Drone Stalking - A Modern Option?
- Thread starter EddieArran505
- Start date
palmer_mike
Well-Known Member
Ok, drones in general are not for me and I wouldn’t choose them to aid my stalking (I don’t feel the need) but.......
For all those that are saying it provides an unfair advantage, where do they feel it appropriate to freeze the clock of technical progression?
Do we outlaw telescopic sights, binoculars, thermal spotters, nitro cellulose powder, metallic cartridge ammunition?
we could soon be back to using flintlock muzzle loading rifles....
or we could go back further to spears arrows etc (no compound bows allowed lol)
Not sure if I’m getting my point across but I’m just asking, who has the right to freeze the March of technological progress if they are benefiting from relatively recent innovation themselves
For all those that are saying it provides an unfair advantage, where do they feel it appropriate to freeze the clock of technical progression?
Do we outlaw telescopic sights, binoculars, thermal spotters, nitro cellulose powder, metallic cartridge ammunition?
we could soon be back to using flintlock muzzle loading rifles....
or we could go back further to spears arrows etc (no compound bows allowed lol)
Not sure if I’m getting my point across but I’m just asking, who has the right to freeze the March of technological progress if they are benefiting from relatively recent innovation themselves
Sonicdmb73
Well-Known Member
My son bought himself a drone and as they do got bored with it. So I have used it at times to fly over and film. I have found signs of movement through otherwise impossible to see areas of the farm. However I did not take a rifle, one thing at once to concentrate on. The other thing is I am of a similar opinion to that voiced below.
I stalk to get away from life, technology etc etc. It is not stalking to me if it is anything more than rifle binoculars and field craft. I can see a place for them in the “toolbox”, but like thermal not for me thanks.
243 Stalker
Well-Known Member
Eddie,
I have had many days out stalking and all have been successful in one way or another, but may not have resulted in taking a deer.
I remember an old boy well over 20 years ago saying to me “Son we can go over that hill shoot a deer and be back in an hour, or we can go for an experience“.
Call me old school but I prefer the experience.
ATB 243 Stalker
I have had many days out stalking and all have been successful in one way or another, but may not have resulted in taking a deer.
I remember an old boy well over 20 years ago saying to me “Son we can go over that hill shoot a deer and be back in an hour, or we can go for an experience“.
Call me old school but I prefer the experience.
ATB 243 Stalker
You need to make your mind up as a person is trying something new....
Sure you won't be chasing foxes with a couple of 12v 7amp batteries and a old spot light.
Nope nv spotter drone 10 archer longbow set of quad sticks
Hey, we all had to start somewhere, agreed for stalking the odd round makes very little difference cost wise but if you want to practice then cost can come into it. But, stalking is not a cheap hobby and the ammunition is only a small part of the cost particularly if you pay for your stalking so if the cost of ammunition is a major concern it is possibly not the right sport to be getting into. That said it doesn't have to be a hellishly expensive hobby, particularly if you have your own ground and are a naturally good shot so less practice is required!
jon 12
Well-Known Member
As already said by some on here,personally I enjoy the experience, the walking, the expectations of what is around that corner or over that hill, at times I even enjoy the drag out if I have been successful. (strange I know). I can see the use commercially for forestry, deer counts etc but not for recreational stalking. Perhaps it may be easier to buy your venison in pre packed and save going for a walk.
I use a thermal to locate deer (mostly muntjac)
Also to great use on foxes, I walk all my ground with quad sticks thermal foxing rig or the deer rig,
walking 400 yds to get close to a fox I can check if it has ****ed off or changed its line
If it was done the first back before i had the thermal then the "experience" can be a 800 yd ball ache.
Drones are being used for all sorts with medical delivery in difficult areas.
Wait for it " oh that's different"
Drone successfully delivers anti-venom to remote Amazon communities - Springwise
WeRobotics carried out successful tests to deliver snake bite anti-venom to remote Amazonian communities in 35 minutes compared to the the 6 hour boat ride usually required.
www.springwise.com
Drones in HealthCare
Drones' role in the healthcare industry. See how drones can help change the lives of many by helping them live life's emergency as easy as 1-2-3.
www.dronesinhealthcare.com
This says it all for me!
I've no problem with using drones as a survey tool anywhere, or even as a management tool where terrain, weather, and deer numbers make a good plan really hard to accomplish.
For recreational stalking, I think it's down to the individual to decide what handicaps and advantages to give themselves. In every case -unless you plan to jump on the animal from a tree and wrestle it to the ground- you will be using that distictively-human advantage: technology. Meanwhile, that other distictively-human, but typically-under-used attribute -foresight- should caution that If you overdo it, you will not only have no deer, but may also have lost an important connection between yourself and the natural environment along the way.
For recreational stalking, I think it's down to the individual to decide what handicaps and advantages to give themselves. In every case -unless you plan to jump on the animal from a tree and wrestle it to the ground- you will be using that distictively-human advantage: technology. Meanwhile, that other distictively-human, but typically-under-used attribute -foresight- should caution that If you overdo it, you will not only have no deer, but may also have lost an important connection between yourself and the natural environment along the way.
Not really sure what you are saying here Tim?
I have lamped foxes and rabbits for a long while before I invested in NV.
I get drones for surveying (just about to buy one at work for this abs get a couple of lads their commercial licences) but to save yourself the effort of stalking over a ridge?! It’s called deer stalking for a reason!
Rowey
Well-Known Member
Made me laugh that. My father in law shot a model aircraft with his old 410 hammer a few moons ago. Hilarious
Namman
Well-Known Member
This idea just depresses me. Perhaps you could fit a rifle to a large drone and then you could murder deer from the comfort of your armchair?
I'll just say, For the safety of your drone, and your own personal health, never, ever, fly it over our estate.
Never mind the dog - beware the owner .....
The estate owner is a terrible man John, far worse than his stalkers.Never mind the dog - beware the owner .....
EssexBigMac
Well-Known Member
Do you have any footage? I’ve heard of a deer manager in Oxford who conducts this way of stalking for clients before he takes them out.
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
Personally I think thermal is a step too far, and drone definately is. I suppose if it's a purely management cull which has to be done as quickly and as cheaply as possible to prevent serious damage then possibly.
But we are now treating deer like a video game and we are forgetting that are a valuable resource that needs respecting and treasuring. At the moment deer in the UK are being treated a bit like herring and other fish stocks were around our coasts - huge stocks that can just be plundered and fished to the point of extinction. In the US during the 1800's they pretty much wiped out their Buffalo, deer, and elk, turkey and wildfowl populations through over hunting, and it has taken nearly a century of careful management to get them back to where you can have sustainable harvest. I have some small bits of ground in Fife that I stalk over. These are within a couple of miles of large forestry where there has been a big contract cull, which has removed all the deer from the area. I haven't seen, let alone shot a deer on my ground for well over a year.
Stalking should be fair chase, and there needs to be a high level of skill required on the part of the stalker to locate, find and stalk into a deer to achieve a successful cull. All this availability of Kit just diminishes all of the skill. But what is the skill in flying a drone over the land, spotting the deer, then driving to a high spot, using a range finder to accurately measure the distance to the deer, twiddle your turrets and squeeze trigger. Next thing you will have a drone that can fly down and pick up the deer. Why not mount a firearm on the drone and do it all whilst sitting in your underpants scratching your bollocks whilst in the comfort of your bed.
As far as I am concerned novice stalkers should learn to shoot an open sighted rifle with a maximum range of 50 yards. Its called an air rifle and once you can consistently shoot rabbits with this, then you can progress to a deer rifle. And no can not have a pair of binoculars - first learn to use your eyes to find rabbits sitting in the long grass, then learn to find deer with your naked eye, then add in a pair of binoculars.
Most novice stalkers now go straight to thermal and will never learn how to find and spot deer with the naked eye, the ears and nose. They spend their whole time looking at a tiny little screen.
I am with SikaMalc - only treatment for drones is a shotgun - here endeth the rant.
But we are now treating deer like a video game and we are forgetting that are a valuable resource that needs respecting and treasuring. At the moment deer in the UK are being treated a bit like herring and other fish stocks were around our coasts - huge stocks that can just be plundered and fished to the point of extinction. In the US during the 1800's they pretty much wiped out their Buffalo, deer, and elk, turkey and wildfowl populations through over hunting, and it has taken nearly a century of careful management to get them back to where you can have sustainable harvest. I have some small bits of ground in Fife that I stalk over. These are within a couple of miles of large forestry where there has been a big contract cull, which has removed all the deer from the area. I haven't seen, let alone shot a deer on my ground for well over a year.
Stalking should be fair chase, and there needs to be a high level of skill required on the part of the stalker to locate, find and stalk into a deer to achieve a successful cull. All this availability of Kit just diminishes all of the skill. But what is the skill in flying a drone over the land, spotting the deer, then driving to a high spot, using a range finder to accurately measure the distance to the deer, twiddle your turrets and squeeze trigger. Next thing you will have a drone that can fly down and pick up the deer. Why not mount a firearm on the drone and do it all whilst sitting in your underpants scratching your bollocks whilst in the comfort of your bed.
As far as I am concerned novice stalkers should learn to shoot an open sighted rifle with a maximum range of 50 yards. Its called an air rifle and once you can consistently shoot rabbits with this, then you can progress to a deer rifle. And no can not have a pair of binoculars - first learn to use your eyes to find rabbits sitting in the long grass, then learn to find deer with your naked eye, then add in a pair of binoculars.
Most novice stalkers now go straight to thermal and will never learn how to find and spot deer with the naked eye, the ears and nose. They spend their whole time looking at a tiny little screen.
I am with SikaMalc - only treatment for drones is a shotgun - here endeth the rant.
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