State implements hunting changes: Crossbows now allowed for deer
A change introduced in January on deer hunting on Long Island doesn’t affect Shelter Island, according to Beau Payne, a member of the Police Department who provides advice to the Deer & Tick Committee.
The new requirement that took effect at the start of the month applies to hunting on lands managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
Shelter Island managed sites are all local, with arrangements secured by Mr. Payne and the Deer & Tick Committee.
At a recent meeting of the Committee, member Julia Weisenberg has been mentoring youth hunters and some adults in a group called Kinfolk Collective on the Island.
“We have offered some experiences on Shelter Island teaching archery for the Town. Ahe also teaches Hunter Education and Bowhunting for the State Department of Environmental Conservation in western Suffolk County and Nassau County.
She has introduced hunters to property owners to establish relationships that can lead to opening more property owners to open their land to hunters.
Following the initial meeting, hunters explain the procedures they use to make it safe to have the land hunted.
The new regulations affecting DEC-managed sites have put an end to what had been a lottery system to gain permits to hunt those sites. Instead, hunters must register and those who gain the permits are selected on a first-come, first-served basis.
On the days for which the hunters receive permits, they must start by appearing at a check-in site on the day they’ve registered to hunt before proceeding to their chosen site.
A second change occurred prior to the 2025-26 big game hunting season with the New York State Legislature amending the Environmental Conservation Law expanding crossbow hunting for deer and bears.
The change has allowed crossbows to be used during the same seasons, places and manner as vertical bows.
Hunters must complete a Bowhunter Education Certification and purchase a bowhunting privilege in addition to their hunting licenses.
“The changes regarding the expanded use of crossbows have likely been beneficial to the Town in that it provides additional tools for hunters to use,” Mr. Payne said. He noted that’s particularly true among older hunters who may have been struggling with the physical aspects of vertical archery hunting.
