Anyone fly their areas?

[robby denning]

Flying over your hunt area is legal in all Western states with certain restrictions like time before the hunt, and contacting people on the ground, designated Wilderness.

I've done it a lot for our scouting business, (summer months well before season) and can learn a lot of country in a hurry. Don't often "spot" game but sometimes. Makes it easier to narrow down where to hunt in big units.

Anyone else ever use it?

All opinions welcome, just keep it clean as this can be controversial.

 

[cmeier117]

If I gave you an area to fly over in NE Oregon could you give me the report?

 

[robby denning]

Won't be out that way this year, but if it's open country, flying can be effective. You can usually find pilots looking for some hours who will love to share costs.

If you know the country well, it may not be worth the money, but if you're going to an area for the first time, that is when I find it is most worth it. It's saved me days of trying to get into country that looks good on a map but you get back there and it's not "bucky" or "elky".

 

[Matt Cashell]

If I draw moose or goat, I will fly a month ahead of season. I haven't flown for deer, but see the advantages.

 

[robby denning]

I've actually "spotted" quite a few goats as they inhabit open country, are usually very high, and stick out like light bulbs. Can't tell big horns from small horns but can at least decide if the country has potential.

I don't see many moose flying-

as in me flying, not moose- they can't fly

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Robby, I plan on flying an area close to home I applied for in California. Only if I draw though. I hear it is a great way to see an area. You can learn alot about an area like you said, It can really save alot of ground time. The trick is is to find a pilot that doesn't hunt so you do not have competition

 

[robby denning]

That's right! There are a few pilots I would never go with for that reason.

Also, you do have to be careful picking pilots. One that is used to flying airport to airport is not usually a good choice. Around here there is quite a bit of country in Central Idaho that can only be accessed by plane on backcountry airstrips. I like to find pilots who fly that country as they are usually good mountain pilots.

If you're just trying to look at some country, you don't have to get very close to the mountain either which makes it safer.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

One of my good friends is a pilot, I am taking my dslr and planning on taking LOTS of pictures.

 

[robby denning]

Pictures really help as when you get home, you can study them. Just try and note which pics were taken where or you won't know as mountians don't have labels and look similiar in pics. I've screwed that up before.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

I am going to buy the gps attachment for my camera. I am hoping it is fast enough to keep up. I am a little worried though.

 

[TJ]

If I gave you an area to fly over in NE Oregon could you give me the report?

Be glad to do it

 

[Lukem]

I've covered a lot of ground flying for my job, and can tell you there's no better way to learn a lot of country quickly. I'd also second picking your pilots very carefully in regards to safety. I'd typically shy away from somebody just looking for hours. The pilots I've used are instructors and are quite experienced at low level flying, and that's over the prairies of SD. Real mountains are a whole different ballgame. Also make sure you're in a plane powerful enough for mountain flying. No such thing as being over powered in the mountains, make sure your plane and pilot are built for that kind of flying.

 

[swat8888]

You know who has it made...Army helicopter pilots/crews up in AK. The few times I've flown with them I've seen tons of Moose, and I'm sure those guys have a lot of flight plans that are dually served as scouting trips. Get paid and get your scouting knocked out for free.

 

[pronghorn]

I'm pretty sure I would end up on a no fly list if I asked the United flight attendant to lose altitude as we are flying over my hunt area.

 

[Beastmode]

I am on a transmission power line maintenance crew and we patrol our lines with helicopters alot. When we get done with a patrol on one of our lines than runs about 10 miles south of one of my trailheads I usually have the pilot make a "detour" through my hunt area. Seeing a basin from the air and being able to hover definitely has it's benefits.