Thermal Drones

[brock ratcliff]

I am licensed at last to fly these things commercially. Seth and I plan to collaborate so hopefully should one of you need our services in recovering a deer, pet or livestock, one of us should be able to help you out.
This is amazing technology. So far I have looked for two arrowed deer. I found both in a matter of minutes. Seth has had similar success. As the forest canopy continues to thin, I assume finding game will become even easier. We will also be doing deer surveys once season ends for anyone interested
Feel free to text me if you need help locating a deer.
937 205 6000 - Brock

 

[brock ratcliff]

Seth - 937 728 4026

 

["J"]

Nice to see you making a go at it, Brock! Hopefully you and Seth get a lot of business….

 

[giles]

I suck, I need help locating deer.

 

[Mike]

Congratulations!

 

[Outdoorsfellar]

Another fine thread to follow !

 

[LonewolfNopack]

Best of luck this season Brock. You know how highly I think of you and am looking forward to your adventures, and glad to work together on them as we can.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Might as well throw in some content to demonstrate how these things work... This is Mason's girlfriend's first deer. It took less than a minute to find the deer and it died in a thicket where I have lost well-shot deer before simply due to the stem count of this place. It is a mess in there. This deer was no trouble to find. Getting to her, even from just yards away was another story.

 

[brock ratcliff]

This is a pic from the drone showing me sitting on the back of that tailgate after finding the deer from the road (400 yards or so from the carcass). I was calling out directions to Mason and his girlfriend in an attempt to direct them to the deer. It didn't work. Multiflora rose kept them from reaching her. I actually wound up circling around all that mess to drag her into the open....and yet we knew where she was. Really neat technology.

 

[giles]

My offer still stands with both of you guys. Ever need a driver or co-pilot, just holler.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Best of luck this season Brock. You know how highly I think of you and am looking forward to your adventures, and glad to work together on them as we can.

Thank you, Seth! Seems this would be a good time and place for you to add pics from the one we found the other evening. We might as well document some of this stuff this season.

 

[brock ratcliff]

I think I've shared this one already. This was from opening day. A fella I went to HS with had his son out for opening morning. It was the boy's first shot with a compound bow. Doesn't appear to be a horrible shot, but the deer was back on the corn pile two days later. These animals are amazingly tough.

 

[Wiley E Coyote]

I'd much rather call you for a Pizza! But comforting to know you gentlemen are available if needed! Thanks guys!!

 

[bowhunter1023]

This stuff is too cool! It sends my mind racing about all the applications, mainly scouting in January or in those super thick ares at Vinton Furnace. I'm excited to follow along with this endeavor and appreciate you guys sharing with us!

 

[cotty16]

This is amazing! Really cool photo of you one the tailgate with Mason and his squeeze heading for the doe.

 

[Hedgelj]

Obviously this requires a body warmer than the surroundings. About how long until you can no longer effectively find one?

 

[brock ratcliff]

I honestly don’t know. What I do know is that even in really hot conditions (90ish) a deers bed is clearly visible long after he leaves it. It does not take much of a different in ambient temperature to show up on thermal. My suspicion is 24 hours after a deer dies, it would still be clearly visible. I may be wrong but I think we will find out fairly soon.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Obviously this requires a body warmer than the surroundings. About how long until you can no longer effectively find one?

The first pic I posted above demonstrates this point. The image at the top is a buck, the image at the bottom is the bed he had left 10 minutes or so prior.

 

[Boone]

What make and model thermal drones are you both using? The technology and your pics are amazing.

 

[Sgt Fury]

The first pic I posted above demonstrates this point. The image at the top is a buck, the image at the bottom is the bed he had left 10 minutes or so prior.

I’ve seen vids posted on another thread where you can actually see the heat from the deer tracks as the drone followed the buck as he walked through the woods. I did a double take as at first I thought it was a blood trail, then realized it was residual heat signature from his tracks.