Texas officials wary of plan to hunt by Internet

[Guest guest]

Well, this is pretty freaking disgusting.

Laura

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

 

By Reuters

http://news.com.com/Texas+officials+wary+of+plan+t

o+hunt+by+Internet/2100-1030_3-5455991.html

 

Story last modified November 17, 2004, 5:23 AM PST

 

Hunters soon may be able to sit at their computers and blast away at

animals on a Texas ranch via the Internet, a prospect that has state

wildlife officials up in arms.

 

A controversial Web site, www.live-shot.com, already offers target

practice with a .22 caliber rifle and could soon let hunters shoot at

deer, antelope and wild pigs, site creator John Underwood said

Tuesday.

 

Texas officials are not quite sure what to make of Underwood's Web

site, but they may tweak existing laws to make sure Internet hunting

does not get out of hand.

 

" This is the first one I've seen, " said Mike Berger, wildlife director

at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. " The current state

statutes don't cover this sort of thing. "

 

Underwood, an estimator for a San Antonio auto body shop, has invested

$10,000 to build a platform for a rifle and camera that can be

remotely aimed on his 330-acre southwest Texas ranch by anyone on the

Internet anywhere in the world.

 

The idea came last year while viewing another Web site on which

cameras posted in the wild are used to snap photos of animals.

 

" We were looking at a beautiful white-tail buck and my friend said,

'If you just had a gun for that.' A little lightbulb went off in my

head, " Underwood said.

 

Internet hunting could be popular with disabled hunters unable to get

out in the woods, Underwood said, or distant hunters who cannot afford

a trip to Texas.

Digital agenda

 

Berger said that state law only covers " regulated animals " such as

native deer and birds and that it cannot prevent Underwood from

offering Internet hunts of " unregulated " animals such as non-native

deer, which many ranchers have imported, and wild pigs.

 

He has proposed a rule that will come up for public discussion in

January that anyone hunting animals covered by state law must be

physically on site when they shoot.

 

Berger expressed reservations about remote-control hunting but noted

that humans have always adopted new technologies to hunt.

 

" First it was rocks and clubs, then we sharpened it and put it on a

stick. Then there was the bow and arrow, black powder, smokeless power

and optics, " Berger said. " Maybe this is the next technological step

out there. "

 

Underwood, 39, said he will offer animal hunting as soon as he gets a

fast Internet connection to his remote ranch that will enable hunters

to aim the rifle quickly at passing animals.

 

He said an attendant would retrieve shot animals for the shooters, who

could have the heads preserved by a taxidermist. They could also have

the meat processed and shipped home, or donated to animal orphanages.

 

Story Copyright © 2004 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

[Guest guest]

Disgusting for certain

but not surprising. Gee what will they think of next? I wonder, at which point

do hunters consider ethics enter into their set of actions - at all? Stupid

point I suppose…assuming people that could do this truly have any ethics

to speak of. Thanks for sharing.

 

 

Christy

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

" All beings

tremble before violence. All fear death, all love life. See yourself in others.

Then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do? "

-Buddha

 

 

 

 

 

 

_morgaana_

[morgaana]

Wednesday, November 17, 2004

9:41 AM

 

Texas

officials wary of plan to hunt by Internet

 

 

 

 

Well, this is pretty freaking disgusting.

Laura

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

 

By Reuters

http://news.com.com/Texas+officials+wary+of+plan+t

o+hunt+by+Internet/2100-1030_3-5455991.html

 

Story last modified November 17, 2004, 5:23 AM PST

 

Hunters soon may be able to sit at their computers

and blast away at

animals on a Texas ranch via the Internet, a

prospect that has state

wildlife officials up in arms.

 

A controversial Web site, www.live-shot.com,

already offers target

practice with a .22 caliber rifle and could soon

let hunters shoot at

deer, antelope and wild pigs, site creator John

Underwood said

Tuesday.

 

Texas officials are not quite sure what to make of

Underwood's Web

site, but they may tweak existing laws to make

sure Internet hunting

does not get out of hand.

 

" This is the first one I've seen, " said

Mike Berger, wildlife director

at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

" The current state

statutes don't cover this sort of thing. "

 

Underwood, an estimator for a San Antonio auto

body shop, has invested

$10,000 to build a platform for a rifle and camera

that can be

remotely aimed on his 330-acre southwest Texas

ranch by anyone on the

Internet anywhere in the world.

 

The idea came last year while viewing another Web

site on which

cameras posted in the wild are used to snap photos

of animals.

 

" We were looking at a beautiful white-tail

buck and my friend said,

'If you just had a gun for that.' A little

lightbulb went off in my

head, " Underwood said.

 

Internet hunting could be popular with disabled

hunters unable to get

out in the woods, Underwood said, or distant

hunters who cannot afford

a trip to Texas.

Digital agenda

 

Berger said that state law only covers

" regulated animals " such as

native deer and birds and that it cannot prevent

Underwood from

offering Internet hunts of " unregulated "

animals such as non-native

deer, which many ranchers have imported, and wild

pigs.

 

He has proposed a rule that will come up for

public discussion in

January that anyone hunting animals covered by

state law must be

physically on site when they shoot.

 

Berger expressed reservations about remote-control

hunting but noted

that humans have always adopted new technologies

to hunt.

 

" First it was rocks and clubs, then we

sharpened it and put it on a

stick. Then there was the bow and arrow, black

powder, smokeless power

and optics, " Berger said. " Maybe this is

the next technological step

out there. "

 

Underwood, 39, said he will offer animal hunting

as soon as he gets a

fast Internet connection to his remote ranch that

will enable hunters

to aim the rifle quickly at passing animals.

 

He said an attendant would retrieve shot animals

for the shooters, who

could have the heads preserved by a taxidermist.

They could also have

the meat processed and shipped home, or donated to

animal orphanages.

 

Story Copyright © 2004 Reuters

Limited. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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