03-25-2007, 08:10 PM
LITTLE ROCK - In response to a recent Arkansas legislative proposal introduced by Sen. Ruth Whitaker of Cedarville, commissioners with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission recommended a code to prohibit "computer assisted" hunting to kill wildlife located in the state. Commissioners will vote on the proposal at their March 22 meeting in Little Rock.
At the request of the AGFC, Whitaker, who is the Senate chair of the Arkansas Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus, agreed to hold Senate Bill 177 after she introduced it. "The Commission was willing to immediately adopt it into their regulations without having to go through the legislative process. My understanding is that at the last Commission meeting, the internet hunting ban was proposed as a new regulation. The Sportsmen's Caucus is eager to work with the AGFC to respond to these types of issues, which bodes well for the future of conservation, hunting and fishing in Arkansas," Whitaker explained.
Arkansas' regulation would prohibit the use of a computer or any other remote control device to aim and discharge archery equipment or firearms to hunt any game animal or bird as well as prohibit facilities that provide computer-assisted remote hunting in Arkansas. Once adopted by the AGFC, the penalty for violating the regulation would be between $500 and $2,000.
The regulation change follows a nationwide trend to ban so-called "Internet hunting" that has been offered on various web sites. The National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses adopted internet hunting bans as a legislative initiative in 2005 and has worked with its 28 affiliated state legislative sportsmen's caucuses to introduce such legislation. In the past year, 25 state legislatures have considered the issue with 12 having passed bans on the practice.
At the request of the AGFC, Whitaker, who is the Senate chair of the Arkansas Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus, agreed to hold Senate Bill 177 after she introduced it. "The Commission was willing to immediately adopt it into their regulations without having to go through the legislative process. My understanding is that at the last Commission meeting, the internet hunting ban was proposed as a new regulation. The Sportsmen's Caucus is eager to work with the AGFC to respond to these types of issues, which bodes well for the future of conservation, hunting and fishing in Arkansas," Whitaker explained.
Arkansas' regulation would prohibit the use of a computer or any other remote control device to aim and discharge archery equipment or firearms to hunt any game animal or bird as well as prohibit facilities that provide computer-assisted remote hunting in Arkansas. Once adopted by the AGFC, the penalty for violating the regulation would be between $500 and $2,000.
The regulation change follows a nationwide trend to ban so-called "Internet hunting" that has been offered on various web sites. The National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses adopted internet hunting bans as a legislative initiative in 2005 and has worked with its 28 affiliated state legislative sportsmen's caucuses to introduce such legislation. In the past year, 25 state legislatures have considered the issue with 12 having passed bans on the practice.