By JIMMY LAWTON

CANTON -- St. Lawrence County legislators are supporting a call to reduce the minimum hunting age from 14 to 12.

The legislature unanimously supported a resolution supporting legislation in the Assembly and Senate that would lower the state imposed age requirement at a services committee Monday.

The effort was led by Legislator David Forsythe who thanked his colleagues for their support.

“This has been a passion of mine for 20 years. My children won’t benefit from this but hopefully my grandchildren will,” he said.

“Hunting is a tradition that is often passed on through the generations, and by teaching a new generation to enjoy the outdoors the strong conservation legacy in New York will continue, the resolution says. “Each state sets its own hunting age requirements, and the required age in New York for big game hunting is higher than most,” the resolution says.

Legislator Travis Dann said that more than 100 St. Lawrence County children regularly compete in clay target shooting programs and that hunting is a natural extension of their practice.

He said it’s also a great hobby that gets kids outdoors and off of computer games.

Legislators supporting the measure pointed out that the young hunters would be required to complete the hunter safety course and have an experienced mentor with them when hunting.

The resolution was to be forwarded to state representatives.