Support Erie County allowing 12-13-year-olds to hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow during hunting season with the supervision of a licensed adult.

Support Erie County allowing 12-13-year-olds to hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow during hunting season with the supervision of a licensed adult. State law already permits it - Erie County is the only county in Upstate New York that still refuses to opt in.

The County Executive vetoed this in 2021 citing safety concerns. The DEC's data shows zero hunting-related shooting incidents, violations, or license revocations involving youth hunters over the past five years. https://dec.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/1213yrolddeerhunting2025.pdf

Parents - not government - are best equipped to decide when their children are ready to learn safe, responsible hunting. This is a supervised opportunity to teach safety, discipline, and respect for the outdoors. It's time Erie County gets out of the way.

View the full text of the law here: http://bit.ly/4cP42as