Colorado town to vote on shooting down drones

Voters in Deer Trail, Colo., will soon decide whether their town will issue drone-hunting licenses in a special election this fall.

The special election in the 550-resident community comes after the town board deadlocked on the proposal that, if approved, would grant $25 hunting permits to shoot drones. The town would also encourage drone hunting by awarding $100 to anyone who presents a valid hunting license and identifiable pieces of a drone that has been shot down.

With no majority vote on the measure, Deer Trail must now scrape together the funds necessary to run a special election over a proposal even supporters concede is a bit whimsical, as it's highly unlikely drones are flying over the town.

"Yes, it is tongue-in-cheek, but I'm going to vote for it," said Dorothy Pisel, one of the town's trustees. "It could benefit the town with all the publicity."

The measure was crafted by resident Phillip Steel, a 48-year-old Army veteran with a master's degree in business administration, who calls the proposal a symbolic protest against government surveillance.

"They pose a significant threat to our soverignty as Americans, to states' rights," Steel said. "We're taking a very real stand."

Steel told Reuters he has not seen any drones, but that "some local ranchers" outside the town limits have seen them.

"If you don't want your drone to go down, don't fly it in town," he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration warned that people who fire guns at drones are endangering the public and property and could be prosecuted or fined.

Town officials say the measure could spark tourism for Deer Trail, whose claim to fame is hosting the world's first rodeo.

But not all residents like the idea of shooting drones out of the sky.

"I'm concerned that it's making us seem like a bunch of radical rednecks," Clarisa Hoffer said on her way into a packed town hall meeting.

After vigorous debate, the town council tied, 3-3, and the proposal will be put on the ballot sometime in the next six months.

Paul Beban contributed to this report. With Al Jazeera and wire services