Blind Man Hunting

[sandgk]

Wonder if the tag-along sighted hunter would be Dick Cheney :)
Reuters

Lawmaker aims to allow the blind to hunt
Tue Dec 12, 2006 10:41 AM ET



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.
"A blind person can shoot a rifle by mounting an offset pistol scope on the side of the rifle instead of on top," said Terry Erwin, the Austin-based Hunter Education Coordinator with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
"This allows their companion behind them to peer over their shoulder and help them sight it, but the blind person can pull the trigger," he told Reuters.

 

[iambrutus]

gee, nothing can go wrong with this....

 

[LoKyBuckeye]

maybe he can get them to drive too....

 

[CCI]

that is unreal

 

[iambrutus]

maybe he can get them to drive too....

i think they already do, i mean they have braille on drive up ATM machines...

 

[Thump]

Can't be any worse than Dick Cheney!

 

[ekeen]

Huh, I did a search for the article and USA TODAY gives a better account of what is going on here.

A bill filed for the 2007 legislative session would permit legally blind hunters to use laser sights, or lighted pointing instruments.​

Kuempel's bill would give the state until Jan. 1, 2008, to come up with a definition of legally blind so the law could be enforced.​

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-12-12-huntingblind_x.htm?csp=34
And what is the definition of legally blind?

The American Optometric Association states that a person with 20/20 vision can clearly identify a row of 9mm letters from 20 feet. A legally blind person with vision of 20/200 has to be as close as 20 feet to identify objects that people with normal vision can spot from 200 feet. So a legally blind person needs a distance of two feet to spot the letters on a standard eye chart that is 20 feet away.​

I'm sure the folks at Reuters missed this point accidentally () but the distinction does need to be noted. As a matter of fact, I don't see a problem with the law since game is often harvested by distances less than 200 feet. Ask any sportsmen, they will tell you the same thing. The only problem I would have with the law is if it didn't follow the AOA's definition of legally blind.

 

[PrincetonBuckeye]

Huh, I did a search for the article and USA TODAY gives a better account of what is going on here.

A bill filed for the 2007 legislative session would permit legally blind hunters to use laser sights, or lighted pointing instruments.​

Kuempel's bill would give the state until Jan. 1, 2008, to come up with a definition of legally blind so the law could be enforced.​

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-12-12-huntingblind_x.htm?csp=34
And what is the definition of legally blind?

The American Optometric Association states that a person with 20/20 vision can clearly identify a row of 9mm letters from 20 feet. A legally blind person with vision of 20/200 has to be as close as 20 feet to identify objects that people with normal vision can spot from 200 feet. So a legally blind person needs a distance of two feet to spot the letters on a standard eye chart that is 20 feet away.​

I'm sure the folks at Reuters missed this point accidentally () but the distinction does need to be noted. As a matter of fact, I don't see a problem with the law since game is often harvested by distances less than 200 feet. Ask any sportsmen, they will tell you the same thing. The only problem I would have with the law is if it didn't follow the AOA's definition of legally blind.

Glad you made that point...I was going to say that....most people were unaware that some legally blind people can actually see to a certain extent...

 

[daddyphatsacs]

I hear that Clayton Bigsby has been a major player behind this bill.

Woogy Boogie!!!!!!!!

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Damn. I thought this thread was going to be about hunting blind people. :(

 

[CCI]

How did they torture Hellen Keller?

Moved the furniture