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Drones-Has anyone used these for hunting/scouting related activities?

5K views 22 replies 18 participants last post by  Teemster 
#1 ·
I know there's been heated discussion on using drones on past threads in regards to actually pursuing animals, which is illegal pretty much everywhere, but has anyone found them useful for other things?

I have a drone but haven't set it up yet. I was planning on using it to scout fields or bedding areas for sheds with my GoPro Hero3, and my iPad Air for the monitor vs a cell phone. I'm wondering if the resolution is sharp enough to actually see sheds from the air? I'm sure it would be easy to find a dead deer or old carcass from up high, as long as the tree cover wasn't too heavy.

Aside from that has anyone found a good hunting related use for em? One thing I plan on doing next year is flying over some korn fields to see just how many deer actually stay in em. I've always been curious if it's worth trying to stalk korn fields or if it's just an age old excuse for not seeing deer. I think a drone would come in handy for locating bedding areas in general as well, without kicking up bedded deer and stinking up the area. I imagine a drone would be handy for catching trespassers too.

What other things have y'all used em for?
 
#3 ·
I have a DJI P3 and I haven't found a practical use for scouting with it. I hunt mainly big woods areas so it's useless for seeing anything on the ground. You would also have to be pretty close to see any sheds. They are very cool and fun to take video with but I don't see them giving me an edge on any animals lol.
 
#4 ·
Mind if I ask a few questions to you drone guys...
How close would you have to be to clearly see a big shed in the open?
How many minutes of flying time does a drone get before running out of charge?
What are real time video viewing option?
What is max distance from drone to operator?
What is average cost for drone with video capabilities?
 
#7 ·
25 minutes of flight time
With the P4 Pro I would say you could see a big shed from 75' to 100'
I like viewing video on a iPad if possible
1 mile distance is very easily achievable with the P4P
The P4P is $1,400...add cost for a iPad if you don't already have one

I find my P4P a fantastic scouting tool. Used correctly you can see things and put pieces of the puzzle together much easier than any other way I have ever found. The camera on the P4P definitely gives more detail than any other drone I have ever seen.
 
#12 ·
Ya battery life sucks on these things that's no lie. I'm planning to have several spares on hand. I've got a new iPad so that parts covered. I was planning on using mine with my GoPro-I've got no clue how much detail I'll be able to see with it.

I'm guessing not much? Either way I'm looking forward to playing with it this year.
 
#18 ·
Yep, you better check on the laws in your state. Even if there are not notes specific to drones, I can almost guarantee there are laws on harassing wildlife. Also, there area ton of restrictions due to areas with airport no-fly zones (which are larger than you think). There are also considerations of flying over people, flying over someone else's property, public lands, having to have the drone within visual line of sight - all kinds of rules to be aware of, so tread carefully.
 
#19 ·
What is a drone telling you that you can't see from Google Earth? Sounds like you can't see much other than in a field, and you have to have it in visual sight? So you have to stand on the edge of the field to use it? Which means you already would know what the field is planted in?
I might get my son another drone to fool around with, but it doesn't seem like I'll be using it for scouting anytime soon.
 
#21 ·
My buddy has one of those Mavic models that he says is awesome. It has sensors that won't let it run into stuff....I need to get up to his place and check it out.

I doubt it will help much whitetail hunting...but on something like an open ground pig hunt or AK drop camp moose hunt....it would be awesome. I haven't looked at the regs yet. It might be legal to fly it one day....and then hunt the next....same rules as flying/ hunting in Ak?....I dunno yet but pondering it.
 
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