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[Dougfirtree]

Quick, buy a lottery ticket, apply for a New Mexico elk tag, miraculous things are in the air. I didn't think I'd see this day, but the great state of New York has lowered the minimum age to hunt big game! We've been the only state in the nation that made kids wait until they were 14, but that changed yesterday, thanks to the rule change being lumped into a whole bunch of other legislative items. There are a few downstate areas that won't see the change and individual counties still need to ratify it, but I'm not worried about my county.

I've been taking my sons to hunt in Vermont for years, so that they can hunt legally. My middle son turns 12 next October and I'm so thrilled that he'll be able to hunt here next year! It will be so much easier to get my kids out now, we can hunt for an hour or two at a time, when it's convenient, and I'll be able to get them out on much better hunting land. This should be really great for us!

(Thank you for listening, back to western stuff again...)

 

[Corn king 60]

Great news for NY youth
I didn’t realize that there was a state that had such a advanced entry age

 

[JEL]

I’m leaving today......

 

[Dougfirtree]

Great news for NY youth
I didn’t realize that there was a state that had such a advanced entry age

Yeah, we're....special...

 

[Falcon75]

I have lifetime NY License and was weird taking my son with me to watch when he has hunted ohio for years. This would be 1st year he could hunt but glad to see it. I wish states would drop ages more for deer size animals and smaller. Waiting till 12 is almost too late. Heck they have to have their sport picked out and playing full year by second grade. Now I hope the legislation opens up crossbow to be easier to hunt with and not treat them like they are the most dangerous thing to hunt with. Great way to get a kid out and not have to be really strong to pull bow. Also like that hunting before and after sunrise on table.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I have lifetime NY License and was weird taking my son with me to watch when he has hunted ohio for years. This would be 1st year he could hunt but glad to see it. I wish states would drop ages more for deer size animals and smaller. Waiting till 12 is almost too late. Heck they have to have their sport picked out and playing full year by second grade. Now I hope the legislation opens up crossbow to be easier to hunt with and not treat them like they are the most dangerous thing to hunt with. Great way to get a kid out and not have to be really strong to pull bow. Also like that hunting before and after sunrise on table.

I haven't been able to find anything about the hunting hours. Did that pass too? If so, we got rid of the two worst rules in NY hunting.

 

[EastCoast94]

That’s great news! I’m from Long Island and also am watching if the sunrise sunset rule is changed. That would be huge.

 

[Nick87]

So is there no minimum now or its 12?

 

[Beignet]

I have lifetime NY License and was weird taking my son with me to watch when he has hunted ohio for years. This would be 1st year he could hunt but glad to see it. I wish states would drop ages more for deer size animals and smaller. Waiting till 12 is almost too late. Heck they have to have their sport picked out and playing full year by second grade. Now I hope the legislation opens up crossbow to be easier to hunt with and not treat them like they are the most dangerous thing to hunt with. Great way to get a kid out and not have to be really strong to pull bow. Also like that hunting before and after sunrise on table.

What crossbow rules would you like to see changed? I haven’t looked into then, but it seems like the woods got busy once crossbow season opened this past Fall.

 

[EastCoast94]

What crossbow rules would you like to see changed? I haven’t looked into then, but it seems like the woods got busy once crossbow season opened this past Fall.

I presume he’s talking about full inclusion for crossbow during the archery season. Instead of a separate crossbow season

 

[Beignet]

I presume he’s talking about full inclusion for crossbow during the archery season. Instead of a separate crossbow season

Seems to be a big appetite for that from the small sample size of crossbow guys I spoke with at the tailgate. I’d personally be against it, but that’s just me. Otherwise, they seem pretty accessible to anyone who wants to use one.

Also, double checked just now and see that LI and Westchester folks can’t use them at all. Perhaps that was the allusion to them being treated as though they’re a dangerous thing.

Edit: PS - Don’t mean to derail @Dougfirtree ’s post and turn this into a crossbow discussion. Lowering the age is indeed great news for youngin’s in NY!

 

[Steve Petersen]

That’s great news. 12 is about the norm for most states. Here in WY we just lowered ours this year as well.

 

[Dougfirtree]

That’s great news. 12 is about the norm for most states. Here in WY we just lowered ours this year as well.

I didn't realize Wyoming had lowered the age. What is it now? Shoot, that would have quite possible changed the calculus for taking my middle son out there... Oh well..

 

[Dougfirtree]

So is there no minimum now or its 12?

It's 12 now. The kid needs to be with a licensed adult and needs to be wearing blaze orange (which you generally don't need to do in NY, so that's something different, too). I tend to think that even 12 is pushing things and I've started both my hunting sons around 10, but I'll take it!

 

[Dougfirtree]

That’s great news! I’m from Long Island and also am watching if the sunrise sunset rule is changed. That would be huge.

Yes, I spoke with a guy at DEC the other day. Sounds like they're negotiating this right now and it's possible that it will be extended for the morning and not the evening. I hope it's both. I'm not a fan of laws that are so ridiculous as to invite widespread breaking of said law. It's kind of a joke, now.

 

[Falcon75]

For me the age lowering and crossbow go together. With a crank or adult a crossbow can be cocked and any kid that can lift a crossbow can now hunt. No strength (bow)or ability to handle recoil needed. The part about being dangerous is having to carry around this special paper to be legal take a test and yes be limited in areas and be treated different than a compound bow is silly. Yes it could go off at any time and is a little like a gun but good gun handling skills keeping finger off trigger and having safety on. (I have watched a loaded crossbow fall from a tree stand and luckily never discharged) I am from Ohio so we have had crossbows forever and the longest bow/crossbow season in country. New York rules (min inches between axels) make crossbows about the same as far as range compared to compound bow ie not 3 inch group at 100 yards with a raven. Crossbows allow kids to get out with me at and not just sit like I did when I was a kid in New York. I think getting kids involved at an early age is important because they will already be involved in other stuff if wait till in teens. Mine have hunted with me at age 8. Tell me letting kids use crossbows is a bad thing for the sport. Second one just along for the ride.

 

[Falcon75]

Yes, I spoke with a guy at DEC the other day. Sounds like they're negotiating this right now and it's possible that it will be extended for the morning and not the evening. I hope it's both. I'm not a fan of laws that are so ridiculous as to invite widespread breaking of said law. It's kind of a joke, now.

I would think if only did one doing evening would be better cause you are aware of what is around and eyes adjust as it gets darker. I hope they do both. I hate quiting just when it is going to get good.

 

[Nick87]

I used to think the younger the better for starting new hunters, anymore I have a lot of mixed feelings on it. I think the younger the better for letting them tag along and introducing them. Maybe not so much for actually taking your first animal. Ymmv

 

[Beignet]

For me the age lowering and crossbow go together. With a crank or adult a crossbow can be cocked and any kid that can lift a crossbow can now hunt. No strength (bow)or ability to handle recoil needed. The part about being dangerous is having to carry around this special paper to be legal take a test and yes be limited in areas and be treated different than a compound bow is silly. Yes it could go off at any time and is a little like a gun but good gun handling skills keeping finger off trigger and having safety on. (I have watched a loaded crossbow fall from a tree stand and luckily never discharged) I am from Ohio so we have had crossbows forever and the longest bow/crossbow season in country. New York rules (min inches between axels) make crossbows about the same as far as range compared to compound bow ie not 3 inch group at 100 yards with a raven. Crossbows allow kids to get out with me at and not just sit like I did when I was a kid in New York. I think getting kids involved at an early age is important because they will already be involved in other stuff if wait till in teens. Mine have hunted with me at age 8. Tell me letting kids use crossbows is a bad thing for the sport. Second one just along for the ride.View attachment 180592View attachment 180593

I was born and raised in Ohio. Seems that the bow/crossbow expansion/enthusiasm there is partly a product of the very limited and heavily restricted gun season.

I’m not concerned about safety issues really. And am certainly not at all opposed to expanding crossbows to youth-only during the regular archery season. But don’t mind able bodied adults having to use a longbow for the first crack at the early season in NY.

And, for what it’s worth, folks are absolutely allowed to use crossbows during the proper season on some of the archery only parcels I’m familiar with in NY. I also don’t disagree that Westchester and Suffolk counties should allow them, during the crossbow season.

Anyway, not trying to make a huge fight out of this or die on the crossbow hill. Nice buck for your kiddo in that photo. And, go Buckeyes!

 

[Falcon75]

I used to think the younger the better for starting new hunters, anymore I have a lot of mixed feelings on it. I think the younger the better for letting them tag along and introducing them. Maybe not so much for actually taking your first animal. Ymmv

What are your mixed feelings? Why not take 1st animal?