New York Bowhunters, Inc. (NYB) has grown since our inception in 1991 and with this growth we have added several different programs which enrich the lives of our members and the lives of the individuals that live within New York State and to others outside of NY. These programs include;  

Youth Archery Camps

ATTEND AN NYB YOUTH CAMP THIS SUMMER!

In the fall of 1992, NYB gave birth to the idea that a camp for young people could help recruit new participants into the sport of bowhunting. Together with a small group of New York State certified Bowhunter Education instructors and assistance from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), a program was developed to bring young people from all over the State to week- end long camps and instruct them in the ways of bowhunting and archery.

In the summer of 1993, the very first youth camp was held. The inaugural Camp was at Turkey Trot Acres, a hunting lodge and guiding service in Candor, Tioga County. Six NYB volunteers staffed this first ever Youth Bowhunter Camp instructing the aspiring bowhunters in all aspects of the sport. In addition to a complete New York State Bowhunter Education Course, the young people were given instruction on basic tuning of their equipment and arrow construction from the raw shaft to the completed arrow. The attendees were also schooled on the safe use of tree stands, the difficult art of blood trailing, the effective use of maps and compasses and the importance of ethical behavior when a field.

The Youth Bowhunter Camp program has grown from one Camp in Region 7 to at least one Camp each in Regions 3, 4, 6, 7, 8. This program is provided at no cost to any young person in New York State, aged 11 through 16 years of age. To date, NYB has hosted more than 1000 young people in an effort to secure the future of bowhunting in New York. Camps typically run from noon on Friday till noon on Sunday. All food, lodging, equipment and related materials are provided by NYB. Experience is not necessary and equipment will be provided to campers who do not already have their own gear. Campers who do have their own archery gear are encouraged to bring it to camp with them. Campers need to bring a sleeping bag, pillow, towels and any personal effects. Both male and female chaperones are present throughout the weekend and we encourage any parents who would like to attend camp to do so.

Youths throughout the state can experience many different aspects of our sport. Activities that may be covered at camp include; lots of practice time on the archery range, aerial targets, bowfishing, seminars on turkey hunting and scents/lures or on how to build a bow, as well as talks by the local Environmental Conservation Officers. Since camp is for both girls and boys, we sometimes experience some competition amongst the sexes. We typically have from 2-5 girls who attend camp and many of these girls turn out to be the best shots and game trackers in camp. We have also had campers who were not interested in bowhunting at all but just wanted to learn about archery. Whatever a camper’s interest may be, we’ll find a place for you at camp.

On the last day of camp, campers typically take their NYS bowhunter certification course, which will allow them to purchase their NYS bowhunting license when they reach 14 years of age. Also on the last day, campers receive nice gifts donated by NYB and many of the seminar speakers or staff. All campers receive an NYB Youth Camp T-shirt and possibly other articles such as hats, compasses etc. NYB’s youth camp program is put on by the most dedicated archers in New York who want to see our great sport passed on to future generations where it will continue to grow and prosper for all to enjoy. If you think you would like to attend one of NYB’s youth archery camps, please contact us for an application by either sending us an E-mail at nyboffice@newyorkbowhunters.com  or by writing to New York Bowhunters Inc. at P.O. Box 1157 Canandaigua, NY 14424. 

Class time by Certified NYS Instructors

Archery; not just for boys anymore!        

Physically Challenged Committee 

There has been an intense effort to permit individuals with disabilities to use a crossbow during the archery-only season here in NY. Most of the requests are made by crossbow manufacturers and known crossbow supporters. Bowhunters are very skeptical of such actions since they are just an attempt by crossbow promoters to get a foot in the door for enhanced seasons in the future.
Many bowhunters who are physically challenged use modified archery equipment to successfully take big game. These hunters include individuals who are blind, wheelchair bound, those with the use of only one arm, people with very little body mobility and many others. Crossbow promoters are saying that the physically challenged, seniors, youth, and female hunters need the crossbow to participate in the archery only season. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is just another attempt to invade the archery-only seasons under the disguise of helping the “Weak". Women, youth and seniors are currently enjoying all hunting seasons without the use of the crossbow. With let-off’s of 85% or more on modem compound bows, a person pulling 35 pounds is only holding 5 pounds at full draw. For those few individuals that can not draw a bow, there is the "Handicapped Archers Permit". The permit allows qualified individuals to hunt with a bow equipped with a wide variety of available devices. The NYB Physically Challenged Committee has helped many individuals in this regard and will continue to do so. 

The Physically Challenged Committee was formed to assist those Physically Challenged hunters who thought that they would never again be able to bowhunt, to in fact enjoy our sport once again. The NYB Physically Challenged Committee has led the nation in developing innovative accessories and techniques which allows Physically Challenged hunters to legally bowhunt with modified archery equipment. The Physically Challenged Committee has helped numerous hunters from across New York State and the country to get back out into the outdoors to enjoy bowhunting once again. This list of hunters includes paraplegics, quadriplegics, amputees, the blind and the deaf to name just a few. Many other hunters with various illnesses and diseases have also been helped by the committee.
For more information on available physical challenged equipment, please contact NYB or DEC, Hunter Education Dept. at 50 Wolf Rd., Albany, NY 12233. An informative video tape titled "ARCHERY: THE SPIRIT IS ALIVE" may be obtained for $21.95 from: The US Archer, 7315 N San Anna Drive, Tucson, AZ 85704. The video highlights many of devices that are available to the physical challenged hunter. Physically Challenged Hunts

Happy Hunters at one of NYB’s Physically Challenged hunts  

  
    The Physically Challenged Committee decided early on that they would not only assist disabled hunters in getting back into the sport of archery but also show them how. The idea of a Physically Challenged Hunt came to light and with hard work and perseverance. The first Physically Challenged Hunt was held in the fall of 1997. The NYB PC Hunt has been an annual event ever since. The hunt is typically held earlier in the season to try and accommodate warmer temperatures for the Physically Challenged hunters. Physically Challenged bowhunters from across New York State and the country have attended this ground breaking event. Hunts are typically held on private land with facilities available to accommodate bowhunters of any physical level. Hunters are encouraged to harvest female deer (does) in order to assist the hosting land owner in controlling the deer population on their land. Hunter success rates have been varied but they typically seem to fall in line with the success rates of non-Physically Challenged hunters. 

Adaptive Equipment (Click Here) 

Camo to Camo Program  

NYB was made aware that a US Army Major in Iraq was hoping to build a bow range. He felt archery would provide a “good break” for his soldiers. Our members responded by getting targets & equipment donated and sent to our troops. (For the full story take a look at “NYB at Work in Iraq” on our  Accomplishments page) This developed into our “Camo to Camo” committee which started a “gift box” program that annually sends hundreds of pounds of gift boxes to American troops serving in the Mid-east. Take a look at our link called Letters From Our Troops to see how appreciated NYB is for this effort. The “Camo to Camo” program expanded to sending wounded veterans on free hunts. NYB is proud to be able to offer these benefits to our brave young Americans keeping all of us safe. For more information on this program or if you would like to make a gift box donation please contact Ed Gorch at annaed@mhcable.com  

Urban Deer Committee 

New York Bowhunters, Inc. recognized the importance of forming an Urban Deer Committee (UDC) early on in the formation of the organization. The idea garnished in 1992 and began to pickup steam in 1993. Since inception, the Urban Deer Committee has been involved with local and state officials working hand in hand in areas where deer were plentiful but a firearms season was not allowed because of habitation by large numbers of people. Two such areas where NYB’s UDC has had a huge impact are in the town of Irondequoit, a suburb of Rochester, NY (Monroe County) and Erwin, NY, a suburb of Corning, NY. There had not been any hunting in Monroe County Parks for over 30 years, so when NYB Monroe County Rep. Don Plant took on the project there, he knew he was in for a long and turbulent ride. Through hard work, factual information, innovation and public relations Don was able to get a limited bowhunt started in the town in 1996. That first year there was only 8 qualifying bowhunters but they had an astonishing success rate of 50%, by harvesting 4 deer. The program has grown in hunter numbers and success ever since. In fact, the annual bait and shoot program which was utilized by the town of Irondequoit to keep the deer numbers down to a safe level has been totally replaced with NYB’s bowhunting program. See hunter success information for 1996 through 2003 found below.


Irondequoit Bowhunting Program – A Huge Success by Donald E. Plant

In 1996, after over 30 years of no hunting, the town of Irondequoit, New York, a suburb of Rochester, New York approved a very limited bowhunting program. The town’s deer population was exploding and the bait and shoot program which was implemented sometime earlier was becoming a very expensive management program. In this program, Sheriff Sharpshooters would shoot deer with high powered rifles in restricted areas of the town at night over piles of food left out for bait. This program although effective was very costly; therefore, a bowhunting program was adopted to determine it’s effectiveness in urban areas. New York Bowhunters Inc. (NYB) Monroe County Representative Donald Plant was instrumental in working with the DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation), Irondequoit town officials and the local law enforcement in order to bring this program to fruition. After 8 years, the program has been greatly expanded and has been extremely successful.

Since it’s inception, the bowhunting program has grown from 8 hunters who took 4 deer, to 48 hunters who took 79 deer in 2003. Additionally, the number of sites have grown from 4 to 46 during the same time period. The sites include both town and private land. The best part of this success story is that the bowhunting program has been so successful that it has replaced the bait and shoot management program and is the only management tool currently being used to cull the deer herd within the town. Furthermore and most importantly, it has been done safely. None of the scenarios which were presented by non-hunting organizations or town members in the early days of discussion about the introduction of the bowhunt within the town have ever come close to being remotely true.

The town’s bowhunting program is in fact more restrictive than the current state law as it applies to bowhunting. The hunting is conducted Monday through Friday only, from sunrise to 11am. Furthermore, hunters are required to take an antlerless deer first before being allowed an opportunity at an antlered or buck deer. Because this program is designed to reduce the deer herd and manage its population within safe limits, it is of the utmost importance that antlerless deer are removed from the population. Therefore, hunters are encouraged to take as many antlerless deer as is legally possible. Currently, a hunter has a regular hunting license, plus a DMU permit (Deer Management Permit) for the 8C area (this permit allows a hunter to take more than 1 antlerless deer) and a DMAP permit (Deer Management Assistance Program) for two additional deer, as issued by the town. Some hunters have taken as many as 8 deer. The season starts October 15th and runs through the last day of the late season. There is only 1 break which is the first two days of gun season. Hunters also must pass a shooting proficiency test, have taken a deer with a bow and pay a $20 fee to participate in the hunt. The urban deer management program developed by NYB and local officials has been a huge success and if it can work in a major suburb of Rochester, New York it can work in other urban and metropolitan areas as well. Please see TABLE 1 for a breakdown of hunter results over the length of the Urban Deer Bowhunting Program in Irondequoit.  

TABLE 1
Irondequoit Bowhunting Program