Drones and Scouting Capabilities...

[mojo662]

It was with a local state gw. I first asked about using a drone during hunting and his reply was "any use of aircraft to aide in hunting is illegal." I then proceeded to give a theoretical situation of "So if I have five duck holes and want to go check them with a drone on Thursday and see which hole would be best to hunt on Friday, could I do that?" And again his reply was "no using it to scout would still be considered using to aide in hunting". I did not know enough about the rules and regulations to pose much of an argument, so I just left it alone.

[novacaine]

It was with a local state gw. I first asked about using a drone during hunting and his reply was "any use of aircraft to aide in hunting is illegal." I then proceeded to give a theoretical situation of "So if I have five duck holes and want to go check them with a drone on Thursday and see which hole would be best to hunt on Friday, could I do that?" And again his reply was "no using it to scout would still be considered using to aide in hunting". I did not know enough about the rules and regulations to pose much of an argument, so I just left it alone.

Aunt Bee !! Call tha man!!!

Someone needs to get clarification from FEDs..........

I can see it being a problem on Public per some of their use rules but on private I'm not so sure.

I will admit that my intentions for use are for shear laziness. I usually scout with binocs and by listening but if i can back off of a site just enough to see there are ducks in hole #...., thats all i need. Its not like im gonna dive bomb them and push them out or try to drive them somewhere... That wouldn't be very smart for me.

[JaMak84]

Unless you just come out an tell them, how they gonna know you're "scouting"? Maybe you've had a problem with trespassers and you're trying to find out where they're coming on to the property from? Maybe you've had issues with the water control structure and you're just checking to see if it's holding water like it's supposed to? Maybe the ole lady down the road's dog got out and you're trying to help her find it? Maybe your just flying over the property cause you can?

[novacaine]

Unless you just come out an tell them, how they gonna know you're "scouting"? Maybe you've had a problem with trespassers and you're trying to find out where they're coming on to the property from? Maybe you've had issues with the water control structure and you're just checking to see if it's holding water like it's supposed to? Maybe the ole lady down the road's dog got out and you're trying to help her find it? Maybe your just flying over the property cause you can?

That..........i'm going with that until further notice.
Thanks

[mojo662]

I understand and agree with what yal are saying, I was just simply stating the conversation that was had.

[LODI QUACKER]

Overzealous over reaching make up the laws as you go along type LEO is my opinion.

[420 racin]

^^^^^^^^^ This
It's asinine to say someone can't use a radio control airplane/helicopter/"drone" with a camera on it to see if there is water or birds in a hole or whatever and to equate that to the use of an aircraft to aid in hunting. Just wanting to write a ticket

[booger]

I never scout, I'm merely birdwatching, as I am a birdwatcher, I am simply looking for interesting ornithological species of any kind.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

boog aka "Mr. Audubon"

[huntersmky]

They are pretty dang awesome and effective. A guy in our camp just got one and it will fly almost 3 miles before it's out of range and when it does go out of range, you can set it to fly back to you at a certain elevation. Does the same when the battery runs low. We are getting 28 minutes out of it on full charge and the video and live footage is unbelievable. The one he bought is the phantom 4 professional. I think it's a great hunting tool and alot of fun to play with as well

[Chuckle12]

I have an Inspire 1. I use it to check duck food, water levels, and birdwatch. It will scare birds from a lot further away than you think. I can be 3-400' up in the air and have them flush. I never ever ever hunt the day after I fly though...

[420 racin]

That brings up a question. Chuckle says he never hunts the day after he flies. So what does the law say about that, how long after you "use the aid of aircraft" do you have to wait before you can go hunting in there. How does this apply to Crop Dusters, can they not hunt for XXX time after they get out of the air, cause you know they looked and saw where any birds were or a bunch of deer in a field or whatever... so is that considered using aircraft? I would think the law is intended to prevent you from flying around and shooting stuff from the air, and it has morphed into, or been construed to mean what we are talking about now.

[Smoke68]

What about if I get a phone call from a buddy who flew over the delta telling me what he saw? Does the third party aircraft scouting rule apply? Wait, what about MDWFP Waterfowl Surveys and the reports they generate telling us where the concentrations of ducks are in the MS Delta? Are we all breaking the law if we read that report and then go hunt? I mean, the survey used an aircraft. Oh no...... time to turn myself in I guess.

Loose lips sink ships is all I gotta say.

[teul2]

What about if I get a phone call from a buddy who flew over the delta telling me what he saw? Does the third party aircraft scouting rule apply? Wait, what about MDWFP Waterfowl Surveys and the reports they generate telling us where the concentrations of ducks are in the MS Delta? Are we all breaking the law if we read that report and then go hunt? I mean, the survey used an aircraft. Oh no...... time to turn myself in I guess.

Loose lips sink ships is all I gotta say.

All good points I would now like to hear a professional answer.

[Bercy]

From 50 CFR 20 on Migratory Bird Hunting, Section 20.21 -> What hunting methods are illegal? . . . (d) From or by means, aid, or use of any motor vehicle, motor-driven land conveyance, or aircraft of any kind . . . (h) By means or aid of any motor-driven land, water, or air conveyance, or any sailboat used for the purpose of or resulting in the concentrating, driving, rallying, or stirring up of any migratory bird;

Section (h) is understandable and fairly straight forward.

However, section (d) appears to leaves plenty room for interpretation, albeit seemingly ridiculous to say that flying over a property to see if there are ducks there to hunt tomorrow is illegal. Along those lines, it could be illegal to use a tractor to disk and plant (by aid/use of motor vehicle) – where’s the difference in the day before or two months before?

I’d have to politely tell the game warden to tell it to the judge if I got a ticket for flying a plane/drone the day before, not that I have a plane or a drone anyway.

And in case anyone is wondering, “Crows shall not be hunted from aircraft”, but it might be fun to try.

[Wildfowler]

Is scouting the same as hunting?

Granted, the kind of drone I would like to use probably has weapons mounted to it. But for the average fratstar......