Can You Use Drones While Hunting | Drone Laws For Scouting Animals

Published: September 20, 2021

Author/Pilot: TJ Schwartz

Category Tags: DRONE LAWS,FLIGHT TIPS,WILDLIFE

Summer is winding down and fall is here! With fall comes hunting season. So in the spirit of hunting season, we have created a video explaining the rules and regulations of using drones in one of Montana's favorite sports!

It would seem hunting and drones would be a perfect match as an aerial perspective would give a great scouting advantage. However, there are a few things to consider before using this new technology to aid you in your hunt. We have listed a few of the bullet points below, but be sure to check all of your local drone laws regarding hunting and not rely solely on this list.

1. It is unlawful for a person to use an UAV/drone for the purposes of concentrating, pursuing, driving, rallying, or stirring up any game animal.

This means you can not use drones to push animals towards your location or another hunters location. In fact, in the state of Montana it is unlawful to harass animals with drones regardless of the purpose so be sure to keep your distance!

2. A UAV/drone may not be used to locate game animals for the purposes of: hunting those animals during the same hunting day after a UAV/drone has been airborne, or providing information for another person for the purposes of; hunting those animals within the same hunting day after the UAV/drone has been airborne.

Thermal cameras are amazing technology and can be used to locate missing persons, hotspots, and even wildlife. However, if you intend to use drones for locating game, make sure it is not on the same day as your hunt. Even if you are not the one hunting, don't use drones on the same day as anyone in your party's hunt.

3. UAVs/drones are not allowed to film a hunt.

As much as Montana Drone Company would love to get some amazing aerial footage of a hunt in progress with our drones, we won't be able to. That just means we will be using our ground cameras instead!

With all these rules being a little more concise and out of the gray area, you should now be well equipped on where and when you can use drones for hunting/scouting purposes. Do always keep in mind if you are going to use drones to scout your area the day before your hunt to be considerate of other hunters. Drones can be noisy and you wouldn't want to ruin the experience of another hunter by using a drone during their time.

If you would rather watch an explanation on these drone rules while hunting be sure to check #PilotSchwartz in this video about those laws to consider when planning to use your drone for scouting or hunting purposes. Be sure to be aware of other hunters and practice safe flying while recreating!

Montana Drone Company delivers unparalleled drone service with easy to work with employees and the latest technologies. We work hard to make your next project or idea a reality! We offer drone photography, drone videography, commercial drone services and much more. We are certified drone pilots who have passed the part 107 drone certification test to be able to offer our services to individuals and businesses. Technically we are UAV pilots and UAV certified, but everyone in the public mainly refers to our equipment as drones. We fly with the DJI Phantom 4 Advanced drone model for most our real estate videos and recreational drone projects. Our most experienced drone pilots have thousands of hours of flight time. No project is too large as we can deploy several drone pilots to cover your project at the same time.

Can You Use Drones While Hunting | Drone Laws For Scouting Animals