Skip to main content

Hawley, Ranzenhofer introduce bill to allow big game hunting with rifles in Genesee County

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer and Assemblyman Stephen Hawley have introduced special legislation, S.1292/A.4367, in the New York State Legislature to allow the use of rifles for big game hunting in Genesee County.

“In several areas of New York State, sportsmen are allowed to hunt deer with rifles and this change in law would allow the use of rifles in Genesee County,” Ranzenhofer said. “As the this year’s session progresses, Assemblyman Hawley and I will be working together to get this bill signed into law.”

Assemblyman Stephen Hawley is sponsoring the bill in the State Assembly.

“Hunting is very popular in Western New York, and this legislation is being requested on behalf of the Genesee County Legislature. I am pleased to address concerns of local governing bodies from my district and will work with members of the Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee to bring this bill to the floor for a vote,” Hawley said.

Last fall, the Genesee County Legislature and the Genesee County Federation of Sportsman Club requested the special legislation to be introduced at the beginning of the 2015 Legislative Session.

Existing environmental conservation law only authorizes the use of pistols, shotguns, crossbows, muzzle-loading firearms or long bows when hunting deer from the first Saturday after Nov. 15 through the first Sunday after Dec. 7.

The bill has been referred to the Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation in the Senate. If enacted into law, the bill would take effect immediately.

Rich Richmond

Rifle hunting for deer hasn’t been allowed in Genesee County since the turn of the century. However other game hunting has been allowed for center fire rifles that are capable of taking a deer.

I’m sure the DEC can give more precise dates.

After that it was primarily shotguns for deer hunting by most hunters. In the late 1970’s handguns were allowed to take deer. We heard the usual doom and gloom; exaggerated hype and misinformation about suburbanites dodging bullets and such when the bill to allow it was brought up.

I attended the Genesee County Legislature Meeting where the vote to allow Rifle Hunting was taken and passed and the misinformation was debunked.

Many handguns used for deer are chambered for center fire rifle cartridges such as the Winchester thirty-thirty and more powerful ones. Load for load, the difference in a handgun verses the rifle is is approximately a loss of 10 to 20% loss of velocity,

Feb 12, 2015, 7:44am Permalink
Jason Crater

I think it's generally unnecessary for me. Most of the places I hunt would have a maximum range shot of about 150 yards.

Even if this passes, I'll probably stick with my 12 gauge slug gun.

Feb 12, 2015, 1:18pm Permalink
Rich Richmond

Again I will state; I was at the meeting and spoke for it. Seventy people took the time to show up in person to be heard.

Not one person; not ONE EXPERT spoke against it.

Excluding the experts; MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE 70 PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED ARE CONSTITUENTS!

I'm a constituent.

Two on the Legislature who voted no and Edward DeJaneiro Junior is one of them.

Between the two no votes; each mentioned a telephone call from one or two alleged anonymous constituents.....none of these mentioned alleged constituents could bother to show up and speak for themselves so great was their concern.

There were seventy living and breathing constituents attending for allowing Rifle hunting; many of them speaking; add to it the expert testimony; as opposed to the few anonymous allegedly against it. The Legislature weighed the issue correctly.

This leads me to wonder if the two Legislators, DeJaneiro included, had their mind made up before the meeting started and WOULD HAVE VOTED NO WHETHER 70 OR 700 PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO SPEAK FOR IT.

It makes me wonder if the no votes were influenced heavily by personal bias.

Feb 12, 2015, 5:13pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Letters don't have the impact of showing up and speaking in person. If you dont care enough to do that the legislators assume that you don't care about the issue.

Feb 12, 2015, 4:38pm Permalink
Rich Richmond

Jason,

Shotguns are a fine choice, I’ve use them because I have too; to each his own and good hunting.

I have a mint vintage Winchester 94 in the 32 Winchester Special-open sights that I’d like to take a deer with it in my home County; most likely under 100 yards.

As a Life NRA Member and a member and Scope; I look out for rights for all gun owners. I’ll not trample the rights of others and petition my Representatives because of what another chooses to hunt with.

Feb 12, 2015, 6:17pm Permalink
Ed Hartgrove

As I haven't been hunting in 52 years, I'm a little "under-informed" about NY hunting laws.
The article is specifically talking about big-game (deer, bear, and, maybe, moose).
Are rifles allowed in hunting for ANY other prey, such as raccoon, coyote, woodchuck, etc.?

Feb 12, 2015, 8:32pm Permalink
Ed Hartgrove

Thanks, John.
I just got to wondering - Which would be more dangerous? Hunting a woodchuck or raccoon, with a "target-size" of approx. 1 sq.ft., or a deer, with a "target-size" of approx. 6 sq.ft. ?

Seems to me, the larger the target, the more likely you'd be to hit it.

Feb 12, 2015, 9:06pm Permalink
Rich Richmond

Ed,
The 30 06, Winchester 270, or any of the 7mm cartridges are examples of fine all round cartridges for large game or small.

Many hunters or shooters on a budget use one caliber for both big and small game; although only for small game in Genesee County at the present time.

Good analogy about the target size by the way.

Feb 12, 2015, 9:46pm Permalink
Rich Richmond

The 7mm bullet is .284 in diameter in thousandths of an inch and the common cartridges for it are the 7mm-08 Remington, 7x57 Mauser, .280 Remington, and 7mm Mag. A hunter or hand loader may load up or down and tailor his bullet weights to match his game; the same can be said for the other mentioned cartridges below.

The bullet diameter of the 270 Winchester in thousandths of an inch is .277 and other cartridges that are similar are the .270 WSM and .270 Weatherby Magnum.

The 30-30, .300 Savage, .308 Winchester, .30-06, .300 Magnum all shot .308 diameter bullets.

The Remington Express Ammunition 30-06 Springfield Accelerator 55 Grain Pointed Soft Point is a small game-woodchuck load that I am particularly fond of.

A common varmint load for woodchucks is the .223 Remington in bullet weights of 55gr or 62gr. Many hunters prefer the Ar-15 Rifles for woodchucks or varmints.

There are people who are against those too and see no need for the AR-15 as long as they get to keep the hunting rifles and calibers they like.

Feb 12, 2015, 11:30pm Permalink
C. M. Barons

I asked a question, seeking to test my memory on this subject. Apparently my question was interpreted as a statement. ...Which it wasn't. So I removed it.

Feb 13, 2015, 2:08am Permalink
John Roach

Brian, you got it wrong, again. Richard was not trying to explain anything to you, since you miss the point anyway. It was a back and forth with Ed.

Stay focused.

Feb 13, 2015, 6:09am Permalink
Rich Richmond

Brian,

As John pointed out and I reiterate, stay focused.

I was making an illustration to Ed. What you researched.... I already knew.

STAY FOCUSED NOW BRAIN; THE TOPOGRAPHY OF GENESEE COUNTY IS A CONSTANT.

THE TOPOGRAPHY OF GENESEE COUNTY REMAINS THE SAME; WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER OR FALL.

The topography remains the same during small game and big game seasons. Woodchucks are smaller than deer and I’m not trying to indoctrinate by pointing this out.

Hawley and Ranzenhofer introduced a bill to allow big game hunting with rifles in Genesee County that are commonly used safely throughout Genesee County to take small game.

This question is important, Brian so stay focused.

Did you research before you wrote to the whole Legislature, as well as Assemblyman Hawley and Senator Razenhofer, and the Chair and co-Chair of the NYS Committee on Environmental Conservation in the Senate denouncing the bill?

Will you post your letter to the above mentioned on the Batavian for all to read? This will give you the opportunity to indoctrinate.

Feb 13, 2015, 10:50am Permalink
Rich Richmond

Duly noted CM; thank you for the qualification.

Your question was the first post. The second post was mine to answer your question.

From that point forward you didn’t offer further discussion or comments.

Brian was part of the lively discussion with five posts, four of them deleted.

It appears Brian used your explanation as the excuse to delete all his posts(comments) but the last, rather than let his previous arguments and contentions stand on their own merit.

Feb 15, 2015, 2:40pm Permalink

Authentically Local