Drones in scouting? Pros and Cons

[BRICKBURN]

I truly love the aerial views that can be taken with these tools and have often wondered what is over that little rise right over there.

On your own place where you are not disturbing anyone else, have at it.
Trail cams, Google Earth , Satellite images, fly overs with a plane, spotting scopes, 3o power rifle scopes, drones, have all been used.

Ethics, what to do with that debate.
That heading back to sticks and stones is not about to happen. With these remote mechanical methods operators have got to be more aware of their impact on wildlife and other users. If not, it will be regulated to its demise.

A Drone does not turn my stomach like the remote computer assisted long range shooting does.

 

[Graham Hunter]

My point was ethically as hunters we are required to dispatch our animals as quickly and humanely as possible. If you have completely lost the trail fo a wounded animal I would not be opposed to the use of a drone.

 

[BRICKBURN]

My point was ethically as hunters we are required to dispatch our animals as quickly and humanely as possible. If you have completely lost the trail fo a wounded animal I would not be opposed to the use of a drone.

That purpose never even crossed my mind. Interesting.

 

[Brent in Az]

I can see the recreational appeal of a drone. Buzz it around, have fun, and get some aerial video footage.

Saw a Youtube video of a guy that used a Drone to catch Sunfish out of a pond.

I imagine it could be a valuable tool to search for lost hikers?

Just have to figure out how to fly it upside down to mow the grass?

 

[Hogpatrol]

Like a lot of tech stuff, it's just the fad du jour. Fitbit watches, GoPro cameras, ad nauseum. Another year or two and it'll be something else.

 

[BigJohnx13]

The next step will be to arm the drone and go hunting from your lazyboy couch

 

[wesheltonj]

Where do we stop this technological nonsense. Why not arm them as well?

Not sure where its stops. The owner (Jerome) of the place that I hunted 2 years ago in RSA, Kalahari Rangers, has developed a drone with a dart gun. He starting to market this drone as a cheaper alternative to the helicopter for darting. I suspect others will follow suit.

The problem with at least "personal consumer" drones is battery life and distance. Commercial drones are not cost effective yet for personal consumer use. When that price point occurs, that's when the problems will start.

 

[Nyati]

This is more fun than a drone

 

[Hogpatrol]

Those drones with firearms were exposed as hoaxes.

 

[dobber]

i bought one with the thought of using it as a means to capture some video of the area i hunt, a different look than with google earth, just closer and much cheaper than renting a plane or chopper to do the exact same thing.During a fly in moose hunt we paid the guide a few extra $$ just to go around the lake based on the google earth areas for a closer look, didn't help, the one thing you couldn't tell was how deep you sank when walking through a swamp, so it still took feet on the ground, but at least we had an idea of what things looked like
Never would i even think of using it when actually hunting though or during the actual hunting season

 

[jeff]

We need to remember that the game animals have no more technology now than they've had for thousands of years, but we on the other hand keep pouring technology into our hunting to make us more successful. Where will it all end?

 

[Ridge Top Ranch]

I think it goes against the hunting ethic. The operative word is "hunt". Not shoot. Not Kill. Hunting takes skill, woodsmanship, knowledge of animals. If you don't have time to do it right shoot targets. Last time I was in Zim hunting elephants we watched as the concession next door hired a pilot to chase elephants into their block for 6 days so the hunter? could run a good bull by his daughter. He wanted her to get a good bull on her first trip. I wonder how many "hunters" today can still slip into bow range of a free range animal and kill it. I use trail cams for seeing what's around in the summer but pull them before hunting season.

To each their own. Shoot at animals at 1000 yards. Use a drone, a plane, what ever it takes to kill. It does not make a hunter.

 

[nztimb]

I think it goes against the hunting ethic. The operative word is "hunt". Not shoot. Not Kill. Hunting takes skill, woodsmanship, knowledge of animals.

To each their own. Shoot at animals at 1000 yards. Use a drone, a plane, what ever it takes to kill. It does not make a hunter.

Have to aggree with you on this. A drone has no place in the hunting fields. They have wonderfull applications in search and rescue or farmers checking livestock and fences etc but hunting is, or should be, a contest betwwen the animals extra ability to hear, see, and smell against the hunters ability to outsmart it with his stalking skills, being able to read the wind and terrain to get into a position where an ethical shot can be taken and his/her eventual shooting ability to put meat in the freezer or a trophy on the wall.

 

[Dr Ray]

Hi guys, I watched some videos of drones used in deer scouting and also read few articles about it. What do you think? Does anyone have experience with it because expensive drones are used in it, so I don't want to hurry in it.

Drones would be very useful for culling especially in Australia where mobs of pigs are prolific in numbers and camels spread over horrendous areas.
As for hunting in a fair chase environment I feel that may not be a fair chase.
Everyone to their taste I guess.

 

[Slider]

I have a Mavic Pro. I have not used it for Hunting. They Banned them for Hunting in WA. I take it with me on International Hunt's. I get Awesome footage with it. Using one for Recovery of Dangerous Game is going to Save Lives!!!

 

[Longwalker]

Please no. Just don't.

 

[markferrigno]

I don't get the argument that longer seasons will kill off all the wildlife. The insanely short hunting seasons in the US are asinine. Using drones? I am guessing the same arguments were made by old timers back when scopes were readily adopted for hunting. I am guessing the same arguments about "technology" and "unfair advantages" were made.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I don't get the argument that longer seasons will kill off all the wildlife. The insanely short hunting seasons in the US are asinine. Using drones? I am guessing the same arguments were made by old timers back when scopes were readily adopted for hunting. I am guessing the same arguments about "technology" and "unfair advantages" were made.

Yep, If you're not hunting in a loin cloth, barefoot and using a spear, well, that's just cheating, unfair and disrespectful to the animal and the tradition.

 

[flatwater bill]

DearHunter...............the tech will get better rapidly.
Slider..........sort of takes the "dangerous" out of dangerous game.....
Markf........you're right.......each tech leap was feared........and rightly so, required doubling the thickness of the reg booklets...
Hogp..........if we still hunted with spears, we could have a year round season, maybe take off the limits........harvest would be minimal....
I think drones with guns would be great. We could, maybe, get some Chinese gamers to shoot the biggest and the best for us.......not even have to hunt.....just go to OR Tambo and get our trophies.....or better yet, just have them shipped to our door. After all, isn't a safe, clean kill the only thing that matters? People can get hurt on the road or in the air while going hunting......Drones could prevent that......I even heard of a guy who collected 300 zebra penises while using drones.............you can't argue with success.........FWB

 

[markferrigno]

"Markf........you're right.......each tech leap was feared........and rightly so, required doubling the thickness of the reg booklets..."

Center fire rifles and scopes and range finders were "rightly" feared? Every other advancement in the last 80 years is rightly feared?

How, exactly did this require doubling of the regs?

"I even heard of a guy who collected 300 zebra penises while using drones.............you can't argue with success........" So you just made up the part about the drones to drive your point across. No story on this (most have the wrong picture) ever mentioned a drone.