Senate Bill 177, introduced by state Senator Ruth Whitaker, makes it illegal to engage in computer-assisting hunting and illegal to provide or operate facilities for computer-assisted hunting.
Hunting via the Internet involves signing up on the Web site and paying a deposit and fees of more than $1,500 to schedule a session. The final cost depends on the species and size of the animal killed and the cost of having the trophy mounted and shipped to the hunter's home. The hunter then logs on again at an appointed time and watches a feeding station on his computer screen. The animal ordered is present in the area, herded in front of the camera by on-site employees, and when the animal approaches the food, the hunter uses his mouse to line the victim up in the on-screen crosshairs. A click of the mouse fires the rifle.
This controversial practice originated in Texas with the launch of a Web site, www.Live-Shot.com, that allowed hunters to pay a fee and shoot captive animals on an exotic game ranch from many miles away with the click of a mouse or the few strokes of a keyboard. Twenty-five states, including New York, now ban the practice.
