With the article on the bhod main page thought I'd bring it up here. My view on this depends on 1. Public Land 2. Private Land If I own the land and want to fly a drone overhead to see deer, I see no difference between that and cell cameras (and I run cell cameras). If I know where a deer is bedded by use of a drone or by observation of sitting in my truck and watching I see no change in "fair chase" of that deer. I'm not changing the actions of that deer, I still have to know how to get in and hope it walks by and gives a shot and take the shot. The article talked about harassing deer with a drone, the example was using a drone to push deer off private land onto public land so hunter could shoot it. (Public/Private thoughts later) but if you are sitting in stand and fly the drone over to the deer to push it we call that harassing, but if me and 3 buddies go 4 wide walking through the woods to push a deer toward a 5th buddy that isn't harassing? If deer drives are legal where you are hunting, then I don't see how you can be ok with deer drives but not ok with this. It would actually be safer than people walking through the woods when you're trying to shoot a deer. My views pertain to private land - public land has different liabilities, other people etc. so I am ok with different rules for public / private.
Interesting topic for sure. I think the advantages in putting cell cams/cams out and flying a drone around are similar but the difference is that you can remotely, actively seek out the deer with the drone. You can literally fly around and pinpoint the deer. The camera relies on the deer coming to it to trigger it like walking into a trap. We are splitting hairs but i do think flying a drone to pinpoint deer is a notch or 2 above cameras on giving a technological advantage. Harassing game is in the same category for me. Its the lack of effort that does it for me on this one. To do a drive you (usually) have a few guys participating in a coordinated group effort or at least more than one guy. You have to put on your boots and do the walking/stomping/climbing etc. It actually requires an effort. The drones basically take a good amount of physical and tactical effort away from the equation. Another one of huntings slippery slopes.
while legal now for recovery here in Indiana, I dont want to see them on any state land for scouting... even private for that matter ... damn people, have we forgot what hunting is all about ?? ........ too many lazy asses now adays .... whats next, remote controlled rifles or crossthingys ..
I agree on all points. With non-cell cams though, you have to physically go into the woods to find out what you've gotten. A deer was here at some point, but where he is now is still a question, making it fair chase. With a cell cam, it tells you in real time a buck is there now, giving you an advantage of sorts. Pinpointing his current location via drone isn't fair chase. Drones take the hunt out of hunting IMO.
Coming from someone that has a drone, I do not use it for real time scouting during season. Mostly used for recovery missions. I have used it in the spring and winter for herd evaluation. They are pretty much useless during this time of the year with all the tree cover unless you have a ton of CRP that deer use for bedding. I do agree that they should not be used in the taking of any wildlife being used as a drive tool or directing another hunter to the location of the animal. Legally, if I track for someone and I find the animal alive, I cannot drop a pin or show where the animal is located.
if we want to talk slippery slop using steel/aluminum broadheads, stands, binoculars, release aids, etc. is skewing the balance of "fair chase" Boone and Crocket defines Fair Chase as FAIR CHASE, as defined by the Boone and Crockett Club, is the ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging wild game animal in a manner that does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over the game animals. ethical? whose ethics? I have no problem with it... sportsmanlike? by whose standard? sportsmanlike is literally defined as being polite toward your opponent Lawful pursuit? So a compound bow is Fair Chase in October but not July?
Fair chase and ethical are relative terms. Everybody has a different view of how each of those apply, or not. If it's legal, have at it.
"So a compound bow is Fair Chase in October but not July?" .. if the season was open in July, THEN it would be fair chase within the rules and regulations set by the DNR or B&C/P&Y ....
what is an "improper or unfair advantage"? Compared to a deer's technology ladder stands and stick bows are an unfair advantage You should be running around barefoot with sticks to be fair. All I'm saying is the slippery slope argument, especially with ambiguous terms is a TERRIBLE argument. Look I'm not writing letters to the DNR about this stuff, i don't really care that much, but consistency in a mans word is important. If you think a drone is an unfair advantage vs a deer but not a 30.06 you're absolutely insane If you think a drone is unfair but manipulating the landscape isn't, you're insane If you think a drone is unfair but spraying in heat doe urine all over isn't, you're insane This could be repeated ad nauseam The slippery slope started 9th century with gun powder now we're drawing arbitrary lines based on what we're used to
