BLESSED
A local
religious leader, when asked how he was doing commented, “I am stressed and
blessed.” After some reflection, I
realized that was an excellent summary of how I felt in June, 2020.
Like you and
people all over the world, I have been totally preoccupied by Covid-19 and its
ramifications. Having lost a relative to
the virus in late March, I have been extremely vigilant 24/7. Translated as stressed.
During the
month of May, I spent many days during turkey season isolated in the outdoors,
socially distanced and wearing a mask, albeit a mesh face covering, not an
N-95. As Mother Nature pursued her
springtime rituals, I was very content and relaxed to be a participant and
observer of the unfolding annual wonders taking place. Translated as blessed.
On January
28, 2020, I attended the New York Sportsmen’s Advisory Council’s Legislative Caucus
at the State Capital in Albany. We
interacted with a group of Senate and Assembly members in an easy flowing and
friendly gathering. We were able to
discuss the Council’s two policy priorities; 1.
Encouraging Youth Participation in Hunting and, 2. Expanding Access to Crossbow Use Afield.
New York’s
hunting population is rapidly aging. If
new hunters aren’t proactively recruited, conservation funding for DEC and the
time-honored tradition will be seriously threatened. New York is the only state that requires new
hunters to reach age 14 before being able to hunt game with a firearm. A significant number of youth and adults are
leaving New York to pursue big game in adjoining states.
Hunting is a
wonderful opportunity for parents to introduce their children to nature,
conservation and responsible wildlife management. It also teaches respect for the law, ethical
behavior and proper firearms handling and safety.
Expanding
access to crossbow use afield by classifying the crossbow as archery equipment
and requiring a bow hunting privilege to be used in any season is an excellent
opportunity to implement the 3Rs – Recruit, Retain and Reactivate hunters.
Preliminary
figures indicate there were more youth and adult license sales this year for
the Spring season. Expanding access to
crossbow use would stimulate a similar demand during the Fall season.
Youth
mentoring would motivate inactive hunters to return to the sport and share
their knowledge with the novice hunters.
Being able to go afield in nice autumn weather would be an incentive for
reactivating former sportspeople.
Cornell
University’s Deer Hunter Survey for DEC found a majority of New York deer
hunters (including a majority of bow hunters and numerous bow hunting
instructors) support legalization of crossbows.
DEC is in favor of such legislation. The federal government defines the
crossbow as a “bow” and the Internal Revenue Service designates crossbows,
accessories attached to them and their arrows as archery equipment subject to
the archery excise tax.
Infectious
disease experts are saying COVID-19 will continue to be a serious major threat
in the Fall. Translate as stressed.
If these two
reasonable policy priorities were to become law, it will be a benefit to
sportspeople of all ages and it will provide an economic benefit to New York
businesses by increasing sales, promoting tourism related spending and attracting
non-residents to New York. An obvious
bonus for New York would be increased license sales and tax revenues. For me, who is long of tooth, it will
encourage me to bow hunt all season, socially distanced and masked. Translate as blessed.
If you are
in agreement with the two policy priorities, it is imperative you contact state
legislators and the governor as adamantly and quickly as possible as they are
stressed and blessed, also.
Well said
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