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Texas Lawmaker Wants To Let the Blind Hunt
IHC Navistar writes with a story from Reuters Oddly Enough. A Texas lawmaker has introduced a measure that would allow blind people to hunt any game that sighted people can currently pursue. The article notes that the bill may have clear sailing in the hunting-besotted state of Texas. An education outreach person from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department explained it this way: "A blind person can shoot a rifle by mounting an offset pistol scope on the side of the rifle instead of on top. This allows their companion behind them to peer over their shoulder and help them sight it, but the blind person can pull the trigger."
Meanwhile, bills are being introduced that will allow middle-school drop-outs to teach high school as long as they are paired with someone with a teaching degree telling them what to say, allow 5-year-olds to drive cars as long as they have an adult to work the pedals for them, and formally entitle idiots to run for governor (and then president) as long as they "surround themselves with the right people".
http://alternatives.rzero.com/
I'm a Texan as well, though I do live in Austin which is probably the most liberal city you'll find in Texas. I've heard our city described as being surrounded by an "asshole donut", referring to the fact that Austin is an island of liberal Democrats completely surrounded by conservative Republicans. Those of us who live in such islands don't necessarily realize that the majority of the state is in fact quite enamored of hunting, guns, pick-up trucks, country music, Republicans, etc. Even growing up in San Antonio, I had a friend in high school get expelled because he went hunting over the weekend and forgot to take the rifle out of his vehicle when he drove to school on Monday. So yes, I'd unfortunately agree with the overall depiction of Texas as "hunting-besotted" even though there are certainly many exceptions to that.
The damn Mule deer population is really bad there and a night drive on a back road is quite an experience trying to avoid herds of 10 to 50 every few miles. Texas rats.
I guess the point here is the blind hunters really wouldn't know what they are shooting. Sure, you would hope that their spotter is telling them truth and is paying full attention, but considering that sighted hunters shoot one another every year in hunting accidents, relying on two people (one of them blind) just seems like an accident waiting to happen.
Also, what's the point anyway? It's basically the spotter that's doing the hunting. If a blind person wants to enjoy being with family I don't see why they can't go out with the hunters and simply not shoot any of the guns.
actually Texas has more restrictions on gun rights than Alaska or Vermont. IIRC, in terms of "gun freedom", it's in the 80% range.
I find this law ridiculous because unlike shooting at a range, the target usually moves when you're hunting and the feedback loop described by the lawmaker more than likely won't be quick enough for a clean kill.
the good ground has been paved over by suicidal maniacs
I know a guy who got one of the few available legal permits for grizzly bears with the intent of taking on an Alaskan grizzly bear with a sword...
HAHA!! You believe in a higher power!
(RPG rocket head towards Slithe)
OH MY SCIENCE!!
(Slithe explodes into little chunks.)
---- "XML is like violence. If it doesn't fix the problem, you aren't using enough."
In order for you to live, something has to die, that's part of being a consumer in the ecosystem rather than a producer, get over it.
I believe that the law is aimed (sic) at allowing "leagaly blind" people to hunt. I not being a texan do not know if the hunting laws in texas have a vision requirement. I do know that in my home state ( Florida ) I am "leagaly" blind , the statute being based on UNcorrected vision. My vision with glases is 20/20 and I have hunted safely for over 40 years ( well, safe for my fellow hunters not the game;).
Only in Texas would someone further this sillyness. Assuming that the hunting party can do so safely, it is really necessary in the first place? "Cool, I shot a deer, can't see it, but I killed the thing".
I say, the blind hunter should outfit himself with a knife, hide in the brush, and using his elevated sense of smell and hearing, try and kill game as a predator would. That would impress me.