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Ohthatguy

Drones for locating downed/lost game

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Just thinking....

I know you can't use them during an open season but after hearing about all the lost animals, a drone would be a great way to cover a LOT of ground to try to locate lost animals. Especially elk. It would be nice if GnF could license/permit some people to do just that. And believe me, asking for more licensing and regulations of any kind is NOT what I hope for but in this case, as in search and rescue instances, it just makes sense imo.

 

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No

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Guest oneshot

Just thinking, No... It wouldnt be any help,unless the animal was shot the last day/season closed and would un-enforcable...

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Animals are hard enough to see given the color of the hide and territory they live in. Having used drones for photography and fun my opinion is you wouldn't get much help from one finding a downed animal. Just my opinion of course.

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I often wondered what I would do if a drone flew over me while hunting..

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I often wondered what I would do if a drone flew over me while hunting..

Assume it was operated by a radical anti Hunter activist and carried an IED. You would have to defend yourself wouldn't you?
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Does anybody remember the knucklehead a while back who mounted a semi-automatic handgun to his drone that could be fired remotely and then posted a video to YouTube? He got a visit from FAA and ATF . I believe shiny silver bracelets were involved.

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Yes, that thread is pretty entertaining.

The whole drone issue is topic that seems to be somewhat polarizing. Maybe we should all lock arms in solidarity. But wait, that's a different thread.

 

What brought this to mind was I was looking at a GPS track on a map of someone tracking/searching for a lost elk. In the terrain they were in, the tracks that took them 6 hours to walk could be covered in less than 1 hour and the "thickets" that they still wondered about could be easily viewed from above. In this case, not using the drone for scouting, hunting or harassing but to aid in the recovery of a big game animal just makes sense to me... But then, I also don't drive down closed roads in the forest. Silly me.

 

As far as being able to see an animal from a drone, depending on the terrain of course, an elk tends to stand out like a big, fat sore thumb.

 

It was just a thought....

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Yes, that thread is pretty entertaining.

The whole drone issue is topic that seems to be somewhat polarizing. Maybe we should all lock arms in solidarity. But wait, that's a different thread.

 

What brought this to mind was I was looking at a GPS track on a map of someone tracking/searching for a lost elk. In the terrain they were in, the tracks that took them 6 hours to walk could be covered in less than 1 hour and the "thickets" that they still wondered about could be easily viewed from above. In this case, not using the drone for scouting, hunting or harassing but to aid in the recovery of a big game animal just makes sense to me... But then, I also don't drive down closed roads in the forest. Silly me.

 

As far as being able to see an animal from a drone, depending on the terrain of course, an elk tends to stand out like a big, fat sore thumb.

 

It was just a thought....

I agree. I have one to mess around with and wouldn't hesitate to use it for a lost animal if needed. Haven't wounded anything since I got it knock on wood. I remember as a kid riding in the loader of a tractor raised up looking for a dead whitetail in a cattail slough. In a situation like that it would work perfect. I guess it's up to the individual whether it's worth the ticket if it's in a state that it's illegal in.

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Still thinking..

Scenario.

Hunter shoots elk. Has GPS coordinates of initial hit, last sighting or last blood, call G&F and they have an employee, contractor or authorized volunteer pull it up on Google Earth. They then spend 5 minutes in a program to lay out a search grid including paying special attention to culverts, washes, rock piles or any other odd feature. Email program back to drone operator, launch drone and initialize program.. It could in reality all happen in less than 10 minutes. The drone then only flies that pattern, can be put on "pause" if something interesting is viewed and of course, the video can be reviewed at night and if something is seen, the GPS coordinates are right there for follow up on foot. If the animal is found, go to manual mode or just return to home. Since the flight of the drone is recorded, it can be verified that the drone didn't go peeping into windows at the ranch on the adjoining property.

 

I realize this will NEVER happen but the software exists and would be easy to do. Just ask the 6th grader down the street. They are already doing it.

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Still thinking..

Scenario.

Hunter shoots elk. Has GPS coordinates of initial hit, last sighting or last blood, call G&F and they have an employee, contractor or authorized volunteer pull it up on Google Earth. They then spend 5 minutes in a program to lay out a search grid including paying special attention to culverts, washes, rock piles or any other odd feature. Email program back to drone operator, launch drone and initialize program.. It could in reality all happen in less than 10 minutes. The drone then only flies that pattern, can be put on "pause" if something interesting is viewed and of course, the video can be reviewed at night and if something is seen, the GPS coordinates are right there for follow up on foot. If the animal is found, go to manual mode or just return to home. Since the flight of the drone is recorded, it can be verified that the drone didn't go peeping into windows at the ranch on the adjoining property.

 

I realize this will NEVER happen but the software exists and would be easy to do. Just ask the 6th grader down the street. They are already doing it.

The technology has existed for many years in the form of the Tomahawk cruise missile.

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