Published: May 11, 2007 12:44 am      

HUNTING LAWS: Wounded vet pushes for legalized crossbow hunting

Utah and New York are the only states where crossbow hunting is illegal. State Sen. George Maziarz and disabled Iraq War veteran Mark O’Brien are on a mission to change the law in the Empire State.

O’Brien, a 24-year-old Elma native, lost his right arm and leg during a rocket attack while serving as a Marine in Iraq on Nov. 8, 2004. O’Brien’s unit was engaged in a firefight in the city of Ramadi.

The Iroquois High School graduate was a patient at the Walter Reed hospital for nine months. He is now a sophomore at D’Youville College. He would like to hunt with a bow again but is unable. He has use a prosthetic limb replacements.

Maziarz, R-Newfane, and O’Brien visited Lockport City Hall on Thursday to make case for a change in the law.

“I tried to get back to the things I love doing and I loved hunting,” said O’Brien who played football and lacrosse and hunted with his father, David, and brother, Paul. “I wanted to get into crossbow hunting, but it’s illegal here.”

According to Maziarz, only about 12 people in the state can meet the criteria to hunt with a crossbow. In effect, it impacts people who do no have any use of an arm or leg.

“The law was put into effect so legislators could put out press releases saying that they put a law in effect,” the Niagara County representative said. “It really does not impact on anyone.”

O’Brien contacted state Sen. Dale M. Volker, R-Depew, who put him in contact with Maziarz. Maziarz has reintroduced legislation to legalize crossbow hunting in the state.

Maziarz intends to take O’Brien to Albany in order to lobby for the law and meet the chairman of the conservation committee.

“Unfortunately in the New York Legislature, there’s a lot of anti-hunting elements downstate, people who don’t want to see hunting expanded,” Maziarz said. “I want to show someone who did a lot for his country.”

O’Brien said, “I’ll do whatever it takes.”

A crossbow is like a compound bow that is turned horizontally. It can be cranked and cocked. It’s accurate hunting range is about 35 yards. It doesn’t have the force or power of a rifle, though new compound bows have more velocity.

Sportsmen would still need mandated hunter safety courses for crossbow hunting.

“Mostly the bowhunters don’t want crossbow users in their season, hunting their deer in their woods,” said longtime sportsman Bill Hilts Sr. “I always thought it belonged to all of us, but apparently not. The big objection is you can cock this. It takes away the challenge of pulling the bow back.”

The new legislation would make crossbow hunting legal and leave the hunting seasons up to the professionals.

Contact reporter Bill Wolcott at 439-9222, Ext. 6246.