Injured Marine promotes crossbow legislation

In front of the Wall of Honor at Lockport's City Hall, Senator George Maziarz (62nd District) was joined by Iraq War veteran Mark O'Brien to raise awareness for the need to promote crossbow hunting opportunities in New York.

On November 8, 2004, O'Brien's Marine unit was engaged in a firefight in the city of Ramadi. In the midst of combat, a rocket from an enemy RPG severed part of his leg and arm. He returned to the United States, received extensive rehabilitation and learned how to function with prosthetic limb replacements.

"Mark is just an exceptional young man who called my office one day and said, 'What can I do to help?' " Maziarz said. "He is really transforming his injury into something very positive as he advocates on behalf of people who have mobility challenges."

"This crossbow legislation will even the bar for disabled, elder, women, and youth hunters," O'Brien said. O'Brien enlisted in the Marines after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He participated in the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and was stationed there again in late 2004. Following his injury, he was rehabilitated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda before being medically retired in 2005. Now 24-years old, he has returned to school and is just finishing his sophomore year at D'Youville College as a history major.

"I've been trying to get a crossbow hunting bill passed in New York State for years," Maziarz said, "and I can't think of a better example of why we need this legislation. Here's someone who served his country proudly, made a tremendous sacrifice, and then returns home only to find out that our state laws make it all but impossible for him to pursue his pastime of bow hunting. For Mark, and for other individuals who may not have the physical strength to draw a compound or long bow, we need to change that."

Maziarz is sponsoring Senate Bill 22 of 2007. This legislation directs the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to develop regulations to allow for a legalized crossbow hunting season by July 1, 2009. The bill is now under review by the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. John Butcher, president of the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs and a DEC-certified Bow Hunter Education Instructor, said, "Compound and long bows usually require a draw weight of between 50 and 80 pounds, which makes it extremely difficult for women, youth and senior citizens to shoot. It is my opinion that allowing sportsmen to hunt with a crossbow during the Big Game Archery Season would allow more people to participate, especially people with physical disabilities."

Maziarz said, "This is Mark's generation of heroes, and we have a duty to help these brave men and women reintegrate into society when they come back from their military service. If there are any unfair hardships in their way, they need to be removed at once."

May 20, 2007