Colorado Town Considers Drone-Hunting Licenses

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Colorado Town Considers Drone-Hunting Licenses

Posted by Soulskill on Friday July 19, 2013 @05:01AM from the heck-yeah-'murica dept.

New submitter ciotog writes "The town of Deer Trail, Colorado (population approximately 550) will be voting next month on whether to offer licenses for drone hunting. Furthermore, a bounty of $100 for each drone shot down will be offered (upon offering proof that the drone was potentially owned by the U.S. government). Is this just a fun gimmick, or a serious commentary on an increasingly surveillance based society?"

19 of 341 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

or could it be ... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-07-19 05:05 · Score: 4, Interesting

a completely illegal destruction of government property?
1. Re:or could it be ... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-07-19 05:33 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  That depends on the DEMOCRATICALLY-ELECTED representatives of the People of Deer.
  If the People say they don`t want drones over their heads, and the People`s Representatives truly "represent" vox populi,
  THE DRONE ITSELF IS ILLEGAL.
2. Re:or could it be ... by pspahn · 2013-07-19 05:46 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Everyone, please! Take this story seriously!
  It was actually on the news the other night and they interviewed I believe the mayor, the guy drafting the bill, and some other sheriff or somebody. They clearly stated "this is a symbolic gesture only". Everything about this bill says so. You're only allowed to use a shotgun firing pellets (lot of good that will do with the drone at altitude), and the bounties paid out are nowhere near a practical amount of money for the effort put in.
  Besides all that, they even said that they have never even seen a drone over the town.
  
  --
  Someone flopped a steamer in the gene pool.
3. Re:or could it be ... by JTsyo · 2013-07-19 06:15 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  So you're saying there's a market for cannons that shoot shotguns which in turn has a prox sensor to fire and take out drones?
I hope it happens. by intermodal · 2013-07-19 05:06 · Score: 5, Interesting

There's no good reason to allow a surveilance state, and I support any government entity that helps the populace fight back against it in such efforts.

--
In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
1. Re:I hope it happens. by i+kan+reed · 2013-07-19 05:10 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  And there's certainly no legitimate uses for aerial devices besides spying on people. I'm given to understand that missing persons cases never crop up in rural Colorado. And I certainly can't envision using aerial drones to help with wildfire control. Or environmental surveys. Or mapping. Or weather. Or any number of legitimate government functions. It's all to spy on intermodal
2. Re:I hope it happens. by Immerman · 2013-07-19 05:22 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Do you honestly believe that once establish such surveillance would not be abused? If so I have an NSA to sell you...
  
  --
  --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
3. Re:I hope it happens. by Beardydog · 2013-07-19 05:24 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  If the federal government wanted to use drones for science and fire control, they shouldn't have broken trust with the American people vigorously and repeatedly, to the point that no one believes anything they say about their own motives or operations. I mentally append "and spying" to every described use they offer. "On intermodal" is a childish straw man.
4. Re:I hope it happens. by mcrbids · 2013-07-19 07:20 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  All this banter about the NSA = bad or Echelon = bad or the requirement of warrant is entirely missing the point. The truth is that this fundamental lack of privacy is guaranteed to happen. We live in an era when recording data is so cheap and so easy that it's happening accidentally, automatically, as a daily part of living life. Last time I had contact with the police, my phone recorded the entire thing from my pocket. Audio quality was quite good, too. With 32 GB of space on my phone, I could literally record my entire day, every day, and keep days worth of audio on hand in case something "interesting" happened. Oops! What happened to the privacy of those around me?
  But, the problem isn't the computers recording your every move, it's the secrecy with which it's being done and the lack of accountability that secrecy gives rise to.
  This was predicted years and years ago and the brilliant, understandable answer to avoid abuse is simple: transparency .
  I don't think that cops should have the option of wearing cameras; I think that no arrest should ever be done without them, and simply lacking the arrest footage should be enough to dismiss the case. Any and all public places should be open to be recorded without further notice. And all recordings of public places or of public officers in the performance of their duties should also be public. (with an appropriate time delay)
  Some areas are already experimenting with these ideas and the result is nearly 90% reduction in police misconduct complaints. The privacy of our actions is far less important than the abuse of the information collected.
  
  --
  I have no problem with your religion until you decide it's reason to deprive others of the truth.
Proof it's U.S. Government owned by SeaFox · 2013-07-19 05:06 · Score: 4, Informative

Encouraging destruction of government property...
With a population of 550, Deer Trail, CO could suddenly find itself a bunch of empty buildings if Washington wished it.
1. Re:Proof it's U.S. Government owned by Grishnakh · 2013-07-19 05:33 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  Well the DHS has purchased over a billion rounds of ammunition, plus lots of tanks and coffins, so they're ready to brutally put down an uprising.
2. Re:Proof it's U.S. Government owned by The+Grim+Reefer · 2013-07-19 05:47 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Encouraging destruction of government property...
  With a population of 550, Deer Trail, CO could suddenly find itself a bunch of empty buildings if Washington wished it.
  At which point the government will have made those crazy ass militia types some of the most sane people in the country.
I read it wrong.... by Orleron · 2013-07-19 05:13 · Score: 4, Insightful

I thought they were saying a license to hunt animals using drones. THAT would be awesome! :P *pew pew* *deer falls down*
Drones aren't deer. by PhxBlue · 2013-07-19 05:19 · Score: 4, Insightful

Shoot at these things enough and they will get equipped to shoot back. And their aim's a lot better.

--
!#@%*)anks for hanging up the phone, dear.
1. Re:Drones aren't deer. by WaffleMonster · 2013-07-19 05:45 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Shoot at these things enough and they will get equipped to shoot back. And their aim's a lot better
  I can think of no better way to get all drone programs shut down post-haste.
Not all 'drones' are drones.... by TimO_Florida · 2013-07-19 05:29 · Score: 4, Interesting

Before you grab your shotguns and crossbows, remember that there are nearly a half-a-million radio-control plane enthusiasts out here in the countryside and we're NOT trying to spy on you. But we will send you a lawsuit and a big bill if you shoot down our planes.... ;-)
Re:Not a joke by whistlingtony · 2013-07-19 05:41 · Score: 4, Interesting

I live in Oregon. That's as west as you can get. :D Does that mean I'm a rugged individualist? Does that mean Texas is full of Help Me People?
Maybe we should stop stereotyping. Maybe you need to talk to a hippy and see what they have the government just as much as you, and probably for much better (and much more real) reasons.
Maybe these crowds of "Help me, I'm being picked on" people are just a stereotype that's been fed to you, so you dismiss lefties as whiners. Maybe because if lefties and righties got together and realized that they all hate what's being done in their name.... something would get done.
Sorry, I'm being unfair here. I'm a little peeved. I spent last night listening to lefties talk(at a political meeting) about surveilance state, politics, the problems with our systems, and how Obama is continuing Bush policies if not making them worse. They're pissed off. And this morning, I endure a rant from a righty about how all lefties do is lick Obama's ass.... while he sat on the couch doing nothing but whining.... It has me a little annoyed, and your post prodded that.
Re:Not a joke by PhxBlue · 2013-07-19 05:44 · Score: 4, Funny

Does that mean Texas is full of Help Me People?

Yes. They're called state Republican legislators, and they clearly need help. :P

--
!#@%*)anks for hanging up the phone, dear.
Re:Nope by Grishnakh · 2013-07-19 05:54 · Score: 5, Informative

No, they're much, much larger. Look up at a 747 flying overhead (assuming you're not near an airport and in the flight path): it's tiny, to you. Now fly one of those 4-rotor "quadrocopter" R/C toys at 20 feet over your head. It's not that small, and would be pretty easy to hit with a shotgun, certainly much easier than a clay pigeon. Clay pigeons travel faster than R/C vehicles.