Internet hunting is the practice of

hunting Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, e ...

via remotely controlled

firearms A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes ...

that can be aimed and shot using online

webcams A webcam is a video camera which is designed to record or stream to a computer or computer network. They are primarily used in videotelephony, livestreaming and social media, and security. Webcams can be built-in computer hardware or peripher ...

. The first internet hunting website, Live-Shot.com, was created in 2005 by John Lockwood, who saw it as a way to provide an authentic hunting experience for disabled persons. According to the Humane Society, the operation consisted of "a fenced pen stocked with animals here Lockwoodset up a tripod with a camera and a firearm". Almost as soon as internet hunting was introduced in the U.S. state of

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by b ...

, strong opposition to the practice developed among pro-gun and pro-hunting organizations, including the National Rifle Association and

Safari Club International Safari Club International (SCI) is a US organization composed of hunters dedicated to protecting the freedom to hunt. SCI has more than 50,000 members and 180 local chapters. SCI members agree to abide by the organization's code of ethics, whi ...

, as well as among animal rights and environmental groups. The majority of hunters do not consider the practice to be hunting, as it does not conform to the rules of a "

fair chase Fair chase is a term used by hunters to describe an ethical approach to hunting big game animals. North America's oldest wildlife conservation group, the Boone and Crockett Club, defines "fair chase" as requiring the targeted game animal to be wi ...

".Humane Society Wildlife Abuse Campaign
Fact Sheet on Internet Hunting
As of August 2008, forty U.S. states had enacted laws or regulations to ban internet hunting. These bans were supported by a Humane Society campaign, and according to the organization, internet hunting is no longer being practiced. Critics say internet hunting never existed as a viable industry, making much of the legislation curtailing it "a testament to public alarm over internet threats and the gilded life of legislation that nobody opposes". Advocates see the legislation as a proactive measure that may yet curb the practice, which could easily spring up in states or other countries where it is not prohibited.

References

{{reflist Hunting Webcams Cruelty to animals Hunting in the United States

See also

References