Using drones for waterfowl hunting

[gloszz]

So are you allowed to hunt using a drone when water fowling? I know you are not allowed to use one when hunting for big game. I ask because a few of my friends use drones to see what their spreads look like from the air, and record some birds

[catnthehat]

They are walking a pretty fine line there, I am not sure what F&W would think if they saw a drone in the air with a spread and guns on the ground.
Cat

[tikka250]

I think its ok to get a look at the spread before or after the hunt guns in the truck but i have no legal proof of that as i have yet to look into the legalities.

[jungleboy]

I do not see any benefit of using a drone for waterfowl or any other hunting for that matter. I suppose you can look at you decoys but at the end of the day you still have to bring the birds into range .Money and time better spent on scouting locations that the birds want to land in and good blinds.Successful waterfowling usually costs time and effort .Gadgets won't do it for you.If I was in a blind and saw one of those things flying over I would be inclined to fine tune my shooting skills on it.

[tikka250]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

I do not see any benefit of using a drone for waterfowl or any other hunting for that matter. I suppose you can look at you decoys but at the end of the day you still have to bring the birds into range .Money and time better spent on scouting locations that the birds want to land in and good blinds.Successful waterfowling usually costs time and effort .Gadgets won't do it for you.If I was in a blind and saw one of those things flying over I would be inclined to fine tune my shooting skills on it.

Where i have seen a benifit is for big snow goose spreads guys have been using them to get a birds eye view of the whole spread to better see problems that may flare birds looking from above. Like you said there is multiple things that are way more worth it but if it is allowed it would be able to serve a purpose for those that want to use them.

[Hammerhead]

I would think you would have a pretty tough time explaining to a fish cop that you werent using it to scout for birds. Further to that, you could potentially run the risk of getting dinged with harassing wildlife if you get too close and start ruffling feathers so to speak. Long story short, I think if any fish cop saw a drone around while you were hunting you would have some explaining to do. I don't think it would be worth the hassle. You should get a pretty good idea of what your spread looks like from the boat/shore.
Just my 2 cents. But I think when you start mixing drones with hunting you're playing with fire.

[Dubious]

Very bottom of the general regulations tab on the hunting regulations web sight under use of aircraft it states "it is unlawfull to 1. Use any aircraft for the purpose of hunting wildlife, including unmanned aerial vehicles."

Ref: http://www.albertaregulations.ca/hun...s/genregs.html

I know from a guy who is in the drone mapping business for oil and gas and logging that one of there golden rules is UAV's are not to be used for hunting. If you do a quick google search there is a fairly significant fine and jail time for this. It would be best to call fish and game and get a really good understanding of what is ok and what isn't even if you don't have your rifle they still might be upset with harassing wildlife types of issues.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Dubious

Very bottom of the general regulations tab on the hunting regulations web sight under use of aircraft it states "it is unlawfull to 1. Use any aircraft for the purpose of hunting wildlife, including unmanned aerial vehicles."

Ref: http://www.albertaregulations.ca/hun...s/genregs.html

I know from a guy who is in the drone mapping business for oil and gas and logging that one of there golden rules is UAV's are not to be used for hunting. If you do a quick google search there is a fairly significant fine and jail time for this. It would be best to call fish and game and get a really good understanding of what is ok and what isn't even if you don't have your rifle they still might be upset with harassing wildlife types of issues.

The problem with that law of course, is what constitutes the hunt?
Checking your decoy spread is not looking to see if there are any ducks or geese in it, and this is where it becomes a bit murky at times.

Personally I want nothing to do with drones as far as anything to do with hunting goes at all!
Cat

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

I do not see any benefit of using a drone for waterfowl or any other hunting for that matter. I suppose you can look at you decoys but at the end of the day you still have to bring the birds into range .Money and time better spent on scouting locations that the birds want to land in and good blinds.Successful waterfowling usually costs time and effort .Gadgets won't do it for you.If I was in a blind and saw one of those things flying over I would be inclined to fine tune my shooting skills on it.

You must not have much of an idea of what a drone can do. It is absoulutly amassing what you can see live as much as 3 kms away from your truck. A big game animal will soon have almost nowhere to hide or sleep when all you have to do is park on the side of the road and scout a huge area with a drone. Heck, one fellow I talked to figures he could "herd" a moose or deer from out of the bush onto the road.
Going to be very interesting how they tackle the laws on drone use for hunting in the near future.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by waterninja

You must not have much of an idea of what a drone can do. It is absoulutly amassing what you can see live as much as 3 kms away from your truck. A big game animal will soon have almost nowhere to hide or sleep when all you have to do is park on the side of the road and scout a huge area with a drone. Heck, one fellow I talked to figures he could "herd" a moose or deer from out of the bush onto the road.
Going to be very interesting how they tackle the laws on drone use for hunting in the near future.

That is exactly why there are regulations concerning the use of aircraft while hunting, and a drone is considered to be an unmanned aircraft.


From the Wildlife Act

Use of vehicles, boats and aircraft
33
(1)
A person shall not
(a) hunt wildlife from or with an aircraft,

[wolfhunter]

Let me tell you, if I saw your drone in the air, I would certainly shoot it out of the sky. Hunt like a real hunter , forget the drone.

[hillbillyreefer]

Originally Posted by wolfhunter

Let me tell you, if I saw your drone in the air, I would certainly shoot it out of the sky. Hunt like a real hunter , forget the drone.

Really? A person is out flying a drone, you see it and shoot it down? You probably shouldn't own guns.

How do all you arm chair haters figure you'll be able to prove anything?
Have any of you tried to follow a flying drone with your eyes?
How would you know where it came from/who was flying it?

I was looking for a cow today and took this picture.



I should probably be locked up for seeing wildlife eh?
My drone should have been shot down, by a psychopath from AO forums.

Maybe people should leave other people and their property the **** alone, and mind their own ****ing business.

[Ruger99]

We seen a drone on our property out in the country looking in our windows while doing dishes and flying all over the place around our barn and sheds then it went over to the house across the field that night the purse across the field got broke into and the cops said that robbers are using them to stake out places so I'll tell you what I see a drone on my property again it's not leaving.

[drake]

Careful out there guys, I heard fish and wildlife is using drones that look like flocks of mallards to catch poachers...

[jimmyrig]

drones? guess we've never heard of fair chase

[trainerdave]

1 moose heading towards two deer, the middle deer is a nice Muley buck by the looks of his tail and heavy front end/ears, the bottom deer is either a young long buck or a big doe the Muley is courting. The deer may be moving away from the moose at a right angle as the middle deer's ears appear to be pointed in the direction of travel...
Aircraft of any kind give too much advantage in spotting...
IMHO.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Ruger99

We seen a drone on our property out in the country looking in our windows while doing dishes and flying all over the place around our barn and sheds then it went over to the house across the field that night the purse across the field got broke into and the cops said that robbers are using them to stake out places so I'll tell you what I see a drone on my property again it's not leaving.

In that situation, I would definitely be grabbing a shotgun, and doing my best to shoot down that drone. Let the owners call the police, and then explain why they were flying it around my buildings and looking in my windows.

[Ruger99]

That is 100% the plan elkhunter. Dirty crooks

[JDK71]

Originally Posted by Ruger99

We seen a drone on our property out in the country looking in our windows while doing dishes and flying all over the place around our barn and sheds then it went over to the house across the field that night the purse across the field got broke into and the cops said that robbers are using them to stake out places so I'll tell you what I see a drone on my property again it's not leaving.

I am with you on this

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by hillbillyreefer

Really? A person is out flying a drone, you see it and shoot it down? You probably shouldn't own guns.

How do all you arm chair haters figure you'll be able to prove anything?
Have any of you tried to follow a flying drone with your eyes?
How would you know where it came from/who was flying it?

I was looking for a cow today and took this picture.



I should probably be locked up for seeing wildlife eh?
My drone should have been shot down, by a psychopath from AO forums.

Maybe people should leave other people and their property the **** alone, and mind their own ****ing business.

Well said Hillbilly. Thats a neat "find the animal" pic. I see what look like 3 moose or maybe they are deer. I imagine you can zoom in for better look.
On the flip side, some fools might say you were harrassing wildlife with your drone. Whatever. Hope you find your cow.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by waterninja

Well said Hillbilly. Thats a neat "find the animal" pic. I see what look like 3 moose or maybe they are deer. I imagine you can zoom in for better look.
On the flip side, some fools might say you were harrassing wildlife with your drone. Whatever. Hope you find your cow.

Someone might beg to differ with ya if your rifle is slung over your shoulder, walking the woods during big game season and you are flying a drone...

Not saying they should light it up with a shotty but the F&W might happen upon you for a discussion...

2. harass, injure or kill any wildlife with a vehicle, aircraft or boat.
3. hunt any wildlife with or from an aircraft, or communicate, for the purpose of hunting, the signs or whereabouts of wildlife seen during a ight on an aircraft.

Maybe even if your not carrying a firearm just flying your drone you might be approched...just be responsible.

As we all know this will reach out to the law makers and more restrictions will start to apply as with everything because of a few bad apples.

[name]

drones r needed to film hunting shows check out hired to hunt season 2 episode #8, great view of the spread. to bad the shooters couldn't shoot

[Diesel_wiesel]

Originally Posted by hillbillyreefer

]
Maybe people should leave other people and their property the **** alone, and mind their own ****ing business.

it would be such a great world to live in if more of this would happen
but the biggest problem in this country is its been driven into peoples heads to tattle tale on the next person
as well everyone is so much cooler on line and as well an expert