Drones and scouting

[bald9eagle]

A guy was telling me a couple days ago about an issue he heard about where some outfitters were using drones to find elk to put their clients on. Anyone heard about this or is this an old story?

[Rangerz]

Haven't heard that particular story. Hope it is not true. I know they are illegal in Nevada after the start of any big game season.

[Backyard]

Was wondering how long it was going to be 'till we saw or heard about this kind of practice.
Now we'll have to make another law that makes it illegal to do something that we already know we shouldn't be doing in the first place.
It seems that ethics of fair chase tends to be second priority when money is involved. (not always, mind you)

[Swede]

They are illegal in Oregon. But, I have heard you can attach a gun to one.

[Fridaythe13th]

We talk last hunting season how fun it would be to fly a drone in the mountains. But we all agreed not during hunting season.
What would be the difference between a trail camera and a drone pre elk hunting season?

[saddlesore]

Illegal in Colorado

[82ndreddevil]

I just started using trail cameras last year, and I actually thought about this a little bit. In my opinion, this is the difference between using trail cameras and drones. For me to set up a camera I gotta put on my hiking boots, a pack, turn on my gps and go hike. If I find a game trail to set up a camera than its cause there is evidence of elk using it, that is scouting. I already know the elk use it, I just set up a camera to see exactly what is going through there. I see that as different than parking off of the forest road and flying a drone over a hill cause I do not want to go hike it myself. I think there should be a line drawn at using technology to get real time info on elk locations. Some could say google earth gives a similar view as a drone gives but google earth is also not real time imagery. Just my opinion.

[Swede]

I see some people use airplanes to scout elk pre season, and they can use them legally during the season with some limitations. I really don't care if someone scouts with a drone, but if they are using it outside of the season, what advantage do they have over GE? I would prefer to waste my money on something else. Just my opinion.

[2MANY]

Not a fan of any of the high tech electronic stuff including cameras.

IMHO it should all be illegal.

Baiting is another one unless it is targeting predators.
And Hounds for predators????????????
Hell yes.

[cohunter14]

I see some people use airplanes to scout elk pre season, and they can use them legally during the season with some limitations. I really don't care if someone scouts with a drone, but if they are using it outside of the season, what advantage do they have over GE? I would prefer to waste my money on something else. Just my opinion.

x2...not a whole lot of difference.

[under H2O hunter]

Although they are illegal in Colorado for looking for animals and scouting there are ways around that. Scouting is a broad term. I don't need to see animals to know if an area holds animals. Taking photos of a drainages or wallos is legal and in my opinion drones are a useful tool in knowing if an area is worth hunting. People always fear innovation. I don't agree they should be allowed during season but using them prior to should be allowed.

[bald9eagle]

The way I heard it was that outfitters were pinpointing elk activity during season and using that to put their clients on elk. I've got mixed feelings. I know these guys are just trying to make a living doing what they love. I've said for years that if I wasn't married with a family that I'd be a western guide myself. What I don't like are the big opulent outfits that charge outrageous fees and cater to the more well financed hunter. It seems that these would be the types that would employ this kind of strategy because they could afford it.

That's just my little rant.

[Indian Summer]

Before season, who cares. During season... really! Not what I'd call hunting.

Flying even pre season can make a HUGE difference. I know an outfitter in Wyoming that flies all summer scouting for mule deer. His elk hunts run about $3900 but his deer hunts are like 6 grand. But he produces multiple 200+ inch bucks every year. He takes pictures of them during the summer then give the guide some photos, a couple horses and a client... and off they go. He has a huge reputation for his deer hunts and is booked 2 or 3 years in advance. The outfitters in the same area don't kill nearly the monster bucks that he does. All because of flying.

But to my knowledge he does not fly during open season. By then the work is done anyway. If I saw a drone during hunting season I'd yell "pull" and drop it like a rock.