Letters Of Thanks From Our Troops

Current News

Updated April 11, 2008

Send payment & ticket stub to:
New York Bowhunters
SUPER DRAW RAFFLE
C/O Jim Eichinger
169 Thurston Ave
Kenmore, NY 14217

Letter To Commissioner Grannis From President: Gary Socola
PDF Required Click Here

On March 9th 2008, George from Tollgate Archery will once again be hosting the 5th Annual Youth Camp Benefit Shoot at his shop, located on US HWY 20 in West Winfield. As always the proceeds raised at this event will go to support the NYB Youth Camp Program.
This shoot will take place indoors at his shop with 10 3-D targets set up in 5 stations, you shoot through 3 times for a possible score of 300. There will be four classes Mens Release, Mens fingers, Womens Compound and Traditional awards for first place in each class will be a one year membership to the NYB, if you are a life member then that is $20 more dollars we raised for the program, if you choose to donate it back to the proceeds raised. There will be NYB merchandise and a 50/50 raffle also available.

For more information contact George at archery@tollgatearchery.com or at 315-822-5893. Pass this along to others lets make this the best one yet, we normally raise $300 to $500 dollars with this event.
 

2008 Archery Season 7 Days Shorter!

The 2008 southern zone early archery season opens October 18th, resulting in a short 28 day season vs. 35 days in 2007. This includes our loss of a primary weekend of hunting during the November rut. The DEC regulation change of 2005 opens the season on a Saturday, resulting in 7 lost hunting days in 2008. In 2004, the southern zone early archery season was a total of 38 days under the old system of opening the season on October 15th. When compared to 2008, that's a total loss of 10 archery hunting days. NYB fought to compensate archers for this loss, asking for an earlier southern zone opener. Regrettably, few bowhunters made their voices heard. NYB continues this fight and we need bowhunters to voice their support individually and by becoming an NYB member. Together we can;

• Open the Southern Zone early archery season Oct. 1st.
• Open the Northern Zone archery season Sept. 1st.
• Get youth/women archers hunting in warmer weather.
• Better accommodate physically challenged archers.
• Harvest more does.

Help us get back your seasons, by contacting the DEC immediately to voice your displeasure. E-mails can be sent to the DEC at fwwildlf@gw.dec.state.ny.us or send an individual letter to the DEC at the address below. Members may also send the attached form letter.

Peter Grannis - NYS DEC Commissioner • 625 Broadway - 14th Floor • Albany, New York 12233-1011

SAMPLE LETTER TO SEND

Name:
Street:
City/State/Zip:


NYS DEC Commissioner Peter Grannis
625 Broadway - 14th Floor
Albany, New York 12233-1011

Dear Commissioner Grannis,

I am writing in regards to a matter of importance to the New York sporting community. In 2005 the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) enacted a regulation change that opened the southern zone, early archery-only season on the Saturday after Columbus Day, ending on the 3rd Friday in November.
As a result of this 2005 regulation change the 2008 early archery season in the southern zone opens on October 18th, resulting in a shortened 28 days as compared to a 35 day season in 2007. Thus the 2008 season is seven (7) days shorter than the 2007 season and up to ten (10) days shorter when compared to the old season structure that always opened on October 15th and ended on the Sunday before the regular gun season.
To compensate for this loss of hunting opportunity, while allowing additional hunting time for young hunters, women and the physically challenged during more ideal warmer weather conditions, it would be advantageous to annually open the southern zone, early archery season at the beginning of the license year on October 1st and the northern zone archery season on September 1st. The additional hunting opportunity would also assist the DEC in their efforts to manage the deer herd via increased harvest of antlerless deer. Antlerless deer are still in their early season feeding patterns at the beginning of October, thus allowing hunters an advantage to pattering their movements.
Thank you for listening to my concerns and I am hopeful that future early archery-only seasons will open on October 1st in the southern zone and September 1st in the northern zone. The northern and southern zone archery season closures could end following the current structure.
 

Sincerely yours,
 

FOUNDATION TO PROVIDE FREE HUNT TO DISABLED VETERAN 

The Jack Creek Preserve Foundation will be giving a quality bow hunt for either elk or black bear to a U.S. veteran that was wounded and disabled while serving in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

The Jack Creek Preserve, a 5,000 acre wildlife preserve near Ennis, Montana, consists of wild and scenic mountain country that has been set aside to conserve and protect wildlife and its habitat while also developing into a Youth Education Center. The major focus of the Foundation’s mission is to provide educational opportunities that give young people a deeper understanding and involvement with habitat and ecology, wildlife management, hunter conservationists, ethical hunting, and bowhunting.  Among the Foundation’s board of directors are representatives of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Pope and Young Club, and Boone and Crockett Club.

Rich in wildlife resources, the landscape provides a wildlife corridor between the northern and southern portions of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness area.  Bowhunting for elk and black bears is the primary hunting being conducted as part of the Foundation’s efforts to directly support young hunters and others. The auctioned elk hunts that have been provided by the Foundation to various national organizations have consistently sold for several thousand dollars. Hunter success is generally greater than 50%. A 7X7 elk was taken in 2006 that scored 368.

The opportunity to participate in one of these high quality bow hunts will be given free to a U.S. military veteran that was wounded and disabled while serving in either Iraq or Afghanistan.  The JCPF is able to accommodate a veteran that may have suffered severe physical disabilities.  Cabin lodging will be provided and Foundation personnel will assist the hunt recipient to insure that he or she enjoys a truly outstanding bowhunting experience.      

The deadline to apply for the hunt is Feb. 1, 2008. Applications can be obtained by e-mailing the Foundation at doublef@3rivers.net or through the mail to Double F Foundation, P.O. Box 3, Ennis, MT 59729.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bowhunters Send Gift Boxes to Troops Serving in Iraq 

LaFayette, NY - 4/10/07 - New York Bowhunters, Inc. (NYB) just held their 12^th annual Banquet in Syracuse, NY on March 31st.  This is the organizations biggest fund raiser of the year.  For the second consecutive year, NYB members have collected Gift Boxes to be forwarded to troops serving in Iraq and other countries around the world.    Boxes contain hygiene products, socks, magazines, etc. for the troops and cost NYB about $1/lb to ship around the world. 

The program within NYB was the brain child of NYB member Ed Gorch.  This year Ed enlisted the help of friends, neighbors, churches and organizations in NYS to assist the members of NYB bringing Gift Boxes to the 2007 Banquet.  Donations were received from Troop 4 Cub Scouts from Schoharie, Sunny Hill Golf Course, Norton Hill Wildlife Club, Greene County Federation of Sportsmen, Catskill Wal-Mart and the First Church of Albany, along with many individuals and NYB members.  Ed states “Last year we collected 85 boxes, which totaled 420 lbs. This year at this time we have 170 boxes and counting. The men, women and children that collected these boxes are trying to let the troops know they support and care for them.”  Ed explains that there is a website www.anysoldier.com where individuals can go to learn more or to help directly themselves.

New York Bowhunters, Inc. was formed in 1991 to promote bowhunting, educate hunters and non-hunters, and to fight anti-hunting legislation.  NYB’s Banquet helps to raise money for the various programs NYB runs throughout the year such as their youth archery camps, youth hunts, physically challenged program and supports special projects such as the “Boxes for Troops” and the establishment of an archery range for troops serving in Iraq.

NYB can be contacted at P.O. Box 619 LaFayette, N.Y. 13084 or by phone at 315-696-6365. 

The North American Bowhunting Coalition (NABC)
PO Box 493 • Chatfield, MN 55923 

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CD On Assisting The Physically Challenged and Aging Bowhunter Released

Chatfield, MN - 4/3/07 - The North American Bowhunting Coalition has released their educational CD entitled “Adaptive Equipment for the Physically Challenged and Aging Bowhunter”.  The creation of the CD took well over a year to produce and includes hundreds of hours of research time.  The CD is based on successful Physically Challenged programs being run in New York and Montana with its funding being provided by New York Bowhunters, Inc. 

The adaptive equipment depicted and described in the CD are currently in use throughout North America.  Many states and provinces have set up Physically Challenged programs through their bowhunting organizations.  These programs utilize the adaptive equipment to assist bowhunters both within and out of their respective states.   The CD provides aging and Physically Challenged bowhunters the direction required for them to once again enjoy the outdoors with bowhunting gear.

NABC Physically Challenged Chairman Gary Socola states “There is a misconception by aging bowhunters or bowhunters that have gone through a life changing injury that they can no longer hunt with conventional archery gear and therefore, need a crossbow or firearm to continue to hunt in the outdoors.  This CD provides the tools and direction to get these individuals back into bowhunting”.  NABC Chairman Denny Ballard commented that “The outdoor bowhunting community was in dire need of an educational tool which could assist game agencies, bowhunting organizations, legislative representatives, archery related businesses, physical therapists, medical professionals and the general public about the adaptive equipment available to assist bowhunters of all ages and physical challenges”. 

A horrific car accident left George Bolender of New York a quadriplegic, but his passion for bowhunting didn’t stop.  Using adaptive equipment, George has successfully harvested several big game animals with his bow while seated in his wheelchair.  George believes this “CD is the most comprehensive information available on assisting the physically challenged bowhunter”.

The North American Bowhunting Coalition (NABC) was formed in 2005 and is comprised of state, provincial and national bowhunting organizations and works on behalf of current and future generations of bowhunters to promote, preserve and defend the ideals of bowhunting.  The Adaptive Equipment CD can be ordered directly from the NABC, free of charge at PO Box 493 • Chatfield, MN 55923.  The educational program can also be viewed in its entirety on the NABC website at http://www.nabowhuntingcoalition.com/.   For additional information, please contact Gary Socola, NABC Physically Challenged Chairman at 585-624-2419.  The organization’s next major project will be a similar educational CD on Urban Deer Management Programs. 

JACK CREEK PRESERVE FOUNDATION
Contact: Jon & Dottie Fossel, Co-Chairpersons (406) 682-7930
Linda Schott, Executive Director (406) 682-7645

 FOUNDATION TO PROVIDE FREE HUNT TO WOUNDED VETERAN

The Jack Creek Preserve Foundation will be giving a quality bow hunt in 2007 for either elk or spring black bear to a U.S. veteran that was wounded while serving in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

The Jack Creek Preserve, a 5,000 acre wildlife preserve near Ennis, Montana, consists of wild and scenic mountain country that has been set aside to conserve and protect wildlife and its habitat while also developing into a Youth Education Center. The major focus of the Foundation’s mission is to provide educational opportunities that give young people a deeper understanding and involvement with habitat and ecology, wildlife management, hunter conservationists, ethical hunting, and bowhunting.  Among the Foundation’s board of directors are representatives of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Pope and Young Club, and Boone and Crockett Club.

Rich in wildlife resources, the landscape provides a wildlife corridor between the northern and southern portions of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness area.  Bowhunting for elk and spring black bears is the primary hunting being conducted as part of the Foundation’s efforts to directly support young hunters and others. The auctioned elk hunts that have been provided by the Foundation to various national organizations have consistently sold for several thousand dollars. Hunter success is generally greater than 30%. A 7X7 elk was taken in 2005 that scored 368.

The opportunity to participate in one of these high quality bow hunts will be given free to a disabled U.S. military veteran that was wounded while serving in either Iraq or Afghanistan.  The JCPF is able to accommodate a veteran that may have suffered severe physical disabilities.  Cabin lodging will be provided and Foundation personnel will assist the hunt recipient to insure that he or she enjoys a truly outstanding bowhunting experience.    

The deadline to apply for the hunt is Feb. 20, 2007. Applications can be obtained by e-mailing the Foundation at doublef@3rivers.net or through the mail to Double F Foundation, P.O. Box 3, Ennis, MT 59729.

BOWHUNTING COALITION MEETS

Chatfield, MN -  A meeting of the state and provincial-level bowhunting organizations was held at the Pope & Young Club’s headquarters in Chatfield, Minnesota on August 6^th & 7^th to further address important bowhunting issues that were identified at the National Bowhunting Summit held in Springfield, Missouri last April.

Attended by 41 representatives of 33 organizations in 29 states and Canadian provinces, the Minnesota conferees completed a crossbow position statement, were taught by experienced bowhunting activists how to strengthen their political skills and how to build a more effective bowhunting organization. They addressed the increased anti-bowhunting threat, began work on a program to assist physically challenged archers to shoot modified conventional bows and developed plans to prepare a position paper on high fenced hunting.  Dr. Dave Samuel served as moderator for the conference.  

The attending organizational reps of the National Bowhunting Summit group established the North American Bowhunting Coalition (NABC).  Denny Ballard, of Missouri, was elected chairman of the coalition’s steering committee. A significant action taken was to assign boundaries to four NABC regions that encompass the entire North American continent. All state and provincial-level bowhunting organizations are automatically part of the NABC by virtue of their status as a state or provincial-level bowhunting group.

The overall purpose of the NABC is to provide a communications link and organizational structure whereby the state and provincial organizations can effectively work together to provide strong support for the welfare of bowhunting throughout the United States and Canada.

Denny Ballard, NABC’s new chairman says, “It’s hard to believe that, up to now, three million bowhunters in the U.S. and Canada have had no national level representation in matters that have directly affected their sport.  That day has passed as the North American Bowhunting Coalition will provide a forum for bowhunters, through their state and provincial-level bowhunting organizations, to protect and support bowhunting as national issues are deliberated.  It’s only fair and right that the men and women that have been pulling the load for bowhunting over the years have a say in where their sport is heading.”  

As the result of the National Bowhunting Summit meetings it was abundantly clear that the organized bowhunting community is strongly opposed to the growing trend by game agencies of permitting crossbows to be used in bow seasons.  A position statement on the crossbow issue was developed and was signed on to by 72 bowhunting organizations and bowhunting related businesses.  The position taken is that, “crossbows are not bows and therefore should not be permitted in bow seasons or in archery-only hunting areas.”

“Our coalition organizations are the bulwark of bowhunting,” Ballard said.  “They have opened the entry gate for thousands of new archers to enter our sport throughout decades of service to their local communities and have been reliable partners of our state game agencies as well. We know bowhunting and have earned our place at the table.  Crossbow hunting has not.”

“We see dangers, too, in promoting the commercial profiteering of crossbows at the expense of our natural resources,” Ballard said.  “It’s a slippery slope.  No user group exists for crossbow hunting and yet the public trustees of our natural resources are being pandered to by crossbow manufacturers and the commerce of hunting to allow crossbow hunting in bow seasons when no public interest exists.

For the protection and welfare of bowhunting’s future, the North American Bowhunting Coalition looks forward to working with the many entities that comprise the continent’s bowhunting community

NABC chairman Denny Ballard can be contacted at twangdrb@earthlink.net.     

Aug. 5, 2005

 To Whom It May Concern,

 The representatives of 32 state and provincial-level bowhunting organizations met on April 17-18 in Springfield, Missouri at the first “NATIONAL BOWHUNTING SUMMIT”.  The purpose of the summit was to share information and develop strategies to resolve issues of greatest concern and to establish a permanent communications network of bowhunting organizations that will work together on behalf of bowhunting.

 A major issue addressed by the summit attendees was the use of crossbows during archery-only hunting seasons.  It was immediately apparent that the attendees were unified as being strongly opposed to the use of crossbows in any bowhunting season.  State and provincial representatives unanimously agreed that crossbows are not bows and should not be allowed in archery-only seasons.

 A hunting bow is recognized as a compound, recurve or longbow that is hand-drawn and that has no mechanical device to enable the hunter to lock the bow at full or partial draw.  Crossbows, on the other hand, are locked at full draw by a trigger, utilize a rifle-like stock, have rigidly controlled internal ballistics, can readily be shot from a rest and typically use a telescopic sight.  A crossbow’s characteristics are so vastly different from those of conventional bows that summit attendees agreed that crossbows would negatively impact bowhunting seasons if allowed in archery-only seasons.

While the group recognized and supported the rights of hunters who choose to use other legal weapons in separate hunting seasons, they stood unanimously opposed to any effort to establish hunting season regulations where the ultimate aim is the inclusion of crossbows in bowhunting seasons or in archery-only areas.

The below signed organizations and bowhunting-related businesses have joined the National Bowhunting Summit conferees in believing that, in order to preserve the integrity of bowhunting, it is vital that crossbows not be permitted in bow seasons or archery-only hunting areas.  

Respectfully,  

Alabama Society of Traditional Bowmen
Alaskan Bowhunters Association
Alberta Bowhunters Association
Alberta Traditional Bowhunters
Archery Big Bucks of Missouri
Archery Past (OR)
Association of Traditional Hunting Archers
Bayou State Bowhunters (LA)
Bob’s  Archery Sales (CO)
Bowhunting Council of Oklahoma
Bowhunters of Alabama
Bowhunters of Wyoming
Carolina Traditional Archers
Traditional Bowhunters of Montana
Colorado Bowhunters Association
Traditional Bowhunters of Washington
Compton Traditional Bowhunters
United Bowhunters of Connecticut
Georgia Bowhunters Association  
United Bowhunters of Illinois
Green Mountain Traditional Bowhunters
United Bowhunters of Kentucky
Horse Creek Traditional Archery Club (FL) 
United Bowhunters of Missouri
Idaho State Bowhunters
United Bowhunters of New Jersey
Idaho Traditional Bowhunters 
United Bowhunters Pennsylvania 
Illinois Bowhunters Society     
Virginia Bowhunters Association
Indiana Bowhunters Association  
Wakulla Archery Club (FL)
Iowa Bowhunters Association  
Washington State Bowhunters 
Iowa Traditional Bowhunters Society
Washington State Archery Association
Kansas Bowhunters Association  
West Virginia Bowhunters Association
Lone Star Bowhunters Association (TX)
Wisconsin Bowhunters Association
Maine Bowhunters Association
Maine Traditional Archers
Maryland Bowhunters Society
Massachusetts Bowhunters Association
Michigan Bow Hunters Association
Michigan Traditional Bowhunters
Minnesota Bowhunters, Inc.
Mississippi Bowhunters Association
Missouri Bow Hunters Association
Montana Bowhunters Association
Nebraska Bowhunters Association
Nebraska Traditional Archers
New York Bowhunters, Inc.
North Carolina Bowhunters Association
North Dakota Bowhunters Association
Northern Bowhunters Association (AB)
Ohio Bowhunters Association
Oregon Bow Hunters
Pennyslvania Association of Traditional Hunting Archers
Pope and Young Club
Professional Bowhunters Society
South Carolina Bowhunters Association
South Dakota Bowhunters, Inc.
Suburban Whitetail Management of North Georgia 
Suncoast Archers, Inc. (FL)
Tallahassee Bowhunters Association (FL)
Traditional Bowhunters of California   
Traditional Bowhunter Magazine
Traditional Archers of New Jersey                                                     
Traditional Archers of Oregon
Traditional Bowhunters of Florida
Traditional Bowhunters of Georgia
 

May 2, 2005


Dear Archery Trade Association Board of Directors: 

On April 17 & 18, 2005 representatives of state, national and Canadian bowhunting organizations met in Springfield MO at the National Bowhunting Summit to share information and unite to protect the future of bowhunting. 

We universally consider the intrusion of crossbows into archery seasons as the most imminent and critical threat to the future of bowhunting as we know it. We are in unanimous agreement that crossbows are not bows and have no place in archery seasons, except where already allowed for the physically disabled. 

We agreed that bowhunting, like most other sports, needs to have a leadership organization to set standards and limits that insure and protect it’s future. Historically, archery manufacturers and their leaders took on some of that responsibility and put the best interest of bowhunting before their own.

After reviewing your Position Statement About Crossbows and learning of other activities to undermine our bow seasons, it appears at this time that we can’t depend on the ATA to help us win this battle against crossbows as bows. In fact it is now clear that in large part, it has been the effort of our own ATA that we have been fighting against. It is bitterly disappointing to realize that we may have to spend large portions of our individual and collective resources to defeat those that we had actually expected to be leaders in protecting our sport and heritage. 

We find it difficult to understand how the interest of a non-archery product can control the Archery Trade Association, especially when that product threatens to displace or destroy most of what your industry and our sport were built upon.

In our opinion, your stated position is clearly not in the best interest of bowhunting. Given that, and to avoid more potential conflicts that will hurt us all, we respectfully request that ATA instead take a leadership role in clearly disassociating crossbows from conventional archery equipment and absolutely opposing the further intrusion of crossbows into any bowhunting season. 

Please consider this carefully and understand that, with or without the ATA, we will, together with our members and responsible bowhunters everywhere, take action on every front to protect the integrity of bowhunting.

Thank you.
Sincerely,

Alaskan Bowhunters Association 
Alberta Bowhunters Association 
Bayou State Bowhunters 
Bowhunters of Alabama 
Colorado Bowhunters Association
United Bowhunters of Connecticut 
Traditional Bowhunters of Florida
Traditional Bowhunters of Georgia 
Idaho State Bowhunters 
Idaho Traditional Bowhunters
United Bowhunters of Illinois 
Illinois Bowhunters Society 
Indiana Bowhunters Association 
Iowa Bowhunters Association 
Kansas Bowhunters Association 
United Bowhunters of Kentucky
Maine Bowhunters Association 
Michigan Bow Hunters Association 
Minnesota Bowhunters, Inc. 
Mississippi Bowhunters Association
Missouri Bow Hunters Association 
United Bowhunters of Missouri 
United Bowhunters of New Jersey 
New York Bowhunters, Inc.
North Carolina Bowhunters Association 
North Dakota Bowhunters Association 
Bowhunting Council of Oklahoma 
Oregon Bow Hunters 
Traditional Archers of Oregon 
United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania 
South Dakota Bowhunters, Inc. 
Lone Star Bowhunters Association (TX)
Washington State Bowhunters 
Washington State Archery Association 
Virginia Bowhunters Association 
Wisconsin Bowhunters Association 
Bowhunters of Wyoming
Suburban Whitetail Management of North Georgia 
Georgia Bowhunters Association
Nebraska Bowhunters Association
Archery Big Bucks of Missouri
South Carolina Bowhunters Association
Michigan Traditional Bowhunters
Massachusetts Bowhunters Association
Traditional Bowhunters of Washington
Compton Traditional Bowhunters 
Professional Bowhunters Society 
Pope and Young Club 

Letters Of Thanks From Our Troops