CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – State Fish and Game officials, hunting activists and some lawmakers are pushing a bill that would prevent businesses from allowing Internet-based hunting in New Hampshire.

Critics say the technology, which allows people to hunt from designated rifles via their computer, numbs people to the idea of killing because they are so removed from the scene.

“It’s just not moral as far as I am concerned,” said Ron Nowe, R-Epping, a hunter who is sponsoring the bill. “We just don’t want this happening in the state of New Hampshire.”

As of November, 13 states, including Maine and Vermont, had banned either Internet-based hunting or the creation of businesses that provide it. Eight more are considering such legislation this year.

The New Hampshire bill would make running an Internet hunting business a misdemeanor with a penalty of at least $10,000. The bill would not prevent New Hampshire residents from hunting on preserves in other states from their computers here.

The bill was prompted by a Texas ranch that wanted to allow hunters to link their computers to remote-controlled guns. The ranch would attract deer or other wildlife to the area and, for a fee, hunters could shoot them by clicking a mouse.

According to the ranch’s Web site, the owner’s goal is to provide hunting opportunities for the disabled.

John Lockwood of San Antonio said he had seen online fantasy hunts in which people track live animals over video fees and take an imaginary shot with a mouse click. Although not in operation now, his programs control a combination of three cameras and a rifle on a 300-acre fenced ranch in Bulverde, Texas. When the hunter got a kill, Lockwood would ship the animal to the hunter’s home.

“The people having a reaction to it don’t know the truth,’ Lockwood said. “They’ve read so much sensationalized stuff and have some preconceived notions.”

Nowe said he had safety concerns, such as what if the hunter is drunk or high on drugs. “Who knows what they would point he gun at just to see what it would do?” he said. Others asked what would happened if a hunter only wounded the animal.

Lockwood said he has online control over the system and that the hunter has to go through security measures before using it. He said while the hunter is “scoping” the scene, the gun’s safety is on; Lockwood watches video feed of the scope to make sure he hunter has a safe shot at a vital part of the animal and then releases the safety.