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Seneca County adopts law allowing 12- and 13-year-olds to hunt deer with adult supervision
Summary
After a public hearing that included a farmer's plea about crop and deer damage, the Board of Supervisors adopted Local Law 3 of 2025 to allow youth ages 12 and 13 to hunt deer with a licensed adult present.
The Seneca County Board of Supervisors adopted Local Law 3 of 2025 on Aug. 12, 2025, amending Local Law 2 of 2024 to authorize youths ages 12 and 13 to hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow when supervised by a licensed adult hunter.
The change follows a grouped public hearing that included comments from a local farmer who described agricultural and safety impacts from rising deer numbers. The board voted to carry the local law after a brief discussion.
During the public hearing, Ralph Lott of 2898 Route 414, Seneca Falls, told the board, “We need it. We are overrun completely with deer.” Lott said he saw 17 deer while mowing and reported losing 15 acres of soybeans to deer damage last year. He urged supervisors to support hunting opportunities and cooperative use of hunting-club-managed properties to reduce deer numbers.
Supervisor Kronenwater introduced the local law on the board floor as “Local Law 3 of 2025, amending Local Law 2 of 2024” to permit the restricted youth hunting described in the resolution. A second was recorded and the board approved the law; the transcript records the motion as carried.
The law’s text, as read at the meeting, allows youths ages 12 and 13 to hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow only under the supervision of an adult licensed hunter. The board did not record additional implementing details at the meeting such as effective date, specific permit or training requirements, or enforcement mechanisms.
Because the adoption occurred as part of a grouped public hearing (the board opened and closed the hearing for three items together), no separate additional public hearing was scheduled at the meeting.
The action addresses a local request tied to agricultural damage and safety concerns raised during public comment; the board did not discuss changes to state hunting regulations or licensing processes during the session.
The board did not provide a vote-by-name roll call in the transcript for this item; the motion was seconded and approved as recorded by the clerk.
