Hunter's Law: New York
Written by: Ryan Reading, Fall Obsession Pro Staff
This article is a bit different than we are normally used to. This will reflect more into law than the outdoor articles of past.
As many of you know, I reside in the state of New York. Over the years the gun laws and hunting laws seemingly have been more and more restricted. There are many laws including the Safe Act in New York State. I will share with you a rundown of some.
Gun Laws in New York State
New York has some of the strictest firearm regulations in the U.S. Here are key aspects that stand out:
Firearm Ownership & Permits:
Handgun Permits: A permit is required to purchase, possess, and carry handguns. The process includes background checks, fingerprinting, and an interview.
Rifle & Shotgun Ownership: No permit is required for standard rifles and shotguns but semi-automatic rifles now require a license.
Assault Weapons Ban: New York follows a strict ban on "assault weapons" defined by specific features like pistol grips, adjustable stocks, or detachable magazines.Concealed Carry:
CCW Restrictions:
After the Supreme Court's ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022), NY adjusted its laws but still requires applicants to prove they have "good moral character," complete firearm safety training, and submit references.
Magazine Capacity & Ammunition:
Magazine Limits: Magazines are restricted to 10 rounds.
Background Checks for Ammo: Ammunition purchases now require a background check.
Red Flag Law:
Extreme Risk Protection Orders: Allows courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed a threat.
Hunting Laws in New York State
Hunting regulations vary by species, weapon type, and location, but notable rules include:
Deer Hunting:
Minimum Firearm Requirements:
Rifles: Allowed in some counties, but not permitted in most of the southern zone (except where specified).
Shotguns: 20 gauge or larger with slugs in restricted areas.
Handguns: Must be .22 caliber or larger for deer.
Bows: Must have a draw weight of at least 35 lbs.
Crossbows: Allowed but with specific regulations (must have a draw weight of 100-200 lbs and a minimum stock length of 17 inches).
Hunting Season & Tags:
Archery: Opens earlier than gun season.
Muzzleloader: Separate season for primitive firearms.
Doe Permits: Antlerless deer require a Deer Management Permit (DMP) in some areas.
Mandatory Reporting: Hunters must report harvested deer within 7 days.
Hunter Orange & Safety:
Hunter Orange/Pink Requirement: Hunters must wear at least 250 square inches of solid or patterned fluorescent orange or pink when hunting with firearms.
Hunting on Sundays:
Allowed statewide, except for certain county or local restrictions.
Feeding Wildlife:
Illegal to bait deer (no minerals, corn, or supplemental feed allowed).
Recent Gun Laws
Gun Safety Legislation (October 2024):
Merchant Category Code for Firearms: Requires credit card companies to assign a unique code to transactions at gun and ammunition dealers. This measure aims to help track suspicious purchasing patterns.
Secure Storage Information: Mandates that firearms dealers provide buyers with information on safe storage practices to prevent unauthorized access and accidents.
Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs): Enhances the state's Red Flag laws by ensuring that ERPOs are included in a central registry, facilitating better enforcement and awareness among law enforcement agencies.
Concealed Carry Restrictions (July 2022):
Sensitive Locations: Following the Supreme Court's decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, New York designated specific areas where carrying firearms is prohibited, including schools, public transportation, and Times Square.
Licensing Requirements: Introduced more stringent criteria for obtaining concealed carry permits, such as comprehensive background checks and firearm safety training.
Recent Wildlife Laws
Prohibition of Wildlife Killing Contests (December 2023):
Ban on Contests: Outlaws competitions where participants aim to kill the most or largest animals for prizes, targeting species like coyotes, foxes, and bobcats.
Conservation Focus: This law emphasizes ethical hunting practices and the protection of wildlife populations..
Wildlife Protection Legislation (July 2024):
Marine and Wildlife Safeguards: Extends the Department of Environmental Conservation's authority to manage species such as sharks, scallops, and migratory game birds, ensuring sustainable practices and conservation efforts.
This is just the tip of the Encon officer’s arsenal of laws. With many of the firearm laws and hunting restrictions in New York, there are less hunters now than twenty-five years ago.
The new laws also make it unlawful for an individual to organize, sponsor, conduct, promote or participate in any contest, competition, tournament or derby with the objective of taking or hunting wildlife for prizes, inducement or entertainment. While I understand the logic, taking hunting contests away is a huge blow at the knees of every hunter wanting to take home that trophy.
While I believe in a concerted effort to make hunting safer and protecting wildlife, there becomes a time where the laws enacted are tipping the scale making the sport of hunting not as fun for hunters across the board and more of a task or burden as they attempt to remember all the laws that New York has implemented. This is a large task. Many hunters receive tickets just for simply not knowing a law.
For the most part, all hunters are ethical and want to maximize their hunting experience. They don’t want to be hindered with hundreds of laws just to take to the woods. As of now, I myself don’t have an answer for all this legislation that has been enacted in New York but maybe you could think of a few ideas yourself? What would be your answer to heavy legislation and decreasing hunter numbers in your state?