Senator wants to ban e-hunt

Published: Sunday, Dec. 23, 2007 12:03 a.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Utah may join a series of states that have prohibited one of the most controversial services ever offered through the Internet: computer-controlled, remote hunting.

In 2005, a Texas hunting ranch offered customers such a service. Texas and several other states quickly banned the practice.

Sen. Mike Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, is determined to make sure that no Utah location will be used for remote hunting. So far, that hasn't happened in the state.

"We're just getting ahead of the curve to see that it doesn't happen here," he said. "It seems very unsportsmanlike to me, to go out and shoot your elk or whatever, without leaving your computer terminal."

Waddoups described how remote hunting could work: "You toggle back and forth (on the computer) until you get your gun set up." Somebody at a hunting farm herds a game animal toward the site where the gun is aimed. The hunter clicks a mouse and, possibly thousands of miles away, the rifle fires and the target falls.

"Somebody goes out and cleans up for you and you never go out of your house," he said.

The wording of his bill is being finalized, and public hearings will be held in January.

Story continues below

So far, hunters he has contacted are in favor of the bill. "I haven't found a soul that's objecting to it yet," Waddoups said.

He used to be a hunter and would never consider a killing an animal via remote control. Besides, he said, half of the advantage of hunting is "you get the exercise."

Recent comments

That this is an issue at all seems almost comical to me. Who in the...

Joe Moe | Dec. 23, 2007 at 11:01 a.m.

Thank you Senator Waddoups for sponsoring this sensible bill. It's...

West Jordan constituent | Dec. 23, 2007 at 9:02 a.m.

previousnext

Latest comments

I love Millsap, and the Jazz will find a way to move Boozer and match for...

i think its childish to assume that somebody would actually want to get...

Millsap and Boozer need to stay in Utah. Millsap is Boozers backup while he...

Childish and immature? Its always easier being ignorant and presuming things...

can you use words like testimony and church leadership to critisize a...

Bro P really helped me through a tough time in my life when I had him in...

These are only allegations at present, but I hope when he goes to trial, the...

My thoughts are with the Pratt family right now. Michael I hope you are...

It is interesting that everyone who seems to be a member comments on how nice...

You presume, simply because they were gay, that they were trying to "stir...

Advertisements