House passes Internet hunting ban


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House passes Internet hunting ban

By LAWRENCE MESSINA - The Associated Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Hunting may be part of West Virginia’s heritage, but legislators don’t think people ought to pursue that pastime from over the Internet.

The House voted unanimously Monday, with three absences, to ban hunting by remote control in the state.

House Bill 2890, which now goes to the Senate, takes aim at an online promotion begun by a Texas game farm. The farm offers a Web site which allows people, for a fee, to control a camera and rifle with a computer mouse to sight and shoot.

The system is currently set up for target shooting, but the operators of Live-shot.com say they are currently building a hunting blind that will accommodate disabled and handicapped hunters.

"As a hunter, that’s a disgrace to the sport," said Delegate Joe DeLong, D-Hancock, the bill’s sponsor. "We feel that it should never be considered here. We’re just being proactive."

The Division of Natural Resources has fielded several phone calls about the Texas-based Web site, spokesman Hoy Murphy said.

"This is a change that we do support as an agency," Murphy said of the bill. "Most of the real hunters in the state are against this practice. It’s not like hunting. It’s more like target shooting."

Virginia, North Carolina and Wisconsin are among other states considering similar bans. Lawmakers in Texas have debated shutting down the game farm’s Web site.

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Re: House passes Internet hunting ban

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that is so stupid...why can't they just leave us be and have what we love? we're not harming anyone by doing it. sooner or later, it will be every state!

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Do you realize what that is in response to. It is stemming from that royal idiot in Texas who feels that it would be a good idea to let people shoot animals via the internet. Texas needs to follow suit and I haven't seen one member on this site whether in this room or the lounge that doesn't absolutely abhor the idea.

I read an artice either in Field and Stream or some other outdoor magazine where the writer actually went on the sight more than once and tried to set up a time to shoot the .22 at the targets set up, he said the metal targets were basically thrown around on the ground and the paper targets were curled up and not secured well, he also was never able to shoot because the guy said he couldn't find enough family or friends to actually staff the range to reload the gun and reset targets. Plus, the actual hunting part of it apparently will cost near $300.00 and if you want the meat shipped to you and a mount made of the animal you will pay close to $7,500.00 in some cases. Doesn't seem like a good deal to me. The writer also said that even though the guys main intentions were for disabled hunters, it was basically a slap in the face to disabled hunters who go the extra mile to enjoy the sport they love.

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Re: House passes Internet hunting ban

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I guess I will be the first one to ask the stupid question of the day...what in the heck is internet hunting anyway...it already sounds like it should be banned????

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Internet hunting is just what it sounds like TSBH.A guy in Texas was trying to get a websight started where people could sit at home on thier computer and use thier mouse to remotely run a rifle on his ranch in Texas and shoot at animals.Kinda like a real life video game.I think there was supposed to be a guy up in the tower with the rifle for safety reasons and you could also shoot targets with a .22 for a smaller price.Sounded like an animal rights march just waiting to happen IMO, LOL grin.gif

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Re: House passes Internet hunting ban

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I guess I will be the first one to ask the stupid question of the day...what in the heck is internet hunting anyway...it already sounds like it should be banned????or am I just confused. I mean first its crossbows and now this grin.gif

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Go to live-shot.com or liveshot.com, not sure of the actual address.

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Re: House passes Internet hunting ban

[ QUOTE ]

Do you realize what that is in response to. It is stemming from that royal idiot in Texas who feels that it would be a good idea to let people shoot animals via the internet. Texas needs to follow suit and I haven't seen one member on this site whether in this room or the lounge that doesn't absolutely abhor the idea.

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You can count me in as one of those who thinks this idea is absolutely idiotic. And yes, we are working on a change to the hunting regulations that would require a hunter to be physically present in order to take game.

And in all actuality, it's probably already illegal since Texas law states that a hunter who takes a deer, turkey, etc. must immediately tag the animal with a tag from their license and sign the tag. That would be tough to do if they're "pulling the trigger" from somewhere in California.

The only exception would be exotic game like Sitka or Fallow deer that aren't required to be tagged.

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Re: House passes Internet hunting ban

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The only exception would be exotic game like Sitka or Fallow deer that aren't required to be tagged.

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Thats where the guy is trying to get around the law, the only game on this ranch would be exotics and feral pigs. Texas would have to change the law to include non-native species.

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Re: House passes Internet hunting ban

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The only exception would be exotic game like Sitka or Fallow deer that aren't required to be tagged.

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There should be no exceptions to this kind of "so-called" hunting. It's nothing more than a shooting gallery, with live targets....A blight on all hunters everywhere.

I hope they shut him down, lock, stock and barrel

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Re: House passes Internet hunting ban

I sent this letter way back when this guy first got started 1/22/2004

-------------------

Hello,

My name is Steve Kane. I'm 50 years old and have been hunting all my

life. I frequent many hunting related web-sites and forums where we

talk about hunting.

Hunting has been recieving enough bad publicity in resent years from

the non-hunting public as well as the anti-hunters.

What you are proposing here is lacking in many ways. It takes

the "FairChase" aspect out of hunting and reduces it to nothing more

than a killing field for hire. I fail to see any ethics involved with

this venture you are proposing.

Personally, I think it's appalling even for the disabled. It takes

the meaning of fair chase, ethics and a natural experience totally out

of the picture, and substitutes it for the almighty dollar.

It's organizations Like the Disabled Hunters of North America,

Hunter's Helping Hunter's etc, etc, etc, and individual supporters and

hunters, who are personally willing to go the extra mile to see that

the disable can indeed enjoy the great outdoors, "in the outdoors", not

sitting at their desktop, where the whole aspect of hunting is reduced

to killing, with no responsability or outdoor adventure attached.

It not only takes away from Fair chase, but undermines the neighbor

helping neighbor aspect of hunting and the adventure, and the

comradeship etc that goes with it.

Hunting doesn't need this computer program style of killing animals.

Hunting (especially for the disabled) needs more caring hearts to reach

out and ensure that the disabled, have an opportunity to enjoy the

adventure of the outdoors, IN THE OUTDOORS.

Taking disabled folks hunting and making sure they are able to have

some enjoyment in the great outdoors, is something we as individual

hunters should be doing, not passing our responsibilities on to a

computer program such as this.

It is a sad day for the hunting world to see something like this and

even a sadder day for the disabled, who should be out, feeling the

breeze on their faces, smelling the forest and enjoying the sounds of

nature, not being shunned by us hunters and playing hunter on a

computer.

Something like this should be restricted to only bed-ridden hunters,

or house ridden hunters and absolutely no-one else. But How could you

or would you be able to regulate that ???? Better yet, restict it

period, throw the idea out the window.

Here we are argueing amongst ourselves as hunters, as to what fair

chase is and what a true hunt is all about all the time, while

something like this is going on under our noses.

Please, do not let the desire of finacial gain, cloud your decissions

in this matter.

It would be better for hunting as a whole, to have this program shot

down by fellow sportsman, rather than the general public and anti-

hunting groups, just to add another scar to hunters and hunting.

Just my opinion

Steve (buckee)

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HIS REPLY:

Mr. Kane,

Thank You for your opinion and your very well written letter.

I do not know when you saw the website last, but it has been changed

today. It is only emphasizing the shooting range part and later will

include the opportunity for disabled hunters to come to the ranch and

use the computer aided system to participate in the hunt.

Please review the site again and give me your thoughts on the revisions.

Remember the entire site won't be complete for a week or so.

Again, Thank You

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