Amd §11-0103, 11-0901, 11-0907 & 11-0931, En Con L
Clarifies provisions regarding the use of crossbows for hunting, allowing the department of environmental conservation to allow the use of crossbows for the taking of big game in any area long bows are permitted.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8330A
SPONSOR: Woerner 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 OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
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 6 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.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8330--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 13, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER, STECK -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Environmental Conservation -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to clar-
ifying provisions regarding the use of crossbows for hunting
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 11-0103 of the environmental conservation law is
2 amended by adding a new subdivision 33 to read as follows:
3 33. "Long bow" includes longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, and
4 crossbows.
5 § 2. Subparagraph 9 of paragraph b of subdivision 4 of section 11-0901
6 of the environmental conservation law, as added by section 6 of part EE
7 of chapter 55 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
8 (9) with a crossbow unless such crossbow shall consist of a bow and
9 string, either compound or recurve, [that launches a minimum fourteen
10 inch bolt, not including point,] mounted upon a stock with a trigger
11 that holds the string and limbs under tension until released. The trig-
12 ger unit of such crossbow must have a working safety. The [minimum limb
13 width of such crossbow shall be seventeen inches, have a] minimum peak
14 draw weight of such crossbow shall be one hundred pounds [and a maximum
15 peak draw weight of two hundred pounds. The minimum overall length of
16 such crossbow from buttstock to front of limbs shall be twenty-four
17 inches].
18 § 3. Subparagraph 9 of paragraph c of subdivision 4 of section 11-0901
19 of the environmental conservation law, as added by section 7 of part EE
20 of chapter 55 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
21 (9) with a crossbow unless such crossbow shall consist of a bow and
22 string, either compound or recurve, [that launches a minimum fourteen
23 inch bolt, not including point,] mounted upon a stock with a trigger
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10843-03-5
A. 8330--A 2
1 that holds the string and limbs under tension until released. The trig-
2 ger unit of such crossbow must have a working safety. The [minimum limb
3 width of such crossbow shall be seventeen inches, have a] minimum peak
4 draw weight of such crossbow shall be one hundred pounds [and a maximum
5 peak draw weight of two hundred pounds. The minimum overall length of
6 such crossbow from buttstock to front of limbs shall be twenty-four
7 inches].
8 § 4. Paragraph a of subdivision 1, paragraphs a and b of subdivision 8
9 and subdivision 10 of section 11-0907 of the environmental conservation
10 law, paragraph a of subdivision 1 as amended and subdivision 10 as added
11 by section 14 and paragraphs a and b of subdivision 8 as amended by
12 section 16 of part EE of chapter 55 of the laws of 2014, are amended to
13 read as follows:
14 a. Wild deer without antlers or having antlers measuring less than
15 three inches in length shall not be taken unless it is taken (1) by long
16 bow in a special long bow season established in subdivision [3] three of
17 this section, or (2) by muzzle-loading firearm [or crossbow] in a
18 special muzzle-loading firearm season established in subdivision [8]
19 eight of this section, or (3) by long bow in Westchester and Suffolk
20 Counties in a year in which a regular season for deer of either sex is
21 established for such counties, or (4) in a special open season for deer
22 of either sex fixed by regulation pursuant to subdivision [5] five or
23 [7] seven of section 11-0903 of this title, or (5) pursuant to a special
24 antlerless deer license in a special open season for antlerless deer in
25 a tract within a Wilderness Hunting Area fixed by regulation pursuant to
26 subdivision [6] six of section 11-0903 of this title, or (6) pursuant to
27 a deer management permit by a person eligible to take such deer pursuant
28 thereto as provided in section 11-0913 of this title, or (7) pursuant to
29 a permit issued to an eligible non-ambulatory person, pursuant to subdi-
30 vision [2] two of section 11-0931 of this title, while in possession of
31 a valid license issued by the department which authorizes the holder to
32 hunt big game. Nothing in this subparagraph shall be construed to limit
33 the power of the department to designate by regulation an area or areas
34 of the state consisting of a county or part of a county where such
35 season shall apply and whether the number of such special permits shall
36 be limited.
37 a. In every area identified in column one of the table set forth in
38 subdivision two of this section, except those areas restricted to
39 special seasons for taking deer by longbow only, special open seasons
40 may be established by regulation for taking deer and/or bear, by the use
41 of muzzle-loading firearms, of not less than .44 caliber shooting a
42 single projectile[, or by the use of a crossbow,] by the holders of a
43 hunting license with a valid muzzle-loading privilege.
44 b. Such special open season for the Southern Zone shall be for the
45 seven day period immediately preceding the regular open season for deer
46 stated in column two of the table set forth in subdivision two of this
47 section, except that the department may, by regulation, fix such open
48 season in the Southern Zone or any portion thereof to be either the
49 seven days immediately preceding or immediately following the regular
50 open season for deer[, provided, however, that any taking of deer or
51 bear by the use of a crossbow in a season or special season in which the
52 muzzle loader is the only firearm permitted shall succeed the regular
53 open hunting season for deer established pursuant to subdivision two of
54 of this section].
55 10. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, or any prior
56 notwithstanding language in this article, the department may, by regu-
A. 8330--A 3
1 lation, authorize the taking of big game by the use of a crossbow by any
2 licensed person in any big game season in any area [designated in items
3 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (i), (k) and (l) of paragraph a of subdi-
4 vision two of this section] in which a [shotgun or muzzle loader] long
5 bow is permitted [provided however, that any crossbow use during an
6 archery-only season shall only take place during the last fourteen
7 consecutive days of such archery-only season in the southern zone
8 provided that such archery-only season shall consist of not less than
9 forty-five days and only during the last ten consecutive days of any
10 archery-only season in the northern zone provided that such archery-only
11 season shall consist of no less than twenty-three days. Any muzzle load-
12 ing season which occurs at the same time as a special archery season may
13 only occur during times when crossbows are authorized to be used].
14 § 5. Section 11-0931 of the environmental conservation law is amended
15 by adding a new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
16 8. a. No person in Westchester, Nassau, or Suffolk county shall
17 discharge a crossbow within five hundred feet of a dwelling house, a
18 farm building or farm structure actually occupied or used, or a school
19 building or playground, public structure, or occupied factory or church.
20 b. A county not enumerated in paragraph a of this subdivision may opt
21 by local law to be covered by the provisions of such paragraph.
22 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.
