CHENANGO COUNTY – A struggle for decades, the years-long tug of war over the legalization and use of the crossbow as a hunting weapon in New York is finally over, with a few exceptions.

The identification of crossbow technology as a legitimate weapon into what some consider the purest form of hunting has been a long-time bone of contention among bow hunting sportsmen from all points of the New York map, including Chenango County.

In 2010, a two-year trial period was initiated across New York for crossbow use while hunting, and crossbow enthusiasts this past year could not use the device for anything but target shooting. Now, the crossbow has become a legal hunting device with the passage of Governor Andrew Cuomo's 2014-2015 fiscal year budget.

When the final budget was approved on April 1, the agreement included legalization of crossbows for hunting small and big game and portions of the archery seasons.

A key proponent to the success of the expansion was State Sen. Patrick Gallivan, who sponsored crossbow legislation. Over the past three years, Gallivan has held public hearings and forums, and proposed a Senate bill to establish the crossbow as a legal hunting device with seasons regulated by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

According to Rick McDermott of Pulaski, chairman of the New York Crossbow Coalition, pro-hunting groups such as the NRA, SCI, and NYS Conservation Council, gained the support of several other groups not affiliated with archery hunting and favored the crossbow legalization. “Organizations that partnered with our coalition also included the Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy and the New York State Farm Bureau,” said McDermott.