Thermal drone technology is a new invention that will challenge the ethics of the hunting public. On the positive side, using one can help a hunter find a deer that expired in an unexpected location. This will be especially effective and helpful for elk that don’t often leave a large blood trail and can disappear into dense timber with extensive blowdowns. Drone technology cannot only help find an expired animal but also do so with the speed necessary so that the meat does not spoil.
Holy Cow!
Thermal binoculars and scopes are often used by predator and hog hunters since shooting these species is legal at night. Deer hunting is quite different, and any means of pursuing deer in darkness is universally illegal. Last fall, I was invited to hunt a small farm near Washington, D.C., and arrived about an hour before first light. The owner handed me a pair of thermal binoculars and asked me to check if there were any deer under an apple tree about 50 yards from his kitchen window. Having never used night optics, I was curious about how effective they could be. One glance, and Wow! Two feeding deer images jumped into view, their white heat signature amazingly visible.
Like Trailing Dogs
Some states allow the use of a dog to trail a wounded deer, while others view any dog use on deer as unacceptable. Thermal drones may face the same predicament, yet they can be worth the price if they result in a recovered deer. Additionally, thermal drones can help assess deer populations, bear populations, locate trespassers, and address other legitimate landowner issues. The motivation for this post came from an article in North American Whitetail Magazine, and I thank them for the use of the lead photo. For the full story, click here.
