Erie County Legislator Frank Todaro seeks passage of a Local Law authorizing youth hunters aged twelve or thirteen years of age to hunt deer in Erie County. The New York State Department of Environmental conservation provides for this via Environmental Conservation Law 11-0935, but counties wishing to participate must opt in.
Erie County remains the only county in Upstate New York that has not opted into this program after County Executive Mark Poloncarz vetoed a version of the law that the Erie County Legislature approved in 2021, citing “many unfortunate firearm hunting accidents across the state and county, especially those involving youth hunters” as the reason for the law’s veto. However, five years of data disproves these concerns. In fact, the DEC has published an annual report detailing results of the program and has found that in five years there have been zero hunting related shooting incidents, violations, or license revocations involving twelve- and thirteen-year-old hunters. In fact, the young hunters and their mentors have expressed satisfaction with the program and now the DEC is recommending the law be made permanent.
“The County Executive’s stated reasons for vetoing this law are not based in fact. This program has been proven to be successful and safe. There is absolutely zero reason that Erie County remains the only upstate county, and one of only two in all of New York, that doesn’t have this law on the books. Mark Poloncarz needs to understand his claims as to why he’s opposing this law isn’t reality. Zero incidents mean just that. It is a successful program,” said Erie County Legislator Frank Todaro.
Legislators John Mills, Chris Greene and Lindsay Lorigo are co-sponsors of the local law which authorizes hunting license holders who are twelve or thirteen years of age to hunt deer with adult supervision.
