Tag Archive for: airgun hunting legislation

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Delaware Repeals Adult-Supervision Requirement for Teen Hunters and Shooters

On August 17, 2026, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer signed House Substitute 1 for House Bill 427 (HS 1 for HB 427) into law, repealing the requirement that 16- and 17-year-olds be directly supervised by an adult when hunting or target shooting with a firearm, BB gun, or other projectile weapon. The bill was sponsored by Delaware Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Jeff Spiegelman, Rep. William Carson, and Sen. Brian Pettyjohn.

 

The removal of the supervision requirement doesn’t mean anything goes. To hunt or target shoot unsupervised, a 16- or 17-year-old still needs permission from a parent or guardian and must have completed a hunter education course. To hunt (as opposed to target practice), a valid Delaware hunting license is also required.

 

The timing lines up well with Delaware’s 2026-27 gray squirrel season, which runs September 15, 2026 through February 28, 2027 according to the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife’s hunting guide. It’s a great first opportunity for a newly independent teen hunter to head afield on their own, or for an experienced adult to bring a young shooter along and show them the ropes.

 

This is exactly the kind of legislative win that keeps our sport growing. ASA thanks the Delaware Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and Governor Meyer for backing the next generation of hunters and shooters, and we’ll keep tracking wins like this across the country.

 

Read more from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation: Delaware Enacts Legislation to Expand Hunting and Shooting Sports Opportunities for Young Sportsmen and Women

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New York Airgun Ban Bills Stall — Airguns Remain Legal in New York State

Good news out of New York: proposed anti-airgun legislation, Senate Bill S9215 and Assembly Bill A10701, did not advance past the committee stage before New York’s 2026 legislative session concluded on June 4, 2026. That means neither bill was passed into law, and airguns remain legal to buy, own, and shoot in New York State — at least for now.

 

This outcome did not happen on its own. ASA President Ed Schultz worked behind the scenes throughout the legislative session, providing lawmakers with factual, non-confrontational information about airguns as legitimate sporting equipment. Hard Air Magazine covered the effort in detail and credited that advocacy as a key factor in the result.

 

Read Hard Air Magazine’s full writeup: What Happened To The New York Airgun Ban?

 

A word of caution: this is not necessarily the end of the story. Similar proposals could be reintroduced in New York in a future legislative session, and comparable bills have surfaced in other states, including Illinois and Washington. The Airgun Sporting Association continues to track this kind of legislation nationwide and will keep members informed as things develop.

 

If you want to help make sure lawmakers hear from the airgun community before the next bill like this comes up, joining the ASA is one of the most direct ways to support that work: View ASA membership levels

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Airgun Industry Establishes Airgun Sporting Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Helena, Montana – July 1, 2018 – The airgun industry has announced the creation of a new association that represents manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and the broader airgunning industry.  The Airgun Sporting Association (ASA) has been formed as a non-profit business league as described in section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, to promote the common business interests of its members.  

The mission of the ASA is to market, promote and serve individuals, companies and corporations involved in the manufacture, importation, wholesale and retail sales and distribution of airguns and related hunting and airgun sport shooting equipment, products, goods and services.

A primary focus of the Association will be the strengthening of relationships between the state wildlife agencies and representatives of the airgun industry. The Association’s work with the state wildlife agencies will target the development of regulations legalizing the use of big bore airguns for big game hunting.  Also, the Association will work with state wildlife agencies to help clarify existing airgun regulations for small game hunting.

The ASA has launched an informational website describing the mission and scope of the work being accomplished within the industry as well as a source for the most up-to-date regulatory airgun hunting information for each state.  Visit the ASA at: www.AirGunSporting.org

The Bylaws of the Airgun Sporting Association establish the following three membership categories:

  • Manufacturing / Importer Members
  • Retailer Members
  • Distributor Members

Visit ASA at: www.AirGunSporting.org to read the full documentation of bylaws, Board Members, and Executive Committee Members

The founding ASA Manufacturer / Importer Members include:

  • AirForce Airguns
  • Air Venturi
  • Crosman Corporation
  • GAMO / Daisy Airguns
  • Sig Sauer Airguns
  • Umarex USA

Furthermore, ASA has appointed J. Mitch King as President / CEO of the association to lead the daily operations and advocacy work representing the airgun industry.

“This is an exciting time for the airgun industry and I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a part of establishing the Airgun Sporting Association and helping to strengthen the relationship between the airgun industry and the state wildlife agencies.” – J. Mitch King – President / CEO of the ASA

“The formation of the Airgun Sporting Association is an important step forward for the airgun industry.  This new association will initially focus on working with our state wildlife agency partners to legalize airguns for hunting and to help with hunter and recreational shooter recruitment.  Additionally, the ASA will advocate the diverse uses of airguns as well as airguns being such a historical foundation of the shooting sports” – Richard Turner, President of Umarex USA and ASA Executive Committee Chair

Contact:

Airgun Sporting Association (ASA)
5405 Favorite Gulch Rd.
Helena, MT 59602
www.airgunsporting.org

303-585-0377

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