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Drone For Scouting

ricky racer

ricky racer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2016
Messages
2,431
Location
Niles/Buchanan, MI
Does anyone here use a drone for post season scouting? My hunting buddy and I used to rent a Cessna and fly over our hunting area in the winter once there was snow on the ground. It's amazing how much you can see that time of the year. You can see all of the tracks, the trails, where they've been feeding and see them bedded and up on their feet. Now that drones are mainstream, it seems like an awesome way to scout/photograph your hunting area. I'd sure be a lot cheaper than renting a plane.... ;)
 
I would love to ad it, just for the techyness...but I dont see an application where I hunt. I hunt deep woods with no clearings to speak of. With the quality of aerials these days, I just dont see a reason for it.
 
I have a DJI Phantom 3 Pro I’ve used for aerial photography and thought about using for scouting. The I dug around the VA Game book and found this little nugget...

It is unlawful to...
Use drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) to hunt, take, or kill a wild animal and to attempt to locate, surveil, aid, or assist in hunting a wild animal.

With that I considered scouting to be part of the attempt to locate/surveil section. So I stay away from it although I have never personally asked a Game Warden if this is in fact illegal for just aerial scouting.
 
always89y said:
I would love to ad it, just for the techyness...but I dont see an application where I hunt. I hunt deep woods with no clearings to speak of. With the quality of aerials these days, I just dont see a reason for it.
Click to expand...
I don't know where you live, but if the foliage dies off in the winter and the trees loose their leaves, you'd be surprised what you can see. Plus you can get closer, more detailed photos/videos that are real time that you can't get in aerial photos.
 
BuckTown said:
I have a DJI Phantom 3 Pro I’ve used for aerial photography and thought about using for scouting. The I dug around the VA Game book and found this little nugget...

It is unlawful to...
Use drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) to hunt, take, or kill a wild animal and to attempt to locate, surveil, aid, or assist in hunting a wild animal.

With that I considered scouting to be part of the attempt to locate/surveil section. So I stay away from it although I have never personally asked a Game Warden if this is in fact illegal for just aerial scouting.
Click to expand...
If you are using it outside of the hunting season, post season scouting, I don't think you'd get in trouble but of course you'd have to verify that. I think you'd run into more push back if it were pre-season scouting or for sure, in season. But post season scouting is just a learning exercise that helps you locate travel corridors, bedding areas and scrap locations but nearly a year removed from hunting season.
 
I have been thinking about this as well. Michigan says the same thing. But If you used it this time of year, I doubt they would say anything. It's not like you pull up in the afternoon during season and check an area out. See deer and go hunt. You just says your recreational flying. And happen to be observing terrian details..lol.
 
I had a thermal drone, I never got it to work right.
I used it a couple times preseason, didn't work at all.
I think I had an issue with the settings or it was too warm out?

I used it post season to check out a new spot....lost the darned thing. Took off on me and crash landed. Spent more time than I had looking for it...found some deer and buck sign while walking around looking....made me think, maybe walking is better anyway...lol
 
Also have rented a small plane, and a pilot of course, after snow fall it is truly amazing how well trails and deer show up. I think a drone would be great for a good old southern deer drive. ha.
 
I know if I were out hunting or scouting my areas and found obnoxious drones buzzing all over the place (or even just one); I would not be pleased. I agree that this may not even be legal in many states. Legal or not, is it ethical?
 
It was in my truck all season. Plan was to use it for a tough recovery.
I can’t say I didnt think about firing it up on those long days when I saw nothing.


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Have used drone and aircraft. FUN !!!, but came to the conclusion it's much easier with satellite photos and boots on the ground. Still doesn't keep me from using it as an excuse to go fly ;)

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I have noticed they are used by lots of different trades now... roofers, elevator repairs, survey, etc.
If you had a nice one seems like you could make some side cash pretty easy. I'd pay for some quality aerial photos of some public land. Someone around my house has one.....I hate it flying around
 
I’ve thought about it too for post season but haven’t done anything about it. I’m pretty sure it’s illegal here too. I assume that means for scouting as well.


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Winter scouting keeps me from getting fat. Have to stay in shape for the annual elk trips.

I'm sure it would be effective but I also run into an internal moral dilemma, the western states got in front of it pretty quickly.
 
I'm a helicopter pilot so scouting aerial is pretty easy, but there are alot of restrictions on drones and where you can/can't use them, I think it would be cool to be able to see how large a thicket is or see if there is a road nearby that you can't see on a map.
 
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