Proposed Illinois law would outlaw the use of drones for hunting and fishing

I heard about this on news radio today. There are other states that already outlaw drones. I hope Illinois will too. We'll see what happens.

From the Chicago Sun-Times--
Proposed Illinois bill would outlaw drones for hunting, fishing

Posted: 01/15/2015, 11:39am | George Slefo

Using drones to gain an advantage when hunting or fishing might soon be illegal under a bill proposed by state Sen. Julie Morrison.

“Let’s keep the man —or woman—in outdoorsman,” the Deerfield Democrat said in a statement. “Using drones to hunt makes the process too easy. That’s not fair for hunters and fishers who are seriously into the sport, and it’s not fair for the animals that deserve a chance to escape.”

While small animals that fear birds of prey run when they see unmanned aerial vehicles, larger game animals such as deer are unfazed by small aircraft, making them easy pickings for high-tech hunters, the statement said.

“The sentiment is that using drones to hunt is basically cheating,” Morrison said. “I’m inclined to agree.”

The senator came up with the idea for Senate Bill 44 while talking to officials from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources last year. It might include an amendment to allow the use of drones to hunt or fish for invasive nuisance species such as Asian carp.

Several other states, including Colorado, Montana and Alaska, have passed laws or rules banning the use of drones for hunting and angling, and they’re off-limits in Wisconsin under existing state law, the statement said.

Under the law, conservation police and other DNR employees would be allowed to confiscate drones used for hunting, the statement said. The hunter could also be charged with a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $2,500 and jail time.

That's just appalling, that alleged "people" do such low-life things to make it easier for them to slaughter animals.

I hope that bill becomes law.

Why pass a law to regulate a non-issue?

Just ban armed UAVs completely except for military use. There's no reason for anyone outside the military to have armed aircraft of any sort.

Given that this is coming form te Illinois state house, you'd think they'd have more pressing issues to deal with. This is under the same heading as the United States Congress investigating Major League Baseball steroid use with a multi-year war going on and the budget in a shambles.

Focus, people.

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Originally Posted by Lady's Human

Why pass a law to regulate a non-issue?

Just ban armed UAVs completely except for military use. There's no reason for anyone outside the military to have armed aircraft of any sort.

Given that this is coming form te Illinois state house, you'd think they'd have more pressing issues to deal with. This is under the same heading as the United States Congress investigating Major League Baseball steroid use with a multi-year war going on and the budget in a shambles.

Focus, people.

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Our new governor was inaugurated this week and the dust hasn't settled yet. They definitely have pressing issues to deal with but I get the sense that the state general assembly and the governor are still trying to figure out what the highest priority work should be.

If the DNR could use drones somehow to help keep the Asian carp out of the Great Lakes, I think that would be good. Also to get pictures or videos of storm damage or abandoned or burned out buildings so they can decide if it is safe to send in building inspectors.

I guess what I'm getting at is this:

Is there a problem with people using armed drones for hunting? I haven't seen anyone even talking about it, never mind doing it, and I'm in a very hunting-friendly area.

The only mention I've seen around here about drones is hunters shooting at them for disturbing animals.

We have so many pointless laws on the books it's time for a purge, not time to add more.

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Originally Posted by Lady's Human

The only mention I've seen around here about drones is hunters shooting at them for disturbing animals.

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The only problem with that is I have a bolt action shotgun, so I'd have to make the first shot count.

Not really my business, I know, but seems legit to me.

Although I couldn't help but be reminded when reading this:

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Originally Posted by cassiesmom

That’s not fair for hunters and fishers who are seriously into the sport, and it’s not fair for the animals that deserve a chance to escape.”

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... how eerily similar that sounds to the cries of the pro-foxhunt lobby throwing their weight around in the UK in the run up to the general election. I know that the two pursuits are not comparable. Just a curiosity in my mind when reading that statement.

Elyse, are there a lot of people in Illinois hunting with drones or who want to hunt with drones?

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Originally Posted by phesina

Elyse, are there a lot of people in Illinois hunting with drones or who want to hunt with drones?

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I don't know the answer on either (people who currently hunt using a drone, or who currently don't but plan to get hold of one). I am not into hunting and I don't really know anyone who is. (My dad has a friend from church who goes "hunting" with a camera to take pictures of deer, birds and other creatures in the state parks- he has even seen owls) I get the impression that the legislation is being proposed "in advance".

What worries me about it is that they'd like to insert a clause to allow the use of drones to hunt "overpopulated invasive species" such as Asian carp - but I bet some people would argue that deer also constitute "overpopulated invasive species" in some parts of Illinois.

I sometimes see a deer standing on the side of the road, especially near the forest preserve. There's one enormous home close to where my parents live, that has a narrow drainage ditch right along the edge of the property. If I time it right, sometimes I will see two or three deer at a time standing near the ditch. I like when that happens! I worry that they'll walk out into the street and get struck by a car, though.

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Originally Posted by cassiesmom

- but I bet some people would argue that deer also constitute "overpopulated invasive species" in some parts of Illinois.

I sometimes see a deer standing on the side of the road, especially near the forest preserve. There's one enormous home close to where my parents live, that has a narrow drainage ditch right along the edge of the property. If I time it right, sometimes I will see two or three deer at a time standing near the ditch. I like when that happens! I worry that they'll walk out into the street and get struck by a car, though.

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Deer are native, so would not count as an invasive species, but they are severely overpopulated in several parts of the country. Humans killed off their natural predator, the grey wolf, and even though coyotes are moving east and taking over some of their territory, a coyote is just not big enough to take down a full grown deer. Humans hunting deer is, therefore a necessity, we messed with the natural order, we should be responsible for fixing it. There is no way anyone would allow wolves to be reintroduced to harm either pets or livestock, so we need to control the deer population ourselves.