AUBURN - The crow hunters shot the first volley over the weekend with the unveiling of their crow mobile. And now crow supporters want to be heard.
Rita Sarnicola, a member of the Auburn Crow Committee, wants crow supporters to gather for a peaceful protest Sunday, Feb. 8, at Memorial City Hall. The controversial crow hunt will be held outside the city and throughout rural areas of Cayuga County Feb. 7-8.
Activists from such state and national groups as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Animal Rights Advocates of Upstate New York, and The Fund for Animals may return to Auburn at this year's two-day event.
"I think about those poor creatures being hunted," Sarnicola
said. "Hunters just come and blast away. I detest it. I think it's wrong."
About 100 protesters from Auburn and outside the area participated in protests last year. During last year's hunt, some protesters followed hunters to disrupt the shooting.
Four animal rights activists were arrested for trespassing on a Scipio farm.
Local wildlife rehabilitator Trudy Gaertner may also be out looking for injured birds to rescue, as she did last year.
Crow hunt organizer Tommy Lennox hopes that protesters will respect the legal rights of hunters.
"As long as they follow the law, I have no problem with them. They have the legal right. This is America. But if they're out slashing tires and disrupting hunters, then I do (have a problem)."
Lennox pointed out that no hunter was arrested and they followed laws for crow hunting last year.
Under state hunting laws, it is legal to shoot crows in the countryside from Friday through Monday from Sept. 31 until March 31.
In its third year, the event has been billed as a way to get rid of a nuisance. Dozens of teams of four combed the area looking for crows last year, killing 348 birds during the two-day event.
Over the weekend, Lennox and his partners debuted a modified 1986 Pontiac Firebird that they're calling a "crowmobile." The revamped Firebird will be used to help promote this year's crow hunt.
Between 40,000 and 60,000 crows call Auburn home every winter.
Activists from such state and national groups as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Animal Rights Advocates of Upstate New York, and The Fund for Animals may return to Auburn at this year's two-day event.
"I think about those poor creatures being hunted," Sarnicola
said. "Hunters just come and blast away. I detest it. I think it's wrong."
About 100 protesters from Auburn and outside the area participated in protests last year. During last year's hunt, some protesters followed hunters to disrupt the shooting.
Four animal rights activists were arrested for trespassing on a Scipio farm.
Local wildlife rehabilitator Trudy Gaertner may also be out looking for injured birds to rescue, as she did last year.
Crow hunt organizer Tommy Lennox hopes that protesters will respect the legal rights of hunters.
"As long as they follow the law, I have no problem with them. They have the legal right. This is America. But if they're out slashing tires and disrupting hunters, then I do (have a problem)."
Lennox pointed out that no hunter was arrested and they followed laws for crow hunting last year.
Under state hunting laws, it is legal to shoot crows in the countryside from Friday through Monday from Sept. 31 until March 31.
In its third year, the event has been billed as a way to get rid of a nuisance. Dozens of teams of four combed the area looking for crows last year, killing 348 birds during the two-day event.
Over the weekend, Lennox and his partners debuted a modified 1986 Pontiac Firebird that they're calling a "crowmobile." The revamped Firebird will be used to help promote this year's crow hunt.
Between 40,000 and 60,000 crows call Auburn home every winter.
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