Selected Articles from the C.A.S.H. Courier
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From Fall / Winter 2004-2005 Issue
INTERNET HUNTING
By Anne MullerJohn Underwood wants to start Internet hunting on his Texas ranch. Absurd? Hoax? Absurd hoax? The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is taking it very seriously. Their concern is that they won’t get the license fees from out-of-state hunters that they feel they deserve. They say, “One concern of TPWD staff is that anyone who hunts any animal in Texas, whether native wildlife or exotic (non-native) species, is required to have a valid Texas hunting license. If people are hunting at computer screens in other states or even at remote locations within Texas, the situation poses a license enforcement problem.” They will be taking comments, so check their website.
What is really going on in our view is that it will give a huge boost to the income of the gun manufacturers. This sick venture, while it’s so repugnant is also a bad business idea. How are these remote hunt operations going to keep up the populations of animals to accommodate millions of conscienceless and conscious-free druggies and alkies? Obviously, they could achieve their goals of increasing firearms use far more cost effectively if they used paper or synthetic targets. Synthetic targets would be far less messy, provide much quicker action, and yield far greater income for them and consequently for the game agencies.
We’ve been saying since the beginning of time (C.A.S.H. time, that is) that animals are the means to the end of having firearms and ammunition, and bows and arrows bought and used. The firearm or bow is a one-time expenditure, but ammunition and arrows have to be bought regularly if the weapons are USED. It’s like the razor and the blades.
The use of ammunition is as vital to the gun industry as arrows are to the bow manufacturers. Anything that increases the purchase of these products brings more money to the coffers of the wildlife managers so they can continue to manage wildlife into high populations for hunters. With the legalization of assault rifles, a boon to the gun industry, think of how much ammunition gets pumped by just pulling the trigger. According to http://www.handgunfree.org “Even though the assault weapons being marketed to the public are semiautomatic, they are still capable of firing up to 6 rounds per second in ammunition magazines that hold 20, 30 or even 50 rounds of ammunition.” To get an idea of ammunition costs take a look at: http://www.proload.com/
When language coming from the highest ranks of government goes something like: “We’ll track ‘em down and kill ‘em,” or “We’ll start at one end (of Falluja) and work our way to the other, and on our way back, if there’s anything still moving, we’ll make sure it stops,” it doesn’t set the best example for our society and youth. But that’s what we have now, folks.
Hunting is being targeted and outlawed in several of its forms in England, but here it seems to be like Hydra. Maybe we can chalk it up to American ingenuity, but I think it’s plain vanilla nuts. I’d ask you to “Do Something” but so far all I can say is that if someone knows the address of John Underwood in Texas, they should call for a straight jacket. But do keep an eye on this one. Until this is shown to be an absurd hoax, please go to http://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/involved/pubhear/comment/remotehunt/ to find out about meetings and comment periods.
Return to Fall / Winter 2004-2005 Issue
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