A pair of bills has been proposed in Michigan with the hope of making it illegal to use drones for hunting in the state.
The bills, supported by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, have been created in response to the growing use of drones by hunters to make killing deer and other game animals easier, according to The Detroit News. Another goal in the proposed legislation is to keep anti-hunting groups from using the technology to harass or interfere with hunters.
Sen. Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair, chief sponsor of the first of the two bills, said hunters and outdoor enthusiasts came up with the legislation because they felt using the aircraft took away the spirit and tradition of hunting.
The bills, which will be looked at in the state House of Representatives this week, are also expected to prohibit the use of drones for harassing people who are fishing, the Detroit Free Press reported.
If made official, one bill would penalize the use of drones to harass hunters with a misdemeanor sentence of up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine for more than one violation, and the other would punish those who use drones to hunt any type of game with five days to one year in jail and a fine ranging from $200 to $5,000.
The Senate gave the bills unanimous approval (38-0 votes) in September, The Detroit News reported.
Videos on the internet showing drones being used by hunters for aerial surveillance have gained the attention of groups like the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC), which saw how hunters could use such technology unethically.
"Our members believe in fair-chase hunting," said Drew Youngdyke, grassroots manager for MUCC, who added that scouting and finding game is a huge part of hunting. "We saw examples of animals being harassed and where drones were following them. This (legislation) is an effort by hunters and outdoorsmen to get ahead of a technology we don't consider fair-chance hunting."
Michigan would join several other states that have outlawed drone use in hunting, which include Alaska, Colorado, and Montana, as well as Saskatchewan, Canada.
