tatonka

OK.... Here we are in the 21st century. All kinds of technology has been and continues to be developed to make it easier to kill that big buck. So, what do you all think of Walkie Talkies, Cell Phones, etc. being used in the pursuit of game animals? Evidently it is legal in some states, not in others.

I can understand having walkie talkies, cell phones, etc. being used for safety reasons........like if someone gets lost, their truck breaks down, etc. I can also understand the use of these devices when a deer is on the ground and a hunter is requesting help in dragging it out. What I'm referring to is the actual use of telemcommunications to help kill a buck. Example: You are doing a small drive and one of the drivers jumps a buck and immediately calls one of the standers and tells him/her where the buck is headed. Example 2: Two hunters are hunting out west and spot a big buck high up on a ridge. Hunter #1 keeps an eye on the buck while hunter #2 tries a stalk. If the buck moves, Hunter #1 radios hunter #2 and tells him which direction the buck has moved to.

This type of thing is happening more and more. My son has walkie talkies and he said you can't believe some of the conversations he has heard.... It's illegal here, but very hard to enforce.

My two cents worth: If I have to resort to things like this to kill a buck, it's time to take up bowling.....

Chantecler111

I honesly don't see a problem with this type of hunting, I don't do it, no, but they are hunting.

southpaw193

Example #3: Hunters 1 and 2(11 yr old 1st timer) see small buck in corn field. Hunter 2 shoots and hits but doesn't drop it. Buck goes running. Hunter 3 sees it running away from all 3 hunters across a field 500 yards away. Hunter 3 radios hunter 4 to move east down the fence row he is sitting at to intercept the deer before it crosses the property line. Hunter 4 intercepts and downs the deer. Hunter 2 gets his buck.

tatonka

Exactly.......Very little hunting skill involved in tagging the buck..... The only way it was taken was because of radio communications. If caught doing this in Montana (and many other states), the young man would pay a fine and probably lose his hunting and fishing priviledges for at least a year. What exactly does hunting with a radio teach a youngster?

southpaw193

It would have died sooner or later. It was bleeding really bad. All we did was finish it off faster. Don't say no skill involved. Do you know how long the boy was hunting before he shot it. No. Do you know how long he waited in his stand to see him. No. Do you know how hard it is to hold a scope on a deer when your 11 years old and this is your first shot. No. Do you know how much scouting him and his father did before season. No. Then don't say "NO Skill" Illinois hunting on private property is a whole different game then Montana. How about taking a deer from 300+ yds with a rifle compared to -100 yds with a shotgun. Where's your skill?

Vogt_51

My father, brother, and I have used walkie talkies for all 10 years I have been deer hunting. It can be a big help. There are three of us on an 80 acre plot that contains multiple tree lines, pasture grass, a pond, and about 25+ acres of standing timber. We even really have one stand, where I killed my big buck last year, that is setup mainly as a watchtower type thing. It is the tallest stand we have, probably only about 15-18 feet, but on a hill that overlooks almost the whole 80 acres. Usually my father will sit in that stand, but I sat in it quite a bit this year.
We will radio one another if we see a deer that is going over a hill, or behind a tree line and is out of sight of another one of us. My brother almost got about a 110-120 inch 8 pointer this year that I passed on in hopes it would get to him. I radioed him once the deer was far enough away and told him it was coming up behind him. However, it snuck into some tall thickey behind him and he never saw it. Then when he eventually came back over the radio to tell us he never saw it, we told him to do a couple grunts and see if you can draw him in. Well, he grunted, and nothing, then brought up the bino's to check the thicket closer and the he caught a glimpse of the buck as it saw him bring up the bino's and bolted. It would have been the biggest buck he has ever shot.
They are a very good idea in terms of safety, especially when it is so icy like it is here currently. We each all take off in different directions on our way to the icy ladder stands and as soon as each of us get into the stands and settled we always radio back and tell the rest of the group that we are up, and safe. Then when we plan on getting down we let everyone else know. That way, if we don't hear from that person again for like 5 or so minutes, we start heading in that directions. However, usually if someone is talking to you and you can't talk because a deer is in the area, we usually give a few quick beeps back, just to let them know we hear them and we got something going on.

Its legal here in Illinois and if it wasn't we would probably at least call each other on our cell phones for getting in/out of the stands. I know this is a little lengthy, but I have been using these things for a decade know and I love them.

wis_bow_huntr

This Example is illegal in WI, this is concidered party hunting wich is no longer legal. You must be with in shouting distance to communicate, but yes many of us use radios to communicate back and forth to inform others of deer movement in ceretain directions. Illegal but used all over the state.

KevinS

We use them in our group. I don't see a problem with it.

Carroll B

There is nothing in the Maryland regs about the use of radios. My son and I use them. To me it adds to the excitement of the hunt when we call each other to say we see a deer. (He calls me sometimes to see if I am still awake). It's also nice to call and say , "How much lnger you going to stay on the stand?" Whenever I hunt I always have my cell phone with me but not turned on. I figure at age 60,and especially when hunting alone, it makes me feel safer that I can call someone if I get into trouble.

Red Lion

Using walkie talkies, cell phones, etc...to communicate the movement of deer in MN is illegal. I guess they believe that it compromises the "fair chase" aspect of hunting. I personally find no problem with using devices to communicate regarding anything, as a person has to be able to actually close the deal regardless how they got on the deer.