This chapter shall be known as the law "Junior Deer Hunting
Pilot Program."
The intent of this Local Law is to authorize Monroe County to
permit 12- and 13-year-old individuals to participate in the new hunting
opportunities pursuant to Environment Conservation Law § 11-0935.
The enacted 2021-2022 New York State Budget included a pilot program
expanding the opportunity for young hunters, aged 12 and/or 13, to
hunt with firearms and crossbow through 2023 if a County authorizes
such participation in the pilot program within their municipality
via local law. Monroe County's hunters are a large and important
part of our community and this opportunity would allow adult hunters
the ability to introduce and teach the proper values and ethics of
hunting to the next generation. In addition, teaching such safe, proper
and lawful hunting methods to young people will provide a rewarding
and productive experience while providing food to families across
the area and contributing to deer population control efforts.
Pursuant to Section 11-0935 of the New York State Environmental
Conservation Law, Monroe County hereby authorizes participation in
the temporary pilot program to allow a hunting license holder who
is twelve or thirteen years of age to hunt deer with a crossbow, rifle,
shotgun, or muzzle-loading firearm through 2023.
A hunting license holder who is twelve or thirteen years of
age may hunt deer with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun, or muzzle-loading
firearm as provided in this chapter provided that:
A. Such minor is accompanied by their parent or legal guardian, or by
a person designated in writing by such parent or legal guardian on
a form prescribed by the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation, who is twenty-one years of age or older; and
B. Such parent, guardian or person has had at least three years'
experience in hunting deer; and
(1) such parent, guardian or person holds a hunting license; and
(2) such parent, guardian or person maintains physical control over the
minor at all times while hunting. For the purposes of this paragraph
"physical control" shall mean that the physical proximity of such
minor to the parent, guardian or person is such that the parent, guardian
or person is reasonably able to issue verbal directions and instructions,
maintain constant visual contact, and otherwise provide guidance and
supervision to the minor; and
(3) such parent, guardian or person and the minor remain at ground level
at all times while hunting; and
C. Such parent, guardian or person and the minor shall each display
either a minimum total of two hundred fifty square inches of solid
fluorescent orange or pink or patterned fluorescent orange or pink
consisting of no less than fifty percent fluorescent orange or pink
material worn above the waist and visible from all directions, or
a hat or cap with no less than fifty percent of the exterior consisting
of solid fluorescent orange or pink material and visible from all
directions.
If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or chapter of this
local law shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction
to be invalid, such determination shall not affect, impair or invalidate
the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the
clause, sentence, paragraph, section or chapter thereof directly involved
in the proceeding in which such adjudication shall have been rendered.
This local law shall not supersede any other state laws, rules, or
regulations related to crossbow hunting.