Scouting by Helicopter

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Apex
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Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby Apex » Wed Jul 10, 2013 2:19 pm

This sounds silly, but I'm serious. Factoring all of the time, money, and effort we put into traditional scouting and then looking at the cost/hour to charter a helicopter, it could actually be a cost-effective solution ($400/hr) to locate bedding areas in large, vast expanses of swamp, marsh, or timber in record time.

With that being said, in your opinion:
1) Would it work?
2) Is it ethical?

Is it that much morally different than viewing advanced satellite imagery or using trail cameras? Both have extrasensory advantages. Has anyone had the advantage to view deer from a helicopter or paraglider, whether intentional or not?

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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby huntinsonovagun » Wed Jul 10, 2013 2:48 pm

I think it would work for locating bucks, but foot scouting is still necessary. I'd love to get a powered parachute for the purposes you described though

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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby Mario » Wed Jul 10, 2013 2:59 pm

I think it would be more fun with one of those motor power gliders from the mad max movie :lol:

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I think it could be an option if you need to cover a lot of acreage... I do still enjoy getting out in the woods but covering large areas can be time consuming, so I will often use the areal maps to pin point my scouting on foot.
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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby Apex » Wed Jul 10, 2013 3:14 pm

The paragliders are relatively inexpensive and don't require a pilot's license to operate; however, I think swinging in low in a chopper would be the best option. The objective would be to displace deer from their beds and make note of those beds...preferably right after the hunting season has closed. Then, just like you'd ordinarily operate after finding a bed—develope a strategy for hunting his exit route from said bed the following season.

In the Midwest Hill Country where I make annual hunts, it's fairly easy to locate beds, but in the thick, tight canopy swamps of the South where the land doesn't change for miles, a chopper would certainly push deer off their beds and the splashing water would make them stick out like sore thumbs.

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Last edited by Apex on Wed Jul 10, 2013 3:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby hunter_mike » Wed Jul 10, 2013 3:19 pm

1.) Would it work? Unless you are able to get within 50 ft or so of the ground, I don't think it would give you much more intel than most online aerial photos. The FAA might have something to say about you hovering around above state land too. I do think for sure you would see a lot of valuable stuff and be able to pick out spots you want to scout on foot later, but to determine if something is a primary buck bedding area it seems like you would need to still get your feet on the ground. Studying aerials and topos is a lot cheaper.

2.) Is it ethical? Ethics of course are different from one person to the next. I guess in my own opinion, it would be ethical seeing how a lot of the methods we use to scout today use just as much technology as a helicopter does. With that being said, I would never personally consider doing this.

There was a thread somewhere about using a remote controlled plane to scout, I will try to find it: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19271&p=237984&hilit=scouting+uav#p237984
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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby Apex » Wed Jul 10, 2013 3:24 pm

hunter_mike wrote:1.) Would it work? Unless you are able to get within 50 ft or so of the ground, I don't think it would give you much more intel than most online aerial photos.


Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't referring to looking for beds via helicopter; I was referring to looking for deer FLEEING their beds from a helicopter just to get approximations for these areas. Then, going back in on foot to strategize the setup.

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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby hunter_mike » Wed Jul 10, 2013 3:35 pm

Apex wrote:
hunter_mike wrote:1.) Would it work? Unless you are able to get within 50 ft or so of the ground, I don't think it would give you much more intel than most online aerial photos.


Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't referring to looking for beds via helicopter; I was referring to looking for deer FLEEING their beds from a helicopter just to get approximations for these areas. Then, going back in on foot to strategize the setup.

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Thats true, I didn't think of that, and you would for sure be able to see deer leaving their bedding areas. I didn't see the other post. Only other thing is, (and I'm only just giving you constructive criticism here), you said you would be doing this right after the hunting season ends. Some of the bedding would be the same as it is during season, and some would be different I imagine. But yeah you make a great point that you would actually be able to see them hauling all out of there.
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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby dan » Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:27 pm

I have a friend who uses one, but mostly for locating dead or wounded bucks out in the vast marshes. Scouting it don't tell you much, but you can easily see all the bucks out there and what caliber they are... He keeps offering to take me up to film the marsh for the next video just for the cost of gas... not sure if I will do it or not.
Another one is hot air balloons. I have friends who have went over the marsh in hot air balloons and came back with some great video's and pictures of the marsh and bedding spots. and its cheaper than most helicopter charges.
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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby JoeRE » Thu Jul 11, 2013 1:31 am

I would think the ticket would be an ultra-light/paraglider. Anyone can get one and operate it and they move quite slow so it should be easy to see deer. The down side is they can be notoriously dangerous, have fun getting life insurance if you buy one.

Down around Texas in the bush country I know they use planes and choppers all the time to monitor deer herds. Definitely effective.
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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby cbigbear » Thu Jul 11, 2013 3:44 am

I would think the canopy would be too thick in most places to get a good visual. If you try it & it works come do a fly over SE LA!!!
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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby Crazinamatese » Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:28 am

Aerial photos. ;)
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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby headgear » Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:40 am

I would think it would only be worth the cost if you could take some of your own high end video and photos of your area, that and $400 burning a hole in your pocket.

A family friend owned a heli for a while and I actually got to take a quick trip over my hunting area many years back. It was pretty cool but I was in high school and wasn't really scouting all that much. Stupid Kid!
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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby Maple_Ridge » Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:55 am

What about an RC heli with a good video cam??

You could probably buzz the marshes lower than a conventional heli too.

And it would pay for itself vs. $400 a day

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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby KLEMZ » Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:13 am

I can think of two useful reasons to fly over your hunting lands..
- In the winter with a light snow cover and a good camera to get a good read on where the thickets are

-Just before hunting season and into the first couple weeks when bucks may still be coming to open fields the last hour of daylight. You may be able to "glass" the crop fields near all your bedding areas in one flight. I would think a plane would be less disturbing to the deer than a helicopter. I may try this one this year and see if it helps.
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Re: Scouting by Helicopter

Unread postby Swampbuck » Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:40 am

Maple_Ridge wrote:What about an RC heli with a good video cam??

You could probably buzz the marshes lower than a conventional heli too.

And it would pay for itself vs. $400 a day

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Lol, i've actually looked into this! To get a setup to the job would cost about $3K, these new rigs are pretty high tech.... The canopy and undergrowth in my area is too thick so it wouldn't work well for me but it sure would be a fun toy!!
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