youth hunting

A pilot program that allows 12- and 13-olds to hunt with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun or muzzleloading firearm is about to expire at the end of this year unless the Genesee County Legislature votes to extend the local law next month.

The public is invited for comments during a public hearing on the issue at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 11 in the Legislative Chambers in the Old Courthouse, 7 Main St., Batavia.

New York State enacted legislation in 2021 that created a new section of Environmental Conservation Law (11-0935) authorizing a license holder who is 12 or 13 years of age to hunt deer with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun, or muzzleloading firearm under the supervision of an experienced adult hunter in eligible areas. This program ran through 2023 and required counties to adopt a local law authorizing participation and to notify the DEC of their participation. Prior to that, the state’s legal age to hunt was 14.

Genesee County was one of the 52 counties in the state to register, leaving just two counties to opt out of the program. Currently, all other states allow youths 12 years old or younger to hunt big game with a firearm.

During a prior discussion about voting on a resolution to extend the law to a permissible Dec. 31, 2025, county legislators seemed in favor of doing so, including Legislator Christian Yunker, who said there has been "a lot of positive response" to the program.

He pointed to a report that was put out by the DEC to the state Senate and Assembly with feedback from participating counties in the pilot program.

There were 9,859 participating hunters in 2021-22 and 9,416 the following year of the program, with the highest percentage — 85 percent — using firearms during deer season, the report stated. The fewest amount of hunters used crossbows, at 18 percent for the first year and 22 percent during 2022-23.

Those who participated in bowhunting season were at 31 percent and 25 percent, respectively, and 26 percent and 18 percent for late muzzleloader season. The next largest group was youth big game hunting over Columbus Day weekend at 62 percent and 70 percent for each of the two years. 

“No hunting-related shooting incidents, violations or license revocations involving 12- or 13-year-old hunters were reported/occurred during the first two years of the pilot program,” the report stated.

A satisfaction survey scored 82 percent for the youth hunter and 87 percent for adult mentors with a “moderately or greatly satisfied” rating, and 4 percent and 2 percent, respectively, with “moderately or greatly dissatisfied.”

Legislators voted this week to set the hearing and allow for local feedback about the program before taking a vote to extend the law. Anyone interested in speaking or obtaining more information is encouraged to attend the hearing.

According to the resolution, the intent of this local law is to authorize the county to permit 12- and 13-year-old individuals to participate in the new and safe hunting opportunities in accordance with Environment Conservation Law ECL 11-0935. 

The enacted 2023-2024 New York State Budget includes a pilot program allowing the opportunity for youth hunters, ages 12 and 13, to hunt deer with certain firearms and crossbow through Dec. 31, 2025, if a County authorizes such action within their municipality. 

The County is amending this local law because “hunting is a valued tradition for many families, and this new opportunity allows experienced adult hunters to introduce the value of hunting to the next generation. Furthermore, teaching young people safe, responsible, and ethical hunting practices will ensure a rewarding experience for the youth while providing quality food to families and contributing to important deer management population control practices,” the resolution states.

Definitions for the purposes of this Local Law:

a. “physical control” shall mean that the physical proximity of such minor to the parent, guardian or person is such that the parent, guardian or person is reasonably able to issue verbal directions and instructions, maintain constant visual contact, and otherwise provide guidance and supervision to the minor.

b. “eligible area” shall mean within the boundaries of the County.

State Requirements include:

A hunting license holder who is twelve or thirteen years of age may hunt deer with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun, or muzzle-loading firearm as provided in this title in an eligible area provided that;

a. Such minor is accompanied by their parent or legal guardian, or by a person designated in writing by such parent or legal guardian on a form prescribed by the Environmental Conservation Department who is 21 years of age or older; and

b. Such parent, guardian or person has had at least three years’ experience in hunting deer; and

c. Such parent, guardian or person holds a hunting license; and

d. Such parent, guardian or person maintains physical control over the minor at all times while hunting; and

e. Such parent, guardian or person and the minor remain at ground level at all times while hunting; and

f. Such parent, guardian or person and the minor shall each display either a minimum total of 250 square inches of solid fluorescent orange or pink or patterned fluorescent orange or pink consisting of no less than 50 percent fluorescent orange or pink material worn above the waist and visible from all directions, or a hat or cap with no less than 50 percent of the exterior consisting of solid fluorescent orange or pink material and visible from all directions.