NEWS: Texas Saves Blind Hunters Terrible Embarrassment

CULTURE: Texas Saves Blind Hunters Terrible Embarrassment

Texas has solved a major problem for blind hunters. Blind hunters have been seriously hindered in their ability to kill wild animals for sport due to their general inability to see whatever the hell they're aiming at, but Republican Representative Edmund Kuempel has seen the light, and the light is lasers.

Soon, hunters will be able to aim at things they can't see and still be a pretty good shot. All you need is a firearm fitted with laser scopes, oh, and someone who can see to direct you while you prove your dominance over the wild.

What I can't understand is why laser sighting devices are prohibited right now. Existing law forbids lasers as they've been known to cause temporary paralysis in the animal being hunted as the light of the laser hits their eyes. So?

Kuempel's bill gives the great state of Texas until January 1, 2008, to come up with a definition for "legally blind" so that the law can be properly enforced. The definition of legally blind will be quite tricky for lawmakers, but it must be clear enough to ward off people who are just sucky shots. That's not a question of poor eyesight, in Texas that's just bad parenting.

The question now stands, how can we help blind and deaf people kill defenseless creatures? We won't be able to guide them vocally to help with their aim. What I'm thinking is a gun that vibrates when it has an animal locked in its sites. Can science do that? Maybe in the meantime we could capture animals and restrain them in some way, then set up a rifle nearby that is aimed perfectly at the animal and the sweat deaf, blind individual can put a quarter in the gun and pull the trigger.

my guess is its against the law because its even more unfair for the animal. in canada, in some lakes anyway, fishing with a net is illegal because that makes it too easy. anyone can just scoop up any fish they see swim by. it might sound stupid but oh well.

Internet hunting already exists and blind people are free to participate without having to actually hold a gun. But I guess that's not alot of fun for the rest of us to watch. How bout an internet site where you can log in and virtually direct a blind hunter via your own PC. That's what I'm talkin' about.

Why limit these devices to blind people?

But isn't that how Cheney shot his friend in the face?

Running to where, and how, if you're blind to begin with?
Granted I don't know much about killing animals with firearms, but that doesn't make much sense.

Come on, guys... this has been a huge problem in Texas before now.

What about vision impaired sportspeople who do not have friends? These people are STILL NOT being accommodated! I demand that the state have record class animals be confined to a small space or tied up and the sportspeople be freed to enjoy their activity. If necessary, the state should supply fully automatic weapons. If automatic weapons do not work the sportspeople should be able to call in air strikes by the Texas Air National Guard the TANG could use napalm which would also cook the animals saving the vision impaired sportspeople that burden.

Grenades. Quick, and satisfyingly messy, too. Assisted throwing is available for VIP customers.

note to self: change 'location' in profile back to Seattle...

Biggest problem I can see? Not getting a positive ID on their target. But maybe the aid can help them that much.
In some cases, people have to eat game meat due to the amount of cholesterol in farmed meats.
Some people might live far from cities or farms, and if they're legally blind, cannot drive.
This may have come about due to a rare case where someone who was legally blind, needed to be allowed to hunt to preserve his rural way of life.

Some people, including the hard of sight, prefer to live with nature and take what they need.
Rather than separate themselves from it and live a lifestyle that destroys ecosystems on a larger scale.

Wow.

Well Put.

However, there are alternative methods. I'm not sure that people who are legally blind should be using firearms to hunt. Even with a guide, it's WAY to easy to misfire. How will they decide who is a qualified guide? Anybody who isn't blind? If they have a legitimate need for game, trapping is legal and productive.

Perhaps they should tie the animals down so that the blind people can just strangle them?

I thought you were going to say that the state should be required to find the blind hunters friends.

Couldn't you just tell the guy he hit something, and then buy a turkey at the store on the way home? I mean, it's not like a blind person can SEE A LASER.

Next thing you know they will want to get their driver's license. Of course with the GPS it might not be too long from now... Huge WARNING sign on that one.

Isn't Texas the state where it's legal to shoot someone that steps onto your property??

I remember a case where a guy shot and killed a repo man, who was departing with a car, in Texas. It was perfectly legal because he was both defending his property and it was after dark, seems the law changes then.

It's a bit unsettling to imagine walking through the woods knowing there's a blind man out there with a loaded gun. In PA the woods can become a shooting gallery as it is. I quit going to the woods during hunting season because of morons with rifles. I don't think blind people should be allowed to fire a gun unless they're in a shooting range or on private property.

Any blind person who gets a thrill out of shooting something that someone else basically set up perfectly for you is a murder-thirsty loser.

Listen, dude...put the gun down. YOU'RE FUCKING BLIND!!!

They could drive with lasers where the headlights normally go. Pedestrians could look for red spots on their clothing to indicate a blind driver approaching.

Blind hunters are a huge boon to the Texas economy. Just check out this Do it Yourself TAXIDERMY site: http://www.evolutionsyndicate.com/howto.php

For the best results, they could combine the two ideas: drug deer and release them on the highway so that the blind can pulp them with their laser-guided Ford Fairlanes.

It seems like people don't understand what this law is about. In Texas it is not illegal for blind people to hunt. This law is to make it easier for the blind to hunt because before a spotter would have to look over the blind persons shoulder and through the sights. I don't think blind people should be hunting but that isn't the issue they are voting on.

I think that part was clear. It's mentioned in the 3rd paragraph of the quoted text. See the funny part is trying to make it easier for blind people to shoot animals. Because, you know, they're blind, they can't see. So that's what people are finding kinda silly.

I guess if it's already legal to shoot while blind, might as well make it less of a headache on the blind guy's buddy, is what you're saying? I can see that.

Still, whole thing is stupid, we agree on that.

I wasn't really commenting on your original post rather the subsequent posts that seemed to think Texas was making a law to allow the blind to hunt. And yes the law is essentially making it easier on their buddy, aka the spotter, which makes more sense then making a law to allow the blind to hunt. Right now the reason the blind can hunt is not because they are allowed so in law but rather they were never excluded. I would really love to hear a lawyer's views on this entire issue and if the Americans with Disabilities Act would permit the outlaw of blind hunting.