I just learned from a NY organization I'm a member of the the DEC is now proposing a Firearms Big Game Youth hunt for the weekend of Nov. 13-14 2004. This proposal would allow 16 and 17 year olds to use firearms to harvest deer and bear. The DEC will decide on the proposal May 1st
My organization is not in support of this new proposal. For one they questioned the DEC as to why the weekend of Nov. 13-14, when the 2004 Firearms season for Southern tier opens 11/22/04. The DEC's response was "the deer need a week to calm down before firearms season opens."

Personally I'm totally mystified on why they would propose a full week in advance of the firearms opener. Their response makes absolutely NO sense to me. I was in FULL support of the Early Spring Youth Turkey hunt as that was for younger 12-14yr olds. But this deal I'm not so sure of. For 1 there now becomes a safety concern of having archers in the woods during the PRIME of archery season, and having Young Adults, Not youths in the same woods with Firearms. I see an ugly picture in that.
What I would like to see is bills A1099 lowering the junior archery age from 14 to 12, and A6752 lowering the junior Big Game age from 16 to 14 passed.

You can contact the DEC on this proposal at [email protected]