Bought a drone!

[Sam Menard]

I’ve always been a sucker for new tech and gadgets. I mentioned to a co-worker that I thought that a drone might help scout new areas for hunting e.g. finding new stand sites in the bush. In fact there are 2 tracts of bush on public land that I’m interested in setting up on.

Anyway, this guy is a drone enthusiast and found a used one in FB marketplace. It’s a DJI Mini 2 and came with 4 batteries, spare props, cables, and a case. $400 later and I own a drone.

I flew it around the neighborhood the other day. Kinda cool. The hard part is determining height above ground when viewing through the camera. I certainly don’t want to clip a tree.

[sabmgb]

better be careful with that. I believe there are laws against using it for wild game.

[newbiehunter]

I’ve always been a sucker for new tech and gadgets. I mentioned to a co-worker that I thought that a drone might help scout new areas for hunting e.g. finding new stand sites in the bush. In fact there are 2 tracts of bush on public land that I’m interested in setting up on.

Anyway, this guy is a drone enthusiast and found a used one in FB marketplace. It’s a DJI Mini 2 and came with 4 batteries, spare props, cables, and a case. $400 later and I own a drone.

I flew it around the neighborhood the other day. Kinda cool. The hard part is determining height above ground when viewing through the camera. I certainly don’t want to clip a tree.

Drones are super fun!
Congrats

[Marker]

I would like one to look for downed deer after the shot, but I hunt thick swamps so I would like to know how it good it is at seeing through the cedars.

[newbiehunter]

I would like one to look for downed deer after the shot, but I hunt thick swamps so I would like to know how it good it is at seeing through the cedars.

Not very good at all at seeing through the canopy

But if there creeks, clearings or other contour features, it much easier to spot from lower altitudes then from satellite imagery (that usually is about 5 years old anyways [emoji3])

[finsfurfeathers]

better be careful with that. I believe there are laws against using it for wild game.

maybe should contact meghan to see if she could post an ODD article on the use of drones. Its a bit tricky as you can't use it for hunting however you can use it for surveying.

[Sam Menard]

better be careful with that. I believe there are laws against using it for wild game.

You can use a drone for scouting but not for hunting e.g. looking for game with the purpose of hunting. You can’t use it to look for wounded deer though. The Act is silent regarding the interval between flying the drone and hunting the tract of land that you flew over.

[trky chsr]

maybe should contact meghan to see if she could post an ODD article on the use of drones. Its a bit tricky as you can't use it for hunting however you can use it for surveying.

There was a very good article in OOD earlier this year (could have been last year) I believe on the use of drones. TC

[newbiehunter]

The use of drones honestly is very grey area legal wise.. there are too many edge cases:
Scouting technically is a part of hunting, but surveying could be described as scouting
There is always a chance that you will see game while flying around. Am quite sure there isn't a single hunter that won't take notice of this info

To be fully safe, one needs to use it outside of hunting season, yet coyote is opened all year in many WMU. (Or does flying right before the opener considered hunting ?)

and so on

For me, personally, choice is a matter of conscience and ethics:
If I know that I don't use it to pursue the game immediately, it's green light to use it

But that's just me

[trimmer21]

My understanding is that drones fall under the same regulations as flying into a hunting camp...no hunting the area until the following day. My grandson uses his drone to aerial photograph and map properties for his Mother's real estate listings,but,they only use it for rural property. Flying over municipalities is "iffy" depending on bylaws. Federal flight rules governing drone flights were revamped last year. They're drone size and location specific.