# NM Bans the use of drones for hunting...GOOD!



## klbzdad (Apr 3, 2012)

Had my first encounter with a "drone" this weekend. It was some kid and the thing seemed harmless enough flying up and down the general shoreline until he and his dad tinkered with it for a minute and I over heard his dad tell him to hit the execute button on their iPad and it took off across Panguitch Lake and out of sight for a minute or so before suddenly whizzing overhead and landing right where it took off from. I was curious to see what they had going on so I spoke to them out of curiosity and the dad, from Idaho visiting family, said he fully intended on scouting with this thing for deer and elk back home. Pretty amazing photos of people along the opposite shoreline several hundred yards away and it was done through a gps program without the kid or dad piloting the thing. I didn't voice my displeasure to them, but I sure hope Utah puts the stupid trend/idea of scouting with them to a hasty end SOON!!!!!

http://watchdog.org/156822/new-mexico-bans-drones-hunting/


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

And I thought only PETA used these things. :shock:
I agree, hopefully something will be done before it gets out of control...


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

So then what is the difference between a drone and a remote control airplane as in hobby aviation?


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

High Desert Elk said:


> So then what is the difference between a drone and a remote control airplane as in hobby aviation?


We were at a wedding a month ago and they were using a drone to take pictures,It could just hover in place,or move to a better angle.Had a annoying hum or buzz noise.Also no cell phones could be used as they said it would interfer with the radio signals to the drone.I thought it was a distraction,but then I distract easy.:smile:


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## elkaddict11 (Jun 16, 2014)

Why has society stooped to the level of taking the easy way out? Half the fun of the hunt is the scouting process! Getting away from your hectic everday life and spending time with your hunting buddys/or yourself in the great outdoors. Seeing wildlife with your own 2 eyes! I realize the advantage of using a drone but don't see the appeal. It's sad to see people this dependent on technology.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Using drones to harass animals is lame.------SS


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I think drones should be used for hog hunting personally.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Ok, hogs, coyotes, and other varmints as long as no respectable animals are harassed in the process. I would definitely fish with a drone.-----SS


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

I think they outlawed them so people wouldn't confuse the flying drones with the drones of our useless and idiotic state legislature.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Does fishing with a drone require a second pole permit?


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

Bax* said:


> Does fishing with a drone require a second pole permit?


 Cool! Trolling with a drone! Just don't let it get more than 100 feet away and make sure it will stay in the air with a monster fish! >>O


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Bax* said:


> Does fishing with a drone require a second pole permit?


Not after today!, just a combo license.------SS


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

High Desert Elk said:


> So then what is the difference between a drone and a remote control airplane as in hobby aviation?


There isn't a difference. The media started using the term "drone" because it sounded scary. Drones are remote controlled aircraft. That's it. The military call them UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) or UAS (Unmanned Aerial System), meaning, a pilot-less aircraft.

Now that said, If I were to draw a line between what most folks consider a drone vs. a remote controlled aircraft, is a drone will have on-board navigation capabilities, meaning, it can essentially guide itself. In the example given, it sounds like these guys were able to program in a flight path for their aircraft to execute on its own.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

I don't know about chasing big game with one, but I'm positive I'd have a great time chasing stray cats or my dogs around the yard with it. It would also be sweet to have it follow me around on my quad with a GoPro strapped to it's belly.


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## klbzdad (Apr 3, 2012)

GaryFish said:


> There isn't a difference. The media started using the term "drone" because it sounded scary. Drones are remote controlled aircraft. That's it. The military call them UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) or UAS (Unmanned Aerial System), meaning, a pilot-less aircraft.
> 
> Now that said, If I were to draw a line between what most folks consider a drone vs. a remote controlled aircraft, is a drone will have on-board navigation capabilities, meaning, it can essentially guide itself. In the example given, it sounds like these guys were able to program in a flight path for their aircraft to execute on its own.


Oh, there is a huge difference! The guy tells the kid, "hit the execute button" and the thing takes off on its own, flies across the lake using way-points they had programmed into the thing. They also programmed the camera servo to follow the shoreline and then return with that video back to them. They didn't "fly" the thing, it flew itself based on their programming. THAT is a drone and THAT is what he says he's going to scout deer and elk with.

I personally wouldn't oppose rules that prohibit remote controlled hobby aircraft being restricted from locations that are known as habitat for big game species either. Technology, its pretty cool sometimes but has its place and in the great outdoors, NO THANK YOU!

***yes, capitalized letters are obnoxious. Just like drones.


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

Fortunately, Utah hunting regulations already prohibit these devices. Rude awakening coming up for the techies who don't read the guidebook (p. 40).


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

I dont see whats the big deal. Your not going to shoot game with them

The only thing there good for is adding a different video perspective of your scouting trips which totally legal in utah! 

Now if you've flown a drone you have a waiting period just like if you flew in an aircraft. You also cant harass game with a drone, aircraft, wheeler, truck, ect.


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

Finnegan said:


> Fortunately, Utah hunting regulations already prohibit these devices. Rude awakening coming up for the techies who don't read the guidebook (p. 40).


They're not prohibited. You can't take protected wildlife with one, but you can scout and take video with them. You cannot hunt for 48 hours after you've used one, and while I can't imagine much of a conflicting use for one after the hunt is over, you can't use one for 48 hours after your hunt is over. That doesn't mean you can't use it during the season, just that you can't use it within that 48 hours. You can't use them to harass or herd animals either.

⫸<{{{{{⦇°>


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Fishrmn,

You're reading it wrong. Here is the rule.

In addition, you may not use any type of aircraft, from 48 hours before any big game hunt begins through 48 hours after any big game hunting season ends, to perform any of the following activities:
• Transport a hunter or hunting equipment into a hunting area
• Transport a big game carcass
• Locate, or attempt to observe or locate,
any protected wildlife

However, this would not prevent preseason 'scouting' so long as no other big game hunt is going on at the time.


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## klbzdad (Apr 3, 2012)

^^^Unless the animals are running from them during the scouting season or most inevitably being chased during the late winter to shed their antlers (by really gay shed "hunters"). To even use a drone to "locate game" the epitome of lazy. I'm a fatty fat guy and even I will hike my fat butt around the hills looking for animals but the thought has never crossed my mind, "Hey Fat Ass! How awesome would it be to have a remote control type trail camera to go out and buzz some bucks or bulls?" 

Besides, hasn't anyone watched elk and deer respond to a jet flying several thousand feet above? Now, imagine having a mosquito the size of a small dog buzzing around your head. I'm sure it wouldn't bother anyone in the slightest.

Not to mention that for those of us who labor to actually hike around, check trail cameras, pick up garbage, take extensive notes and document behavior would loose all of that because I believe the use of these stupid things would modify big game behavior ruining the experiences associated with being in the woods.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Klbzdad you dont pick up a drone to do your scouting. They suck for scouting! They have about a ten minute flight time between battery changes so your not covering any more country then you can see with your naked eye. 

Your assumptions of misquito drones buzzing over head are assumptions. Deer are pretty curious when it comes to drones. You can use drones to view game and as long as your not trying to land on them they will tolerate them. It wont cause them to bolt off a cliff. Ill bet you scare a hundred times more game riding your wheelers or driving in your vehicle then you ever would using a drone responsibly.

I would rather see people using these looking for sheds then atv's. The problem is they will suck for shed hunting. Again there main purpose for scouting isn't locating game or horns its different video perspective.

Banning drones are no different then banning guns, boats, trucks and wheelers. Any responsible person can operate them without ever hurting anyone or anything. I personally get sick of the thousands of BS laws taking my freedom away.

By the way having a drone doesnt make you lazy or make you less of a hunter. It dosent give you one advantage over another hunter other than a different video perspective.


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## klbzdad (Apr 3, 2012)

Uhmmmm.....read the article. They are being used to push animals during hunting seasons from public to private property. They are being used to scout. Your intentions to utilize one might be an exception but I personally have reported and signed citations of atv idiots making new trails because they won't get off their quad and hike a few hundred yards to check their gigantic salt block and trail camera. ATV's shouldn't be the demons they are to explore the wilderness but because of a few, they are.

Mule deer do NOT respond positively to artificial noises and if they are uncertain of the cause of that noise, they scatter. Elk are less tolerant. For a specific example, the sheep in Zion National Park and their reaction to that idiot's drone. These aren't assumptions, they are common sense after years of observation in the field. If a deer looks to the sky to see where the buzzing noise is coming from, its merely to see which way they need to run after identifying the threat.

As far as just owning one. You're right, that doesn't make anyone lazy. The application of one to scout for game does. I will say that using them for a different view of something is exactly what frightens me personally about them but fascinates me at the same time.






I'm not saying they aren't interesting or possibly useful for the right purposes but they shouldn't be legal to fly anywhere near wildlife. Here's another fascinating demonstration of what they can do. Imagine when battery efficiency is 100x what it is now. Then what?


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

There no different then a gun sitting on a table. The gun wont kill anyone and neither will a drone. Its all up to the user how it gets used. Like ive said ive seen elk, deer, mtn goats and moose through a drones camera. None of them bolted or feared for their lives. They all looked at the drone with curiosity. We already have laws against murder and harrasing game no need to ban guns and ban drones from law abiding individuals. 

Now durring hunting season in utah it would be pretty hard to get away with what happend in your article and im against that type of abuse.


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## klbzdad (Apr 3, 2012)

Apathy towards technology and human interaction with animals.....that's gotten us far. We are the stewards of the wildlife that now require us to fiddle with mother nature because we are stupid enough to want to live where they want to live and build on critical winter habitat because its conducive to our whims. 

Law abiding citizens have common sense and wouldn't harass the wildlife we should all be concerned for. I'm not worried about a drone, gun, hammer, or any other inanimate object until an idiot gets a hold of them and sees an opportunity to ignore common sense as to that objects purpose and place. I know some die hard team "hunters" who would do whatever it required to get that "curious" elk to touch its nose to the camera lens of his / her drone mounted GoPro. To each his own, though. There are already restrictions on them concerning wildlife so I'll go with that and I'll report anyone bothering wildlife with one and be happy to be a witness in court or sign the citation as a citizen.


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