Drones

[antelopedundee]

With the popularity and availability of drones has anyone had issues [good, bad or otherwise] with others using drones to spot/locate game or "chase" game or interfere with other hunters' pursuit of game animals? Have any states enacted measures against the use of drones in the pursuit of game animals? Would using drones in any capacity violate the rules of fair chase? Just asking since I've not seen it addressed or mentioned anywhere. Doesn't mean that it hasn't been addressed tho.

 

[rtraverdavis]

I’ve never personally seen anyone using drones to locate or chase animals, but the idea of it grosses me out. I hope all the states across the west make it illegal.

 

[406LIFE]

There are several posts on here about drones. You can search them and find them.

MT has prohibitted them for hunting as well as for filming. (@BigFin, how how that impacted your filming here at home?)

Drones are not considered Fair Chase by B&C.

The only time I have had drones interfere with me has been at a state or national park.

 

[onpoint]

I've had them buzzing overhead while fishing the Madison. Never seen one while hunting.
In a perverse way, kinda' hope I do.
Taking one down with a load of high velocity #5 is a secret desire.
May not go over well with the nerd on the joystick............
As with all legal questions, best check state regs regarding your question.

 

[BrentD]

I had an RC plane dive bomb me on a bicycle, but everyone hates bikes, so it wasn't especially notable.

Never seen one hunting. Hope they are outlawed everywhere.

 

[mtmuley]

Someone flew one over my house not long ago. It won't make it past my property next time. mtmuley

 

[Big Fin]

We have a drone for our filming, but almost never use it. Lots of rules about their use while hunting/scouting, all of which are rules that I feel are needed.

We use ours during the spring/summer. And we have used it after a hunt is over on a few rare occasions. Technically, a non-hunting camera guy could be out using it to film landscapes and scenic shots, but we've not done that. Given what little opportunity exists to use drones without violating some of the new laws related to drones, ours has become an expensive door stop/paper weight at the office.

I see many drone shots in newer video content. A lot of it, based on the context (or lack of context) provided, seems to be pushing the boundaries of what is legal.

 

[Paul in Idaho]

Idaho has laws against using them in hunting. Short answer from 2014 is at https://idfg.idaho.gov/question/drones

complete Title 36, Chapter 11 uses "unmanned aircraft system" instead of drone.

 

[mtnrunner260]

Glad to hear you say that Randy.
It seems that yours is about the only show you can what without spotting minor game violations.
Being a law abiding citizen and knowing the rules can be a drag.

 

[antelopedundee]

My reason for asking was that I stumbled upon this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnei1md-Ia0 on the net last night and figured that they could be applied to hunting [rightly or wrongly] and wondered if they had gained any sort of foothold yet.

 

[Touchdown88]

Utah has laws against them while hunting as well.

 

[Doublecluck]

A couple waterfowl hunts I have been on this year there were some pretty well known content creators not part of the hunt using them from a distance. Some of the footage is pretty incredible. In that capacity it was certainly not being used to gain advantage over the game and strictly for video content. I thought that was cool. But at the same time I took some out of town family up to hyalite to go fishing and see wild Montana lol. For about 30 mins we had some 20 something year old buzzing his drone all around us and I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to blow that thing out of the sky and kick the crap out of that disrespectful little bastard. I think the line on the issue is pretty easy to cross. Can’t imagine it’s going to be very easy to enforce laws on it. Unless they are banned completely.

 

[Sytes]

In Montana, I reviewed with FWP Warden Captains, etc and it ran all the way up the chain to use a drone while I went on a bear hunt this spring.

So long as a drone is not used in a manner to give an advantage to my bear hunt, there is no violation.

https://onyourownadventures.com/hun...ne)-quot-Cameraman-quot-video&highlight=Drone

 

[rtraverdavis]

My reason for asking was that I stumbled upon this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnei1md-Ia0 on the net last night and figured that they could be applied to hunting [rightly or wrongly] and wondered if they had gained any sort of foothold yet.

That guy’s narration makes the video unwatchable.

 

[antelopedundee]

That guy’s narration makes the video unwatchable.

I didn't listen. I watched a couple of segments without sound and then saved it to favorites for a later time. From that bit of exposure I was wondering if it instead of spending half a day climbing a mountain to find nothing if it would be better to send a drone up to do some scouting first. Not that it's something that I would do.

 

[JMG]

“I was wondering, if instead of spending a half a day climbing a mountain to find nothing ... if it would be better to send a drone up to do some scouting first”.

If a person is too lazy to hike up a mountain to “hunt” ... then they need to do something else. This is why it is called hunting and not shooting. If a person is that lazy ... go “hunt”/shoot cattle. I’m sure there is a rancher that will let you shoot a cow for price. I bet said rancher would even “guide” you.

 

[rideold]

Illegal in CO. It can be illegal in CO even if you aren't hunting. If there is any change in the behavior of an animal from a drone being near by it is considered wildlife harassment in CO.

 

[antelopedundee]

“I was wondering, if instead of spending a half a day climbing a mountain to find nothing ... if it would be better to send a drone up to do some scouting first”.

If a person is too lazy to hike up a mountain to “hunt” ... then they need to do something else. This is why it is called hunting and not shooting. If a person is that lazy ... go “hunt”/shoot cattle. I’m sure there is a rancher that will let you shoot a cow for price. I bet said rancher would even “guide” you.

How many people use trail cameras in a similar manner either during season or all year long? I assume that if a trail camera showed that no "trophy" quality whitetails passed thru a certain area that nobody would spend their time there waiting for one to come along. Are trail cams generally looked upon with the same disdain as drones are? FWIW I don't use them either.

 

[Straight Arrow]

The latest technology ... 'gotta have it ... 'saves boot leather. 'Wonder if soon I can find a phone app which allows me to sit in my warm pickup with a cup of joe at the trailhead and get satellite images of any wildlife in my planned hunting area. Maybe even provide rough trophy scores so I can decide if I want to move on to another trailhead. Perhaps a large drone can then retrieve the trophy I shoot at 738 yds across the canyon.
This old dog better hone up gaming skills to keep up with technologically enhanced hunting.

 

[Sytes]

A bit of controversy for new technology.

Interesting as, again in MT, manned areial reconnaissance is legal for the specific purpose of searching for game, digitally photographing, comparing size of game, etc. However, must be 24 hrs before able to hunt.