The Chautauqua County Federation of Sportsmen plays a pivotal role in uniting sportsmen and conservation groups across Chautauqua County. Under the leadership of Zen Olow and his board of directors, the annual Harry Probst Memorial Sportsmen’s Banquet serves as the cornerstone event of the year, celebrating the region’s outdoor heritage and the individuals dedicated to preserving it.

The 2025 banquet will again be held at the Lakewood Rod and Gun Club. The event recognizes individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to conservation and youth outdoor programs.

Awards include the President’s Award, Sportsman of the Year and many more. A key initiative of the CCFS is the Youth Lifetime Sporting License Program, which awards free New York state lifetime hunting and fishing licenses to deserving youth. The banquet also serves as a fundraising event featuring raffles, guided adventure trips, artwork and more. Proceeds benefit CCFS programs, which include youth education and conservation efforts. The 2025 banquet is scheduled for Monday at Lakewood Rod and Gun Club, with the doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. For tickets and information, contact Frank Shoenacker at 585-406-5764. Through events like this, the CCFS fosters a strong community of sportsmen and conservationists, ensuring the preservation and appreciation of Chautauqua County’s natural outdoor resources for future generations.

Compared to other states in America, New York stands out with its distinct hunting rules, regulations, traditions and youth policies. The CCFS program plays a crucial role in New York due to these unique aspects. For instance, most other states allow youths 12 years old or younger to hunt big game with a firearm. However, in 2021, New York state enacted legislation that created a new section of the Environmental Conservation Law authorizing a license holder who is 12 or 13 years of age to hunt deer with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun or muzzleloading firearm under the supervision of an experienced adult mentor in eligible counties. The legislation established this opportunity as a pilot program through 2023 and required counties to adopt a local law authorizing participation and to notify DEC of such participation. Legislation enacted in 2023 extended this pilot program through 2025. Of the 54 eligible counties in New York, 52 participated during the first four years of the pilot program (Erie County did not). DEC has documented zero hunting-related shooting incidents, violations, or hunting license revocations involving 12- and 13-year-old deer hunters over this time, making 12- and 13-year-olds the safest demographic of hunters.

Emphasizing safety, youth hunters must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or adult mentor who is at least 21 years old and has a minimum of three years of big-game hunting experience. The youth and mentor must wear fluorescent orange or pink clothing visible from all directions.

DEC also continues documenting high participation and satisfaction with the pilot program through post-season surveys of eligible hunters and their mentors. Participation has been robust, with 9,400 youth hunters eligible for the 2022-23 season, resulting in more than 1,800 deer harvest reports. A total of 284 youth, 12- and 13-year-old hunters and their mentors responded to DEC’s postseason survey to evaluate the fourth year of the pilot program. The surveyed 12- and 13-year-old hunters went deer hunting with a firearm in 77 Wildlife Management Units across the state, with the highest estimated participation in WMUs 7M and 8M. Like in previous years, 89% of 12- and 13-year-old hunters and 92% of adult mentors were delighted with their youth deer hunting experience. DEC recently provided a report to the NYS Legislature highlighting the success of the first four years of the pilot program and recommendations to make the program permanent. DEC provided four recommendations to the legislature to continue cultivating the next generation of safe and responsible hunters and capitalize on the pilot program’s success. Here they are:

1. Make permanent the authorization for 12- and 13-year-old hunters to hunt deer with a firearm and crossbow.

2. Extend the authorization for 12- and 13-year-old hunters to hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow to all of NYS and remove the requirement for counties to pass a local law opting into the program (subject to other provisions of conservation law).

3. Allow 12- and 13-year-old hunters to also hunt black bears with a firearm and crossbow.

4. Allow 12- and 13-year-old hunters to hunt big game with a firearm from an elevated position.

The pilot program has been a resounding success, fostering youth engagement in hunting while maintaining a strong emphasis on safety and responsibility. This success is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the children and adults in this program, and it serves as a compelling reason for more youth to participate in the future.

The safe use of firearms and hunting teaches our youth a wide range of valuable lessons and life skills. These include responsibility, respect for nature, patience, focus, confidence, competence, tradition and culture. It also fosters problem-solving, critical thinking and safety awareness. These inspiring aspects of the program should help everyone be more supportive of it.

This weekend, another opportunity is open to our youth turkey hunters aged 12-15 years. The youth hunters must have a hunting license, turkey permit and be accompanied by a licensed adult who is not allowed to hunt — but be a responsible mentor. The regular spring turkey season runs May 1-31.

Gotta love the outdoors.