Senator's bill seeks to undo youth hunting regs







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Staff Report

Thursday, April 30, 2009 8:11 AM CDT[/align]Albany - A state senator has introduced legislation to undo last year's move that reduced the state's minimum hunting age for big game with a firearm from 16 to 14.

Sen. Liz Krueger's bill - S3598 - would increase the minimum age for obtaining a hunting license from 16 to 18 years of age while requiring anyone under the age of 20 to be accompanied by a parent, relative or guardian.

The junior hunting range would increase to 14 for bowhunters and 16 for firearms hunters, up from its current 12 and 14, respectively. The bill would also increase the mentoring age for taking junior hunters afield from 21 to 23 years of age.

Krueger, a New York City Democrat, is generally regarded as the biggest anti-hunting lawmaker in the Legislature. Most of her anti-hunting bills in the past have died natural deaths in legislative committees, but there's some concern among sportsmen that with Democratic majorities in both the Senate and Assembly the proposal, while still a long shot, could gain traction.


[/align]The bill also increases the junior archery license age bracket limit from 14-16 to 16-18 years old.

"Recent proposals to decrease the hunting age limit are not intended solely to introduce youngsters to this sport,"_Krueger wrote in her sponsor's memo attached to her proposal. "Rather, the desire is purely to raise money from the purchase of hunting licenses. Increases in revenue are needed to maintain the multi-million dollar state fund for fish and wildlife programs."

The bill, which was referred to the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, would reverse last year's legislation lowering the youth hunting restrictions.

Gov. David Paterson last July signed a bill allowing 14- and 15-year olds to hunt big game with a firearm as long as they are supervised by an experienced mentor who is a licensed hunter at least 21 years old and with at least three years of big-game hunting experience.

"Allowing parents to pass on their hunting traditions to the next generation is the cornerstone to preserving those traditions," said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance vice president for government affairs. "SB 3598 is a gigantic step backwards and all sportsmen in New York should oppose it."

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance (USSA), National Shooting Sports Foundation and National Wild Turkey Federation began a "Families Afield" program in 2004 as a national effort to lower the barriers and restrictions preventing newcomers from experiencing hunting.

Those organizations are urging New York sportsmen and women to contact their state legislators and tell them to oppose SB 3598. "Tell them SB 3598 will lead to fewer hunters in the field, harm sportsmen traditions, and lose the state license revenue," USSA said in a prepared statement.
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