Ben Long
Well-known member
FWP Commission to approve drone ban
Posted: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 5:53 pm
LAURA LUNDQUIST, Chronicle Staff Writer | 0 comments
Drones may be helpful for hunting terrorists or delivering packages, but a growing number of sportsmen think they have no place in wildlife hunts.
Today, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission is expected to approve a ban on the use of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles for scouting or hunting.
The commission gave initial approval during its December meeting after the Backcountry Hunters & Anglers brought the issue to the commission’s attention.
“There have already been reports of this in different parts of the country. We wanted to get out ahead of it in Montana,” said backcountry spokesman Ben Long. “We don’t like rules in general – we’d rather have a thinner regulations book – but every now and then, rules are needed.”
Drones are best known for targeting enemy compounds in wars in the Middle East.
Then last year, they gained more domestic attention when Amazon announced it intended to deliver packages using drones.
That program is still in the works, but the idea isn’t unique to Amazon. On Monday, the United Arab Emirates announced it was testing delivery drones to carry official documents such as driver’s licenses and permits to its residents.
Hunters haven’t ignored the idea particularly when it comes to hunting feral pigs.
A pest-extermination company in Louisiana has dubbed its drone the “dehogaflier.” Armed with a thermal-imaging camera and a laser pointer, the drone can spot hogs from an altitude of 400 feet.
YouTube videos of these and other hunting surveillance uses of drones are what caught the attention of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.
“It’s just inappropriate technology that doesn’t fit the traditions of fair chase,” Long said.
Other Montana sportsmen’s groups have supported the proposal.
Nick Gevock of the Montana Wildlife Federation called drones “game cameras on steroids.”
“This speaks to people who will use any technological advantage. That’s not ethical hunting,” Gevock said. “Whatever happened to just enjoying being out there with the possibility that you might not go home with anything?”
Sportsmen’s Alliance spokesman Vito Quatraro said the use of drones would put hunting in a bad light.
“It would take something out of the sport of hunting and wouldn’t be fair to those who didn’t have drones,” Quatraro said. “There are laws against flying and hunting on the same day – drones are basically the same thing.”
Hunters are allowed to set up game cameras in Montana. Backcountry Hunters & Anglers takes no position on trail cameras.
Commission chairman Dan Vermillion said the ban would undoubtedly pass.
“It’s the first chapter in technological advances that are challenging fair-chase hunting,” Vermillion said. “The commission, the department and Montana sportsmen all want to preserve the integrity of fair chase.”
Montana isn’t the only state to consider a ban on drones.
Backcountry chapters have brought it to the attention of agencies in other states, and many already have bans in place.
Wisconsin and Idaho have applicable regulations. In Wyoming and New Mexico, sportsmen have submitted petitions and met with wildlife agencies to start drafting regulations.
The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Commission will vote on a ban this month, while last month, on Jan. 8, Colorado Parks and Wildlife was the first to ban drones.
“It use to be that drones were something that the military used…” said Randy Hampton of Colorado Parks and Wildlife in a Colorado radio interview. “Now it’s as simple as strapping a GoPro (camera) to a remote-controlled airplane. For the commissions, it raises ethical issues.”
Posted: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 5:53 pm
LAURA LUNDQUIST, Chronicle Staff Writer | 0 comments
Drones may be helpful for hunting terrorists or delivering packages, but a growing number of sportsmen think they have no place in wildlife hunts.
Today, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission is expected to approve a ban on the use of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles for scouting or hunting.
The commission gave initial approval during its December meeting after the Backcountry Hunters & Anglers brought the issue to the commission’s attention.
“There have already been reports of this in different parts of the country. We wanted to get out ahead of it in Montana,” said backcountry spokesman Ben Long. “We don’t like rules in general – we’d rather have a thinner regulations book – but every now and then, rules are needed.”
Drones are best known for targeting enemy compounds in wars in the Middle East.
Then last year, they gained more domestic attention when Amazon announced it intended to deliver packages using drones.
That program is still in the works, but the idea isn’t unique to Amazon. On Monday, the United Arab Emirates announced it was testing delivery drones to carry official documents such as driver’s licenses and permits to its residents.
Hunters haven’t ignored the idea particularly when it comes to hunting feral pigs.
A pest-extermination company in Louisiana has dubbed its drone the “dehogaflier.” Armed with a thermal-imaging camera and a laser pointer, the drone can spot hogs from an altitude of 400 feet.
YouTube videos of these and other hunting surveillance uses of drones are what caught the attention of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.
“It’s just inappropriate technology that doesn’t fit the traditions of fair chase,” Long said.
Other Montana sportsmen’s groups have supported the proposal.
Nick Gevock of the Montana Wildlife Federation called drones “game cameras on steroids.”
“This speaks to people who will use any technological advantage. That’s not ethical hunting,” Gevock said. “Whatever happened to just enjoying being out there with the possibility that you might not go home with anything?”
Sportsmen’s Alliance spokesman Vito Quatraro said the use of drones would put hunting in a bad light.
“It would take something out of the sport of hunting and wouldn’t be fair to those who didn’t have drones,” Quatraro said. “There are laws against flying and hunting on the same day – drones are basically the same thing.”
Hunters are allowed to set up game cameras in Montana. Backcountry Hunters & Anglers takes no position on trail cameras.
Commission chairman Dan Vermillion said the ban would undoubtedly pass.
“It’s the first chapter in technological advances that are challenging fair-chase hunting,” Vermillion said. “The commission, the department and Montana sportsmen all want to preserve the integrity of fair chase.”
Montana isn’t the only state to consider a ban on drones.
Backcountry chapters have brought it to the attention of agencies in other states, and many already have bans in place.
Wisconsin and Idaho have applicable regulations. In Wyoming and New Mexico, sportsmen have submitted petitions and met with wildlife agencies to start drafting regulations.
The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Commission will vote on a ban this month, while last month, on Jan. 8, Colorado Parks and Wildlife was the first to ban drones.
“It use to be that drones were something that the military used…” said Randy Hampton of Colorado Parks and Wildlife in a Colorado radio interview. “Now it’s as simple as strapping a GoPro (camera) to a remote-controlled airplane. For the commissions, it raises ethical issues.”
