A bill that would allow 12- and 13-year-olds to get their licenses to hunt deer in Erie County when accompanied by a mentor is that much closer to becoming a law.
The bill was passed on Thursday by the Erie County Legislature and now heads to County Executive Mark Poloncarz’s desk for approval.
Erie County is currently the only upstate New York county that does not allow 12- and 13-year-olds to hunt deer with a hunting licensed mentor.
“Currently, 12- and 13-year-olds can hunt, they just can’t hunt deer,” said Lindsay Lorigo, (R) Erie County Legislature, District 10. “I think in Erie County we should allow them to hunt deer. If they can hunt squirrels and rabbits, let’s let them go out there with their uncle or their grandfather, whoever the parent is giving permission to go with, to go learn how to hunt.”
According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, there have been zero hunting-related shooting incidents involving 12- and 13-year-olds in the past five years.