Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz has officially vetoed the youth-hunting law passed by the Legislature earlier this month that would allow 12- and 13-year-olds to hunt deer as long as they are accompanied by a mentor.
This comes just two days after Poloncarz hosted a public hearing on the topic which saw resounding support from residents.
Poloncarz said in part in a statement that he wants to do anything he can to prevent a child from dying:
“…I recognize that since New York passed the 12- and 13-year-old hunter law, there has not been an incident in New York, and I acknowledge that. However, in other states, children as young as 9, 10, and 11 years old have died in hunting-related incidents since 2020. Just last September in Iowa, a 17-year-old was killed while squirrel hunting. I have read too many child fatality reports to sign a law that could potentially result in a child dying because of its passage.”
The Erie County Legislature does have the opportunity now to override Poloncarz’s veto, which would take a two-thirds majority vote.
Erie County currently is the only upstate county where 12- and 13-year-olds cannot hunt deer.