ALBANY - State lawmakers will take a second look at a bill to ban hunting contests like the crow shoot held in Auburn earlier this month.

In the coming weeks, the state Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee will reconsider a bill introduced last year by a downstate assemblywoman.

Last year, the bill stalled in the committee. At that time, the bill's supporting memorandum specifically mentioned Auburn's crow shoot, pointing out that it was "generally regarded as 'good fun' in a party-like atmosphere."

Some local opponents of the bill had heard it was dead and would not be re-introduced again this year. However, Eileen Larrabee, an Assembly spokeswoman, confirmed the proposed bill "was still active." The bill is expected to go before the Assembly committee within the next couple of weeks, she said.

Like she did last year,Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, D-Greenwich Village, is sponsoring the bill. Similar legislation is also expected to be re-introduced in the state Senate.

"We're hoping that they take more of a look at it this time," said Theresa Swidorski, legislative director for Glick.

The Auburn event held Feb. 7 and 8, drew more than 200 hunters who scoured the Cayuga County countryside in hopes of shooting crows. In all, 1,067 crows were killed during the two-day contest.

Local crow supporters and the animal rights group, Fund for Animals, are involved in lobbying efforts to get the bill passed. Area hunters and members of conservation groups, such as the New York State Conservation Council, are working to defeat the legislation.

"We're doing everything we possibly can to get it passed," said Rita Sarnicola, a founder of the Auburn Crow Committee, a pro-crow group. "It's our main thrust right now."

Her group has been circulating petitions with signatures from those who oppose the crow hunt and sending them to Albany. Members are also sending letters to legislators stating they want the crow hunt to be stopped.

Some opponents have been passing misinformation that it will ban all such contests, she said. As proposed, the legislation would exempt fishing tournaments and the New York Big Buck Contest, an annual statewide contest with prizes for the biggest bucks, Sarnicola said. But it would prohibit killing animals in unlimited numbers as the crow hunt did three weeks ago.

Tommy Lennox, one of the organizers of the local crow hunt, doesn't believe the bill will ever get out of committee.

He's working with Fred Neff and Wally John, vice presidents of the New York Conservation Council, to stop the bill, which he said specifically targets the local crow hunt.

"I hope it doesn't pass, but you have to be vigilant," Lennox said.

It angers him that New York City lawmakers are trying to ban hunting contests like the one in Cayuga County, Lennox said.

"They don't even know where we live, and they're trying to control how we live," he said.

He's also convinced that animal right groups will try to get legislation through that will prohibit fishing tournaments and deer hunting contests.

Lennox also wondered why Albany politicians would associate themselves with animal rights activists since some belong to extremist groups that have been known to break laws.

"We had 212 hunters here and none of them had even a parking ticket," Lennox said.

Staff writer Craig Fox can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or craig.fox@lee.net