On May 15, County Executive Mark Poloncarz turned his back on our hunting heritage, our families, and state-certified safety data by vetoing Local Law 3-1, the Youth Hunting Law.
His veto is an insult to Erie County's outdoor community. New York State's own Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) reports zero hunting-related shooting incidents involving 12- and 13-year-olds since the pilot program began in 2021. Yet County Executive Poloncarz chose to ignore the facts, making Erie County the only upstate holdout in New York.
The good news is that we can override his veto and win this battle, but we must act immediately.
During the initial vote, four courageous majority-party lawmakers, Michael Kooshoian, John Bargnesi, Jr., John Gilmour, and Timothy Meyers, crossed party lines to stand up for our youth and voted “YES.” They are now facing immense political pressure from the County Executive to flip their votes to a "No."
Please use the Take Action button right now and forward this critical alert to your family, friends, and fellow outdoorsmen living in Erie County. We need a united front to reach these four lawmakers. Contact them today to thank them for standing up for our heritage, and urge them to hold the line for our youth and our future.
The meeting is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. in the Legislature Chambers in Buffalo.
Your actions today secure our traditions tomorrow.