Senator Helming Announces Passage of Bill to Lower Hunting Age

GENEVA – Senator Pam Helming today announced that the New York State Senate recently passed a bill that she co-sponsors to lower the age for hunting licenses from 14 to 12 years old. The legislation (S.3156) received wide bipartisan support. If enacted, the law would take effect immediately to amend the Environmental Conservation Law to lower the minimum age at which an individual may obtain a hunting license.

“Hunting is a time-honored tradition across the Wayne-Finger Lakes region. I am proud to represent local sportsmen and women and support their efforts to pass on their knowledge to the next generation. Currently, parents are limited in how they can pass down responsible hunting knowledge and skills to their children, and this bill fixes that. This measure would better equip parents to teach their children responsible hunting practices and maintain the tradition of outdoor recreation within their family and around our region and our state. I was proud to lead this effort in the Senate to pass this important legislation, and I urge my Assembly colleagues to pass it as well,” Senator Helming said.

Under the existing law, youth hunters are allowed to hunt big game with a bow and small game with a firearm at age 12 but cannot hunt big game with a firearm until age 14. This legislation would allow youth hunters between the ages of 12 and 15 to participate in all hunting activities under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian who has a hunting license and at least three years of experience.

With nearly 2 million sportsmen and women hunting and fishing across New York State, the state ranks third in the nation behind only Texas and Florida. However, New York’s current hunting age is one of the highest in the United States.

“As a gun owner and representative of the National Rifle Association, it pleases me to see legislation that promotes our young people brought into hunting and the shooting sports. The time spent with family in the field instructed on safe handling and safe shooting will carry these young sports persons the rest of their lives to be a safe and responsible hunter and shooter. Teaching young people responsibility and common sense with good hunting skills is the cornerstone of the beginning of this great nation. These traditions are handed down generation to generation, bonding siblings and adults and cementing family and friends in the quest for game and the hunt. I applaud Senator Helming for her vison to include young people and her protection of the shooting sports and the Second Amendment. I support this bill and would ask my fellow gun owners and sportsmen to do likewise,” said Scott Buisch, an NRA Membership Recruiter.

Senator Helming represents the 54^th Senate District, which consists of Seneca and Wayne Counties, parts of Cayuga and Ontario Counties, and the towns of Lansing and Webster. For more information, please visit Senator Helming’s website, or follow @SenatorHelming on Facebook or Twitter.

###