Drone Stalking - A Modern Option?

If, after a grand day on the hill, I am fortunate enough to harvest a deer, I savour the day, the stalk and the shot.Then I field dress it, carefully transport it, even more carefully butcher it and with great appreciation for my good fortune reap the harvest for many meals to come. You??
🐺🐺
I go out. I shoot some. I bring them back. Butcher some. Give some away. Gamedealer gets some. Some get used for dog food.
 
Apparently the world was flat at some point but that was proved wrong.

until a bloke welded some arms on a wind screen motor people used insoles of gum boots....

things move on lol


Archie Coats - an absolute legend.

I had Jack Charlton's series on VHS once. But once they proved that the world wasn't flat, there were no devices to play the tapes on. :)
 
Delighted that “as many as possible” has morphed in to “some”. Good man!
🦊🦊
I don't get your point.

I said when I go out I want to shoot as many as possible, as easily as possible. Not sure what's wrong with that? "as many as possible" isn't a definite number. neither is "some"

If I only see one I'm only going to shoot one. If I see more. I'll shoot more. A few days ago I shot eight roe does and kids out of a group of ten stood in a field of rape.

I butchered three for myself, gave two away staked one out for fox bait and the other two are dog food.

I'm out again in the morning. I'll shoot as many as possible again. or some. whatever.
 
New things always bring out the luddite in us. I think the history of using scopes to stalk tells us that. Another example is railways. In the middle of the 19th century, the new railway lines were tearing up the countryside and were the Devil's work. Now, there's picturesque privately owned lines in every corner of this fair isle, which are historical and preserved.

Having said that, if drones are used for professional purposes, counting deer and culls to protect crops, then, like it or not, sooner or later, their use will leak into stalking. Maybe it'll start with only using them with clients who aren't too sprightly on their pins perhaps. It's a bit like the armed forces have been innovative as far as rifles are concerned and new technology there has leaked into civilian firearms.

Anyway, I'm on the side of those who wouldn't use them for stalking. I'm no great fan of electric vehicles either. But what's that coming over the horizon?
 
I think we need to give some respect to the professionals that have targets to meet every week.
They need every available method to ensure they reach their targets.
Without their targets they will not make their money.
Without their money they will cease to be professional.
Without professional they will cease to be an essential worker.

And then the will have to resort to using the 6.5 creedmoor like the rest of us.
 
Depends on you objectives. If you have a bit of ground and only shoot for sport, meat, improve genetics of the deer, etc then would you call flying the drone part of that sport. Many have already said no.

Professional point of view:- Use of drone makes more efficient use of man hours, reduce fatigue and risk of injury to staff. Could be used in finding injured/missing persons. The disadvantages would be another item to buy, store, staff training, license and maintain

A few years ago threads were discussing the use of thermals and many people condemned the use of them say not ethical, sporting etc Now you dont hear much about them so seems like they arr more acceptable.

If you don't like technological advances where do you draw the line. Do you say no use of capstan winch or quads/argo for extraction, only use a piece of rope. Oh wait a minute the rope is making it too easy so no rope. No thermal because it's too easy to spot the deer only binoculars. Oh wait binoculars make it too easy as well

The thermal has been the biggest game changer for me. I would not like to be without it. Nor would I like to do the job without a quad. I would consider the use of a drone and would certainly trial one.
 
I said when I go out I want to shoot as many as possible, as easily as possible. Not sure what's wrong with that? "as many as possible" isn't a definite number. neither is "some"

If I only see one I'm only going to shoot one. If I see more. I'll shoot more. A few days ago I shot eight roe does and kids out of a group of ten stood in a field of rape.

I butchered three for myself, gave two away staked one out for fox bait and the other two are dog food.

I'm out again in the morning. I'll shoot as many as possible again. or some. whatever.
If you post is a serious one, perhaps you could mention your deer management plan, or cull plan, to put it into context?
 
Archie Coats - an absolute legend.

I had Jack Charlton's series on VHS once. But once they proved that the world wasn't flat, there were no devices to play the tapes on. :)
yes quite got his book on the shelf, however some of the deer police are wanting to hand out fines lol :rofl:

Deer God.webp
 
I think we need to give some respect to the professionals that have targets to meet every week.
They need every available method to ensure they reach their targets.
Without their targets they will not make their money.
Without their money they will cease to be professional.
Without professional they will cease to be an essential worker.

And then the will have to resort to using the 6.5 creedmoor like the rest of us.
Yes, as the shoals of fish have no where to hide with the deep sonar that locates them to get scooped up to be turned into fish food..don't get me started on the bi-catch.

hope you are well ?
 
If you post is a serious one, perhaps you could mention your deer management plan, or cull plan, to put it into context?
Not sure of mr Toast's cull plan but here's mine.

Cull as many deer as I possibly can with the equipment and time I have. All within the legal parameters of the law. Conduct culling in a safe, efficient manner with animal welfare as a priority.

Reasons:-

To maintain low levels of damage on a commercial forest crop with a desire to further reduce damge levels.

To produce a quality product in the way of deer carcass and animal byproducts. This is to offset the costs of culling.

Prioritize culling on or near vunerable crops but maintain culling in other areas when conditions and time allow
 
Depends on you objectives. If you have a bit of ground and only shoot for sport, meat, improve genetics of the deer, etc then would you call flying the drone part of that sport. Many have already said no.

Professional point of view:- Use of drone makes more efficient use of man hours, reduce fatigue and risk of injury to staff. Could be used in finding injured/missing persons. The disadvantages would be another item to buy, store, staff training, license and maintain

A few years ago threads were discussing the use of thermals and many people condemned the use of them say not ethical, sporting etc Now you dont hear much about them so seems like they arr more acceptable.

If you don't like technological advances where do you draw the line. Do you say no use of capstan winch or quads/argo for extraction, only use a piece of rope. Oh wait a minute the rope is making it too easy so no rope. No thermal because it's too easy to spot the deer only binoculars. Oh wait binoculars make it too easy as well

The thermal has been the biggest game changer for me. I would not like to be without it. Nor would I like to do the job without a quad. I would consider the use of a drone and would certainly trial one.
I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that every deer spotted with a thermal is a dead deer. I don't own one but have used on several occasions. They certainly help for sure but you still need to determine whether it's a safe shot, sex and species first. There are many hunters over here waiting with bated breath for the government to decide whether thermal devices are allowed for hunting or not. If nay then there will be a lot of long faces. NV has never been allowed, nor active lamping.
 
I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that every deer spotted with a thermal is a dead deer. I don't own one but have used on several occasions. They certainly help for sure but you still need to determine whether it's a safe shot, sex and species first. There are many hunters over here waiting with bated breath for the government to decide whether thermal devices are allowed for hunting or not. If nay then there will be a lot of long faces. NV has never been allowed, nor active lamping.
well said toby as the person on the ground can only drop a couple at a time then have to deal with them in a time frame.

All the nickers are going up and down.

The answer is in history LDM Luddite Deer Management :tiphat:

 
Back
Top