Blind Hunters?

[fritz]

I hear that there is a bill going to be introduced in the Texas legislature to allow blind people to hunt in Texas.

 

What next, blind driver's licenses?

 

Well, when I think about it, it probably won't be any worse than hunting with Dick Cheney.

 

 

fritz

[Horsefly]

fritz,remeber when we were first flooded with Yankies and all the jokes that went around about the Yankee that made a sound shot or a blind shot at the bushes that were moving.The one I remember best was about the yankee holding his gun on the old rancher,and the rancher telling him,"ok,it's your deer,but can I please have my saddle and bridle.When you go into a 7-11,they have signs that say Microwave IN USE,maybe a deerlease needs to have signs all around the perimeter warning you to be verwy verwy quiet.First thing hunters ask when they get back to camp is,did you see anything.If blind folks can pull it off,I'm very happy for them,but it sounds awful dangerous to me.The shooting of a deer is on the bottom of the list of things I love about hunting,there's no reason a blind person couldn't enjoy all the rest of the good stuff.Just like queers raising kids,something about a blind person shooting guns aint right! Jerry

[TYRVR]

There is an elderly gentleman that shoots black powder with our group, his vision has gotten worse thru the years and now all he sees is varying shades.........he still shoots........his wife stands behind his wheel chair and loads for him....she positions him and directs him to the target by whispering instructions.....he sometimes hits the target and sometimes he doesn't. I would rather see him shoot than shoot with my rifle, his joy when he touches the targets and finds a hole is immeasureable, That gentlemen and his wife fill all that see them with joy......the dedication to the sport and each other.....well, that is love.

[roscoedoh]

I know Fritz. I read about this last week and I'm still trying to get my mind around it. The entire concept rather reminds me of those little pictures you always see in the newspaper about the 5 yr old who shot the 14 pointer during youth season - with her father's 7 mag. The idea of a blind hunter leaves me to wonder just who'll be doing the aiming and who'll be doing the trigger pulling???

 

Don't get me wrong, I am all for promoting the outdoors to everyone and wish that more people were interested in hunting and wildlife conservation. But I don't want to be unlucky dude who ends up getting shot because someone who can't see too well thought I was a buck rumbling around in the bushes.

[swamprat]

Maybe thier plan is to only let them hunt after dark.

 

Swamprat

[skeeter2859]

Blind hunters? It would be fun to sit up on a hill and roll stones down, Then hear them yell did I get it!

 

My dad at 71 is legally blind. At a 100yds he keeps all shots on paper. He still gets his share of deer and here in Pa a buck needs 3 points on one side. There are more deer sneaking by him than used to.

 

The real question is, How blind? There would have to be some sort of test.

[fritz]

"The real question is, How blind? There would have to be some sort of test."

 

There would be a requirement that the blind hunter use a lazer site and that he/she be accompanied and guided by a fellow with full eyesight.

 

And it might just work in Texas, since almost all of our land is non-public (private) land and there would be fewer other hunters out there in the bushes. All the same, I would not want to be one of those other hunters.

 

I would not want to hunt with Dick Cheney either, even if he is not legally blind. He is blind in other ways.

 

fritz

[911rat]

There would be a requirement that the blind hunter use a lazer site and that he/she be accompanied and guided by a fellow with full eyesight.

 

We've had that same deal here in Michigan for about 10 years. No problems that I'm aware of.

 

[CSANSO]

I have heard of a scope mount that can be used with a blind person holding the gun and a person seated right behind him or her and can actually see through the scope. Using a extended eye relief scope it is possible. Have the scope positioned off to the side and have a person with full sight guiding them. I have often thought about what I would do if I lost my eyesight or the ability to function in a way that would allow me to hunt with out the aid of another. I think it would be wonderful to help out with a person who had a disability do some of these things.

 

One of the elders of my hunting club lost his sight in his 30's do to an accident. He has not fired a gun in maybe 20 years. This year he won a rem 870 shotgun in a raffle. His wife entered him in the raffle buying him one ticket and herself four. We got quite a chuckle out of the fact that a blind man won a gun.. We asked him if he wanted to shot the gun, he said sure. So we got a few shells and got him in the back yard and helped him load the gun, and aimed him up in a tree. He enjoyed it and we all had a fun time.

 

The way it is going it is hard to find a reason just because a person has a disability they are not allowed to participate in any outdoor activity, blind of not. If someone is willing to help a person who is blind safely aim and handle the firearm. I see no reason why it would not be something that could bring a bit of joy to a person who's life is already bad enough because they have lost there sight. I, like many know certain outdoor activities would not work, but for others anyone we can bring into this sport would help. Blind people vote to, and the more support we have the longer we will all enjoy the rights to bare arms and hunt. MS8mm

[AzRednek]

I've got a close friend that is 100% blind and an avid shooter and reloader. He lost his eye balls after stepping into a Viet Nam booby trap. He owns, shoots and reloads for NFA weapons with assistance. One thing that will always stand out in my mind about his shooting. Him and I walked into a an ATF office in the 70's asking for class 3 transfer paperwork on a M-60. The agent tried to hand it to me and I said "no its for him". The agent after handing him the paperwork got the stupidist look on his face and let out a loud Jeeeesus Christ as he turned his back and walked away.

 

My friend was scheduled to be on the TV show Real People but the series was canceled right before they were going to start shooting it.

[fritz]

Well, I must admit that my eyesight is not as good as it was in the '70s. I have gotten to using more scoped rifles than when I was a kid.

 

Now my biggest concern is being able to pass my drivers license eye test next year (without glasses). It appears that, in the slim chance that this bill passes, it will be easier to get a hunting license than a driving license in Texas.

 

Hell, the hunting license sells for several times more than the driving license does, and has to be renewed each year---read money for the state of Texas. And make no mistake about it fellows, money talks in Texas!

 

I would feel safer hunting with Dick Cheney (and he did not even have a correct license, he somehow overlooked the recently added extra "endorsement" for hunting upland birds (quail). We have another "endorsement" for migratory birds.)

 

Hell, we have an endorsement for hunting everything but bureaucratcs here in Texas. And they all cost money.

 

I can imagine what the the state would gain from adding another "endorsement" (with fee) to grant a blind person the right to a hunting license.

 

Sorry fellows, some things can be carried to the extreme.

 

fritz

[littlecanoe]

I've been thinking about this from the view of the coordination needed between the spotter and the shooter. The only comparison that comes to me is the delay in combustion in a flintlock. I haven't fired on myself but from what I've seen and heard said there is a flash delay bang. I have experienced a slight delay at times shooting traditional BP rifle.

 

Instead of just giving a license to the blind shooter, wouldn't you have to test the "team" shooter and spotter to see if their coordinated effort was sufficient for clean kills? I'd hate nothing more than to start seeing 3 legged deer hopping around the woods.

 

Seems to me that there is a deeper ethical question here. I'm not against people doing what they can but some limitations flat rule out some activities.

 

Just MHO

LC

[Horsefly]

The terrible part of being handicapped like being blind is,you can do things other folks do.The ethics of hunting are quick,clean,painless kills,and if there's a chance of not doing that,then don't take the shot.A blind hunter is pulling off an almost impossible stunt hitting a deer,and dropping one on the spot is so unlikely.If you blind,you can't drive,fly an airplane or boat,mow your lawn,babysit kids,or wire a new house,but assisted you can do all these things as long as your guarded over by a sighted person,but there's not a living creature that's more than likely going to be wounded if hit,and if not hit,where does the bullet go?Hunting is testing your skills against the animal,but having someone steady and aim your gun aint nothing but killing an animal for the sake of it.I'm against it even if I go blind before I hit the ADD REPLY button.Jerry

 

Aint this a whole lot like the computer hunting scheme that got made illegle about a year ago?

[RGRWJB]

Fritz did you sit on some Prickly pears?

 

As usual always taking a shot at the Republicans. If you researched the incident he didn't need a hunting license because he was on a private release preserve that does not require it. But when the media found that they made a mistake reporting the license issue, no one reported it. Can you imagine that?

 

As far as hunting with Dick Cheney, it is far less dangerous that smoking Clinton's cigars. I would rather take some #8 shot than the SDTs from Clinton's cigars, who knows where he has been dipping them.

 

Have a good weekend Fritz and watch out where you sit.