Lawmaker aims to allow the blind to hunt

[Ian]

Hey, if Cheney can hunt, why not the blind?

entire story

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A Texas lawmaker is aiming to allow the blind to hunt. Texas State Representative Edmund Kuempel has introduced a measure that would allow blind people to hunt any game that sighted people can currently pursue.

He hopes it will be passed after the legislature reconvenes in January though he does not expect it to come into affect until 2008.

"This opens up the fun of hunting to additional people, and I think that's great," Kuempel told Reuters.

The bill may find little resistance in Texas, where politicians of all stripes endorse hunting, which is wildly popular in the state.

Under the bill, blind hunters would be required to have a sighted hunter with them and would be allowed to use laser sights and other devices that are currently not allowed.

[Spazmogen]

I am not hunting with Ray Charles anytime soon.

[Ian]

What's next? Letting the blind drive?

[ruderacer]

It seems where I'm at in Texas, the blind have been driving for a while now. At least, that's how it feels. These people around here don't pay attention to the road. I'd probably would feel more comfortable with a legally blind person driving than the sighted ones I deal with every day around here. Oh, get this; most around here drive without insurance, while the others don't have their vehicles registered to them. I'm right on the border and the ones that come across it also don't have insurance and drive like sh*t. So, if you get hit by one of them you are sh*t out of luck. Last august, my truck got T-boned and totaled by one who didn't see the RED light, so he claims. I WAS very fortunate that he had insurance.

As far as hunting here, these people are freaks about it. All you hear now is hunt this and that. Hunting is a big bucks industry here in south Texas. So hunting for the blind would not surprise me if it may it through the legislature.

[MonteLDS]

I am not hunting with Ray Charles anytime soon.

he's not only blind, but he's dead too.

[Spazmogen]

See what I mean?

Ray Charles can't hunt and can't breathe. Lets hope he wasn't allowed to drive either.

[dodecahedron]

I am not hunting with Ray Charles anytime soon.

he's not only blind, but he's dead too.

well, i expect that very soon we will have legislature that allows the dead to hunt as well. the bill will require a live hunter to accompany the dead one.
maybe the bill should require a dead hunter to be accompanied by a blind one too, just in case...

[LoneWolf]

As far as hunting here, these people are freaks about it. All you hear now is hunt this and that. Hunting is a big bucks industry here in south Texas. So hunting for the blind would not surprise me if it may it through the legislature.

I'm trying to figure out what the enjoyment in hunting would be if one is blind. Low-vision/legally blind, maybe (although I'd debate that too, considering the distance some shots are taken from) but if you can't get a visual experience of it, one that you could share with someone else (half the fun of hunting is in the stories), how enjoyable could it be?