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CNET Reviews Sacramento -- On a Texas ranch, exotic sheep and antelope roam about, off ering paying hunters an opportunity to bag some big game. But when the prey wanders into view, the gun can be fired by someone half a world away with the simple click of a computer mouse. A new Web phenomenon called computer-assisted remote hunting has so outra ged one California lawmaker that she has introduced legislation to ban i t With one Texas-based site up and running, lawmakers, animal activists and even gun owners want to put a stop to the practice before it becomes wi despread. "This is pay per view slaughter," said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Hu mane Society of the United States. SB 1028 would prohibit any computer-based hunting sites from operating in the state. It would also technically ban Californians from engaging in the practice, although there is no practical way to enforce that provisi on. "The precedent is terrible, and it has noth ing to do with the sport of hunting." Her bill would also prohibit the importation to the state of animals that have been killed by this method. Supporters of gun ownership rights have also signaled their concern with the practice. Kelly Hobbs, a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Associat ion, said the group is still reviewing the specific language in the bill , but doesn't agree with the practice of being able to hunt over the Int ernet. "The NRA believes the element of a fair chase is a vital part of the Amer ican hunting heritage," she said. "Shooting an animal from three states away would not be considered a fair chase." Gerald Upholt, lobbyist for the California Rifle and Pistol Association, agreed, saying it's more target practice than hunting. "Hunting, you are out in the field, trying to find the animal," he said. "This is not the kind of thing sportsmen approve of at all." But John Lockwood, creator of the Live-Shot Web site, said the people try ing to ban the practice do not understand how it works. A Web camera is mounted in one area of the range, and both the camera and the gun can be manipulated remotely by computer. Lockwood said someone on the ground controls when the safety is off the gun to make sure there are no accidents and that the gun is not fired at an animal that is not eligible to be killed. He said the camera is set up on a 336-acre ranch near San Antonio and the view is no different than that of someone who might be sitting in a bli nd waiting for an animal to come close. "The camera only overlooks a small portion of the land," he said. For those who do, Lockwood will make arrangements to have parts of the an imal sent to a taxidermist and meat processor and then shipped to the cu stomer. He said only one animal has been killed through the Web site so far -- a wild boar during a hunt requested by a German television station. He has another hunt set up for early April, with a man who is a quadriplegic a nd can move only his face muscles. "This guy was an avid hunter before his accident," Lockwood said. People like him deserve as much right to hunt as any one else." Lockwood said he doesn't understand the rush to ban the practice. He has received interest from US soldiers serving overseas and people who live in countries where hunting is banned. "But there is so much m isunderstanding and outright wrong things said about it." A lawmaker in Lockwood's home state of Texas is also moving to ban the pr actice. Pacelle said bills have been introduced in 10 states to ban the practice, and foes are also working with Congress to try to have the pro hibition be a federal law.
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