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

[Miss Z]

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

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

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.”

... 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.

[phesina]

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

[cassiesmom]

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

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.

[Karen]

- 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.

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.