Thermal Drones

[Outdoorsfellar]

Dogs & drones. They each compliment one another, both being invaluable services .

 

[jagermeister]

Yeah, that isn’t me. There are undoubtedly times when a dog is far superior. We have areas where bush honeysuckle is so thick it is literally impossible to see anything. The first three deer I was unable to locate were in those areas. And I’m certain all three are still alive. Conversely, I’ve located deer that were wounded and was able to accurately see how badly. Dogs cannot do that. Even the best handlers can only make an educated guess.
Here some takeaways so far:
Rage broadheads suck
Marketing by Raven has caused a lot of real world problems.
We need mandatory Bowhunter Ed
Deer are incredibly tough animals
People, collectively, are not all that bright in regards to ethically killing an animal with an arrow. I know I’m seeing a lot of the lowest denominator here, but it’s been shocking.
Non-resident hunters are far more likely to spend a little coin in an effort to retrieve a deer they have shot. The vast majority of calls have been from non resident hunters.
If you do not see your deer tip over, leave. Wait at least 12 hours or call a drone operator to assess the situation. I wouldn’t bring in a dog until at least 18 hours. All those long tracks they are on are most certainly due to the deer being pushed while still alive.
Liver shot deer can linger a long time. And many of them seem to stand vs. bed. They will stand a very long time.
Lung blood …. If it’s red, it’s blood. People seem to have no concept of what lung blood actually looks like. I have heard a dozen times the hunter followed lung blood for 500 yards. No they didn’t.
If your arrow is “tight to the shoulder, just above halfway up”, you missed the good stuff. Learn anatomy. If you aim close to the leg, shoot for the lower 1/3. Every time. If you can’t help but aim for the middle of the body, aim back from the shoulder in the middle of the dang ribs.
If you think it’s “slightly quartered”, you don’t have an ethical shot unless you are good enough and smart enough to aim in front of the near side shoulder.
I could go on…. Lol

Brock, not that you need any more to do, but this topic (takeaways from a drone recovery operator) would make for an excellent YouTube video and/or podcast episode. I envision lots of traffic and clicks. Just sayin.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Amish Mike has a huge YouTube following now so you’re obviously right about that. I think when things slow down I am going to try forgetting most of what I’ve seen this season.
On a bright note, here’s a buck I found yesterday. The kid wasn’t sure where he hit so he left the woods without disturbing the deer. I went over the area about 5 pm, nine hours after the shot and found the deer within 100 yards of the shot. The deer was expired and the hunter was happy.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Mason did mention that I need to spread the word somehow on what a hunter should do in the event of a bad hit. Maybe after things settle down we should put something together.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Mason did mention that I need to spread the word somehow on what a hunter should do in the event of a bad hit. Maybe after things settle down we should put something together.

We're due for another TOO podcast. I'd come to you so we could do it in person.

 

[giles]

We're due for another TOO podcast. I'd come to you so we could do it in person.

I've got space if you want to make it an overnighter.

 

[jagermeister]

Mason did mention that I need to spread the word somehow on what a hunter should do in the event of a bad hit. Maybe after things settle down we should put something together.

One word of caution or rather one “suggestion” I’ll make… and I think this would go for any deer recovery team… Put some serious thought into how you phrase and word your messages to the public. I’ve seen a lot of social media posts and various “public service announcement” type messaging lately, directed to hunters, that seems to criticize and point fingers at hunters. I understand it can be frustrating, but that’s the nature of your business. It is what it is. The overwhelming majority of your customers are people who made poor decisions and/or made bad shots. There’s a way to get messaging out to them without criticizing or alienating them along the way. I just (personally) think some of the messaging I’ve seen over the past couple years from trackers and recovery teams comes across as very judgemental condescending. All that does is add more fuel to the never ending fire of infighting amongst the hunting community.

 

[Big_Holla]

Advantages I see with the drone would be you can go look for the deer any time, you don't have to wait 12 or 24 hours. Spot it and assess.
The other would be is if it went onto a neighbors property where you may or may not have permission to walk. If it is there dead then it's up to the hunter to make the necessary calls to recover it. If it passed through the property and is on someone else's then you don't have to waste time getting permission from the first property owner. Just a couple thoughts.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Advantages I see with the drone would be you can go look for the deer any time, you don't have to wait 12 or 24 hours. Spot it and assess.
The other would be is if it went onto a neighbors property where you may or may not have permission to walk. If it is there dead then it's up to the hunter to make the necessary calls to recover it. If it passed through the property and is on someone else's then you don't have to waste time getting permission from the first property owner. Just a couple thoughts.

There's something to be said about having the evidence to prove you need their permission to recover. I'd have to think that more often than not, it might sway a person to say yes when they might not otherwise.

 

[LonewolfNopack]

I'll echo everything Brock has stated. My mind has been blown these past three weeks. You think you understand wounded deer behavior and what do to post shot until you actually live it and see it real time, time and time again. The most frustrating part to me is how local folks have such a hard time paying to help them recover a deer that they wounded, but have no issue hunting the rest of the season and paying thousands more in time, gear and fuel to go try to kill or wound another one. These are the same guys who have no issue spending $350 on beer and fast food each month, but cant pay it when they alone are responsible for their bad shot on a deer. Say what you will about non-resident hunters, but so far they seem to be the only ones really interested in finding their deer for the most part. If you wound a deer, buck, doe or 200 incher.....the ball is now in your court to do everything possible to recover that deer, even if it doesn't actually end in a recovery. You are morally and ethically obligated to this.

 

[LonewolfNopack]

One other thing, this is a terrible job to have if you even remotely enjoy actually deer hunting yourself.

 

[Wiley E Coyote]

I could never do it

 

[Gern186]

One other thing, this is a terrible job to have if you even remotely enjoy actually deer hunting yourself.

So why do you do it then?

 

[Jackalope]

What's interesting is the whole drone vs. dog thing has become yet another thing that hunters are infighting about. Not saying you are contributing to that because you're not, just mentioning since you made the comparison. Also since you got into the game, I've paid way more attention to the drone game and have been following a lot of dog handlers for a few years. It's such a silly argument because each has its benefits and collectively, they're helping hunters put more deer on tailgates than would have happened otherwise. It's been interesting to see human tribalism show itself in hunting's latest trend.

I too have been following this debate. Usually some drone guy will post that "we found a deer that 2 dogs couldn't find". Or a statement similar to Brocks. The dog guys immediately jump on it and say "Well they must not have been good dogs.". And to me therein lies the reality of the argument. The argument is not that drones or dogs are somehow better than the other. It is that a drone is going to be far superior much more often than the vast majority of these "deer dogs" that people call. Because these dog guys have to admit, their trade has been VERY watered down, and the vast majority are nothing but a bunch of goofballs with some half-ass counterfeit dog. It would be like me calling myself a drone recovery service and showing up with an $80 Walmart drone. You would immediately be able to tell that I'm full of shit. A very very large percentage of these deer dog guys are showing up with an $80 Walmart dog.

 

[LonewolfNopack]

So why do you do it then?

I can't really answer that question to be honest. I guess it helps that I am indifferent to killing a buck and also enjoy helping others. It's also new and I am learning if it's something I will consider in the future.

 

[finelyshedded]

I too have been following this debate. Usually some drone guy will post that "we found a deer that 2 dogs couldn't find". Or a statement similar to Brocks. The dog guys immediately jump on it and say "Well they must not have been good dogs.". And to me therein lies the reality of the argument. The argument is not that drones or dogs are somehow better than the other. It is that a drone is going to be far superior much more often than the vast majority of these "deer dogs" that people call. Because these dog guys have to admit, their trade has been VERY watered down, and the vast majority are nothing but a bunch of goofballs with some half-ass counterfeit dog. It would be like me calling myself a drone recovery service and showing up with an $80 Walmart drone. You would immediately be able to tell that I'm full of shit. A very very large percentage of these deer dog guys are showing up with an $80 Walmart dog.

Basically a dog can’t find a deer that’s just wounded and not dead but a drone can find both live and dead deer as long as they’re not covered up by undergrowth regardless how long after the shot was taken. Right?

 

[brock ratcliff]

I watched a good buck tonight. He had been shot five hours before I arrived. The grandpa of the hunter knows his stuff. They tracked the deer 100 yard and left. I found him alive. He was bedded for a time but got up. He was stumbling around and eventually bedded again. I suspect he will be there in the morning. Grandpa told the kid they weren’t looking until 10, and the kid would be packing his lil rifle when they do. I’m confident that deer has seen its last sunset. I’m also fairly confident in the case a dog would have had a very long trail if he started at the same time I did. We watched that deer for 45 minutes. I don’t know how else you could do that.

 

[Sgt Fury]

I watched a good buck tonight. He had been shot five hours before I arrived. The grandpa of the hunter knows his stuff. They tracked the deer 100 yard and left. I found him alive. He was bedded for a time but got up. He was stumbling around and eventually bedded again. I suspect he will be there in the morning. Grandpa told the kid they weren’t looking until 10, and the kid would be packing his lil rifle when they do. I’m confident that deer has seen its last sunset. I’m also fairly confident in the case a dog would have had a very long trail if he started at the same time I did. We watched that deer for 45 minutes. I don’t know how else you could do that.

That earlier pic you posted with the covey of quail really impressed me….the clarity of the pic was as if the drone was only a few feet away, but I know it wasn’t as it would’ve scattered the quail…they had no idea you were there. I dont want to overstep but could you tell me what the brand and model of your drone and a ballpark figure of the cost? If you don’t want to post it here, could you send me a pm? I’d really like to get one for when I‘m in Pennsylvania to fly over the beautiful scenery and also checking out the woods around my house.

 

[LonewolfNopack]

I watched a good buck tonight. He had been shot five hours before I arrived. The grandpa of the hunter knows his stuff. They tracked the deer 100 yard and left. I found him alive. He was bedded for a time but got up. He was stumbling around and eventually bedded again. I suspect he will be there in the morning. Grandpa told the kid they weren’t looking until 10, and the kid would be packing his lil rifle when they do. I’m confident that deer has seen its last sunset. I’m also fairly confident in the case a dog would have had a very long trail if he started at the same time I did. We watched that deer for 45 minutes. I don’t know how else you could do that.

Liver shot?

 

[Creamer]

Seen this, @brock ?

PA game warden seized a thermal drone during a recovery. Seems fishy.