Texas Lawmaker Wants to Help the Blind Hunt
By MIKE VON FREMD

HOUSTON, Dec. 15, 2006 — Texas Rep. Edmund Kuempel is introducing legislation to allow blind people to hunt live animals using laser sights.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department already permits people who are blind or visually impaired to hunt in Texas. But laser sights are prohibited because officials say it does not give the animal the benefit of "fair chase."

Kuempel said allowing visually impaired hunters to use laser sights with the assistance of a sighted person "would enhance the possibility of a much more humane harvest."

Fort Worth hunter Stanley McGowen lost his eyesight 16 years ago in a plane crash. Since then he has continued to hunt. He said he has killed several white tail deer and feral hogs.

"I hold the rifle up to my shoulder and my hunting partner stands beside me and directs the hunting scope to the target and says 'left, right, up and down' and tells me to squeeze when we are on target," McGowen said. "Using a laser would assure a more humane shot."

Kuempel said the laser focuses a small red mark directly on the target, "giving a comfort level that the hunting team will be able to make a good clean harvest."

Texas would be following the lead of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin in allowing visually impaired hunters special privileges.

Harvey Kronberg, with the Kron Report, which covers Texas politics, said Kuempel is "well regarded" and predicts the bill will breeze through the next congressional session, which starts Jan. 9.

"Very few legislators want to be on the record either voting against the disabled or voting against hunting in Texas," Kronberg said.

Under current law the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department does not discriminate against people with disabilities who wish to hunt. People who are visually impaired can take a hunter education class and there is nothing legally stopping them from going out on their own.

"Taking an eye exam is not part of the legal requirement to receive a hunting license," said Tom Harvey, department spokesman.

Two organizations that are involved with protecting rights of the blind, the National Federation for the Blind and Austin Lighthouse, said the use of laser sights is not a high priority.

But Jerry Mayfield, the director of Austin Lighthouse said, "If a legally blind person would like to go hunting, and there is a technical way that makes it possible for him to do it, then I am all for it."

Hunting would be more intersting if you had to use spears and loin-cloths.

I've never understood the point of hunting. Is your dick really THAT small that the only way you can feel like a man is to shoot defenceless wildlife? Personally I'd rather shoot anyone that hunts than the animals...

I've never understood the point of hunting. Is your dick really THAT small that the only way you can feel like a man is to shoot defenceless wildlife? Personally I'd rather shoot anyone that hunts than the animals...

Have you ever gone fishing before? Do you feel the same way about them?

Yes and yes.

you'd rather hook a fisherman than a fish?



I've got no problem with hunters or fishermen. I don't hunt myself, but I fish every year. Do you guys eat meat? If you're pure vegans and don't eat or use animals out of principal, then that's one thing. I don't agree, but I can respect that. If you eat meat, just don't like the thought of someone hunting it, then... well I strongly disagree with your opinions. What makes it alright to eat a cow that's been raised for killing, but not to go shoot an elk that's lived its life in the wild. The wild, by the way, is not some lovey dovey place that all the animals hang out in having tea and crumpets. There's this thing called the food chain that often comes into play.

i don't get this at all.

if a sighted person is helping the blind person hunt, then why do they need a laser sight? i'm all about rights for the disbaled, but c'mon...this seems like an excuse for a sighted person to use a laser sight gun. just grab blind as a bat uncle irving and you can shoot whatever you want with a laser sight gun.

guns and blind people go together about as well as deaf people and train tracks.

Have you ever gone fishing before? Do you feel the same way about them?

I really don't care about hunting or fishing either way. In fact, I'm in favor of animal population control, for the most part. Let me declare right now that I pretty much hate animals and have no moral qualms about them being killed.

I just dislike 99.9% of the hunters I've met, so it's a blissfully ignorant generalization I'm making.

Also, fishing is #1 on the "most boring activity human beings can partake in" list, just above golf.

How would the sighted person know if the blind person's gun is actually aimed at the animal without using a laser sight?

It's about whether the animal dies for no real purpose other than to make some inbred maggot-dicked motherfucker feel good.

the gun can be made with two sights, or even just one...off to the side for the sighted person. that would make it more like other adapted equipment for the disabled.

I don't think two sights would be necessary.

i'm thinking of those who are legally blind, but still have some sight. and if they are going to be holding the gun, they may as well have someplace to put their face.

but you're right. the whole thing is just weird.