 inches.
15 § 7. Subdivision 13 of section 11-0901 of the environmental conserva-
16 tion law, as amended by section 23 of part R of chapter 58 of the laws
17 of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
18 13. Persons engaged in hunting deer and/or bear with a longbow or a
19 crossbow must possess a current bowhunting privilege or a valid certif-
20 icate of qualification in responsible bowhunting practices issued or
21 honored by the department.
22 § 8. Subdivisions 11 and 16 of section 11-0901 of the environmental
23 conservation law are REPEALED.
24 § 9. Section 11-0903 of the environmental conservation law is amended
25 by adding a new subdivision 12 to read as follows:
26 12. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this article, the
27 department is authorized to adopt regulations which authorize the taking
28 of wildlife by the use of crossbow. A summary of regulations adopted
29 pursuant to this subdivision shall be published each year in the hunting
30 syllabus issued pursuant to section 11-0323 of this article.
31 § 10. Subdivision 10 of section 11-0907 of the environmental conserva-
32 tion law is REPEALED.
33 § 11. Subdivision 1 of section 11-0929 of the environmental conserva-
34 tion law, as amended by section 20 of part EE of chapter 55 of the laws
35 of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
36 1. A licensee who is twelve or thirteen years of age shall not hunt
37 wildlife with a gun, crossbow or a longbow unless he or she is accompa-
38 nied by his or her parent or legal guardian, or by a person twenty-one
39 years of age or older designated in writing by his or her parent or
40 legal guardian on a form prescribed by the department, who holds a hunt-
41 ing license. [A licensee who is twelve or thirteen years of age shall
42 not hunt with a crossbow.]
43 § 12. Subparagraph 5 of paragraph b of subdivision 2 of section
44 11-0929 of the environmental conservation law is REPEALED and subpara-
45 graph 6 is renumbered subparagraph 5.
46 § 13. Subparagraph 2 of paragraph a and subparagraph 1 of paragraph b
47 of subdivision 4 of section 11-0931 of the environmental conservation
48 law, subparagraph 2 of paragraph a as amended by section 8 of part EE of
49 chapter 55 of the laws of 2014, and subparagraph 1 of paragraph b as
50 separately amended by chapters 65 and 83 of the laws of 2024, are
51 amended to read as follows:
52 (2) discharge a firearm within five hundred feet, a long bow within
53 one hundred fifty feet, or a crossbow within [two] one hundred fifty
54 feet from a dwelling house, farm building or farm structure actually
55 occupied or used, school building, school playground, public structure,
56 or occupied factory or church;
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1 (1) The owner or lessee of the dwelling house, or members of his imme-
2 diate family actually residing therein, or a person in his employ, or
3 the guest of the owner or lessee of the dwelling house acting with the
4 consent of said owner or lessee, provided however, that nothing herein
5 shall be deemed to authorize such persons to discharge a firearm within
6 five hundred feet, a long bow within one hundred fifty feet, or a cross-
7 bow within two hundred fifty feet of any other dwelling house, or a farm
8 building or farm structure actually occupied or used, or a school build-
9 ing or playground, public structure, or occupied factory or church;
10 provided further, that a nuisance wildlife specialist with a permit
11 issued pursuant to section 11-0522 of this article acting in furtherance
12 of the site specific deer management plan may discharge a firearm within
13 five hundred feet of any dwelling houses, structures, schools or play-
14 grounds, provided that the owners or lessees thereof have been notified
15 by certified mail of the date or dates, and time period of the expected
16 activity, and discharge a firearm within [two] one hundred fifty feet of
17 such dwelling houses, structures, schools or playgrounds provided that
18 all the owners or lessees thereof have provided written consent;
19 provided further, that a nuisance wildlife specialist with a permit
20 issued pursuant to section 11-0522-a of this article acting in further-
21 ance of the site-specific deer management plan may discharge a firearm
22 within five hundred feet of any dwelling houses, structures, schools or
23 playgrounds, provided that the owners or lessees thereof have been noti-
24 fied by certified mail of the date or dates and time period of the
25 expected activity, and discharge a firearm within two hundred fifty feet
26 of such dwelling houses, structures, schools or playgrounds provided
27 that all the owners or lessees thereof have provided written consent;
28 § 13-a. Subparagraph 1 of paragraph b of subdivision 4 of section
29 11-0931 of the environmental conservation law, as amended by section 8
30 of part EE of chapter 55 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as
31 follows:
32 (1) The owner or lessee of the dwelling house, or members of his imme-
33 diate family actually residing therein, or a person in his employ, or
34 the guest of the owner or lessee of the dwelling house acting with the
35 consent of said owner or lessee, provided however, that nothing herein
36 shall be deemed to authorize such persons to discharge a firearm within
37 five hundred feet, a long bow within one hundred fifty feet, or a cross-
38 bow within [two] one hundred fifty feet of any other dwelling house, or
39 a farm building or farm structure actually occupied or used, or a school
40 building or playground, public structure, or occupied factory or church;
41 § 14. Section 11-0933 of the environmental conservation law, as added
42 by section 22 of part EE of chapter 55 of the laws of 2014, is amended
43 to read as follows:
44 § 11-0933. Taking small game by crossbow.
45 Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, or any prior notwith-
46 standing language in this article, the department may, by regulation,
47 authorize the taking of small game and wild upland game birds by the use
48 of a crossbow by any licensed person [fourteen] twelve years of age or
49 older, in any small game season[, in any area designated in items (a),
50 (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (i), (k), and (l) of paragraph a of subdivision
51 two of section 11-0907 of this title in which a shotgun or muzzle loader
52 is permitted].
53 § 15. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
54 the amendments to subparagraph 1 of paragraph b of subdivision 4 of
55 section 11-0931 of the environmental conservation law made by section
56 thirteen of this act shall be subject to the expiration and reversion of
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1 such subparagraph pursuant to section 6 of chapter 683 of the laws of
2 2023 and section 6 of chapter 704 of the laws of 2023, as amended, when
3 upon such date the provisions of section 13-a of this act shall take
4 effect.
