Calif. Lawmakers Vote To Ban Internet Hunting

KingFishKingFish
edited April 2005 in Science & Tech
California state senators approved a bill on Thursday that would ban hunters from killing animals over the Internet.
Hunters can currently stalk prey online at Live-shot.com, a Web site linking firearms and cameras so customers can point, click and shoot antelope, sheep and wild hogs on a Texas ranch from thousands of miles away.

Live-shot.com is the only Web site of its kind, and California lawmakers voted 25-6 to deter imitators.

"It's an over-the-top, pay-per-view video game using live animals for target practice that ought to be banned from coast-to-coast," said Sen. Debra Bowen, the bill's author.

"Pay-per-view hunting doesn't meet any definition of 'sporting' that I've ever heard because there's nothing 'sporting' about sitting at your computer in your pajamas, using your mouse to shoot at hogs or antelope or any other animal that's halfway across the country," Bowen said.

Her bill bars remote hunting in California and would ban anyone from operating a hunting Web site in the state.

The bill would also ban the import of animals into California killed over a remote hunting Web site, and violators would face up to six months in jail and fines of up to $1,000.

The operator of Live-shot.com was not immediately available for comment, but customer Dale Hagberg of Ligonier, Ind., who is paralyzed from the neck down, defended the Web site and criticized California lawmakers.
Source: c|net

Comments

  • Private_SnoballPrivate_Snoball Dover AFB, DE, USA
    edited April 2005
    Am I the only one that looked at the title of this and laughed? That's a good headline whoever picked it! ;D;D
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited April 2005
    If anyone wants a sure-fire way to have a money-making website, come up with something where you could hunt spammers from your desktop. You'd be doing a great service to mankind and would make millions. :D
  • RewiredRewired Member
    edited April 2005
    Wow.
  • NosferatuNosferatu Arizona
    edited April 2005
    Wow, a worthwhile ban on something. It's been awhile since i've seen that. Hopefully it becomes federal law.
  • lemonlimelemonlime Canada Member
    edited April 2005
    That's absolutely barbaric. I really hope it is shut down immediatly, and made illegal.
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited April 2005
    Imagine the implications of internet hunting? Shots that don't kill, just mame. A camera can't run down and injured animal and finish it off. What if some unlucky person has wandered onto the property and into the view of the camera? You know he'd get shot, people feel anonymous on the internet.
  • danball1976danball1976 Wichita Falls, TX
    edited April 2005
    Gargoyle wrote:
    Imagine the implications of internet hunting? Shots that don't kill, just mame. A camera can't run down and injured animal and finish it off. What if some unlucky person has wandered onto the property and into the view of the camera? You know he'd get shot, people feel anonymous on the internet.


    Even though the law is a great idea, and there is no need to be lazy and shoot animals like this, I doubt anybody can kill someone and get away with it, I would imagine that all activity is logged so that they know who was connected to which camera.
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited April 2005
    California instituting a worthwhile ban? Can they do that?
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited April 2005
    This has been extremely big news here in Texas for some time. The state is looking into it with the desire to shut it down and keep it there. I have been an avid hunter since the age of 12 and see no reason for this. I think it is completely overboard and needs to be squashed like bad fruit! :shakehead
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