Le Roy residents Glen Adams and Mike Ciociola, both members of the Genesee County Federation of Sportsman’s Clubs, today threw their support behind a proposed local county law that would allow deer hunting by 12- and 13-year-old licensed hunters with a firearm or crossbow under the supervision of a licensed adult.
Speaking at a meeting of the Genesee County Legislature this afternoon, Adams said, “We’re both here to encourage this body to vote positive on opting into the new state law, for a two-year trial period, for youth 12- and 13-years-old to be able to hunt – with supervision.”
Moments later, lawmakers voted in favor of setting a public hearing for 5:30 p.m. on May 12 on what has been designated as Local Law Introductory No. 1 Year 2021 of the County of Genesee. The public hearing will take place at the Old County Courthouse and via Zoom videoconferencing.
If approved, the law would enable Genesee County to take part in the state’s pilot program permitting 12- and 13-year-olds to hunt deer during season with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun or muzzle loaded firearm through Dec. 31, 2023.
When asked about possible opposition to the law, Adams said the strict supervision component is important to the community of sportsmen and sportswomen.
“That (opposition) is always a possibility but we’ve been pushing for it for a long time through the New York Conservation Council, through our federations – trying to move it to a younger age, but it’s under supervision,” he said. “You’ve got to be within physical restraint of the kid, you’ve got to be on the ground. We see it as a positive thing. I’ve got five boys and I would have loved to been able to take them out earlier than I was.”
Ciociola, who also represents Genesee County on the NYS Fish & Wildlife Management Board, said he didn’t expect the state to approve such a measure in 2021.
“I was very surprised that New York State would actually put it in the bill this year,” he said. “I normally wouldn’t have thought that public opinion would have steered it in that direction. But also, just from the fact that I believe that the education – hunting -- rather than waiting until they’re 14, 16, I think they’ll make for safer hunters … more ethical, better hunters if they start at the age of 12.”
Both men said they believe many parents will capitalize on the opportunity for their sons and daughters to take up the sport.
“Although I’m a father of five boys, I would love seeing the young ladies out there,” Adams said. “I do coach the Le Roy trap team and we have female youth. We’d love to see them out there, also.”
Legislator Christian Yunker said the law is needed at this time.
“This was put into the governor’s budget and we know that we need to get the next generation of hunters involved, and we know that we have a deer management issue,” he said. “And this is going to help us.”
Along those lines, City of Batavia Manager Rachael Tabelski this week said the Batavia Police Department will be selecting a deer program coordinator this year to work with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation to "implement and executive the (city's) deer management plan. She said the hope is that the program to cull the deer population could be started this fall as long as the City School District continues full in-person learning.
Previous: Proposed county local law permits 12- and 13-year-olds to hunt deer with strict supervision
In other developments, the legislature:
- Approved four capital projects, totaling $225,000, that were accounted for in the 2021 budget: Holland Land Office Museum exterior paint ($15,000); Genesee County Park Interpretive Center moisture protection and siding ($80,000); DeWitt Recreation Area Pavilion No. 2 parking lot ($65,000); and Genesee County Park and Forest water system upgrade ($65,000).
The project will be paid from the county’s 1 percent sales tax revenue.
- Heard from County Manager Matt Landers that today was the final day of “first doses” of the COVID-19 vaccine at Genesee Community College. “Second doses” will be administered at GCC for a few more weeks, and then everything will be moved to County Building II on West Main Street Road.
Calling it a “milestone,” Landers said the operation at the college went “smoothly, effectively and efficiently.” Still, he said he had hoped more people would have been vaccinated at GCC.
Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein thanked the community and volunteers for working “on behalf of the goal” and urged residents to get the vaccine because “it does matter.”
