New Law Changes Hunting In New York State

Hunting and sporting enthusiasts have had fun showing their skills in various shooting and hunting events nationwide. It has been quite popular all over America, from trap and skeet shooting to various types of wildlife killing and trapping events. While many Americans, including a large amount of New Yorkers, enjoy these sports, there are quite a few people who feel that some of them are barbaric.

The ground swell against some hunting contests has grown so much in New York that the Empire State has recently changed its hunting laws to make them illegal.

New York Changes Hunting Laws To Ban Certain Wildlife Contests

Initially introduced in the New York State Legislature on March 07, 2013, New York State Senate Bill S4099 / Assembly Bill A2917 was finally passed in both houses and signed by the Governor on December 22, 2023.

This new law changed New York's Environmental Conversation Laws and now makes it illegal for New Yorkers to participate in certain hunting contests, competitions, and tournaments that hunt different kinds of wildlife.

The law doesn't outright ban hunting or fishing, nor does it impact most rifle, bow, and muzzle hunting. Still, it makes it unlawful to have killing contests that compete for people who kill the most coyotes, foxes, bobcats, squirrels, raccoons, crows, and other animal species in New York. It doesn't matter if the award is for cash or prizes.

This bill will make it unlawful for any person to organize, sponsor, conduct, promote or participate in any contest, competition, tournament, or derby with the objective of taking or hunting wildlife for prizes for other inducement, or for entertainment. This does not include contests for hunting white-tailed deer, turkey, bear, or fishing contests.
-New York State Legislature

In September 2023, New York State Senator Tim Kennedy spoke with the Buffalo News about the bill before it became law, and he expanded on why he thought New York needed to move forward with passing this law.

We’re talking about competitions that kill wildlife purely under the disgusting guise of entertainment. It’s barbaric. And it’s downright inhumane... We’re simply doing what’s right, it’s not a political issue; it’s an issue of humanity.
-Tim Kennedy, New York State Senator, speaking to the Buffalo News

This now makes New York the 10th state in America to pass such a law, with California being the first.