Take Action Today! New York sportsmen should contact their state assembly member and ask them to vote YES on Senate Bill 3156. New York members can contact their state assembly member by using the Sportsmen’s Alliance Legislative Action Center.
Senate Bill 3156, sponsored by Sen. Joseph A. Griffo (R-Rome), would lower New York’s minimum hunting age for big game. Currently, those between the ages of 12 and 14 years of age can only hunt small game. SB 3156 would allow people to purchase New York’s universal hunting licenses and begin hunting big game, including deer and black bears, at age 12. New York’s minimum hunting age is the highest in the United States.
SB 3156 passed the Senate on Jan. 22 with a vote of 47 to 13. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee.
“Research has shown that allowing kids the chance to hunt by age 12 greatly increases the chance to recruit them for a lifetime of hunting,” said Luke Houghton, associate director of state services for Sportsmen’s Alliance. “Currently, older kids are much more likely to become committed to other extracurricular activities and never take up hunting because of New York’s extremely high minimum age. We applaud Senator Griffo for sponsoring legislation that will help increase the recruitment of new hunters, and we call on the New York Assembly to quickly pass this opportunity.”
Identical legislation (Assembly Bill 477) has also been introduced in the Assembly, by Assembly Member Aileen M. Gunther (D- Forestburgh), and is also in the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.