PETA Drones Spy On Big Game Hunters, Might Not Be Legal

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) are selling drones that can spy on big game hunters to ensure that they don’t break the rules while out in the wild. There is just one problem — the drones may not be legal.

Known as the PETA Air Angel, the drone was revealed on Monday. The animal rights group debuted the device on the first day of bow hunting season in Massachusetts.

Animal rights activists are promoting a new way to make sure game hunters don’t break the rules — but the tool itself may not be legal.

Watchers fly the drones throughout the woods and then report any illegal practices to authorities and contact PETA with footage that can be shared online.

The drone, developed by Parrot, is a hobby drone used by many enthusiasts. PETA wants to find out if any hunters are starting to hunt more than “one-half hour before sunrise” which is the time when they are legally allowed to begin hunting game.

If the drone catches a hunter breaking the start time rule they report the hunter to local authorities.

While hunters are already policed by game and wildlife officers and state police, PETA wants to take that process one step further. However, there is a Massachusetts law that prevents animal rights groups from harassing hunters. That law makes it illegal to both “drive or disturb wildlife or fish for the purpose of interrupting a lawful taking” and to “block, follow, impede or otherwise harass another who is engaged in the lawful taking of fish or wildlife.”

The Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has declined to comment on the legality of the PETA Air Angel drones.

The PETA Air Angel isn’t cheap at $325. The aircraft is actually a $279.00 Parrot AR Drone 2.0 with custom decals that read, “Air Angels: Protecting Wildlife With Drones.”

According to PETA:

“Using your hobby drone, you can collect instant to-your-phone video footage of hunters engaging in illegal activity, such as drinking while in possession of a firearm, injuring animals and failing to pursue them, and illegally using spotlights, feed lures, and other nasty but common hunting tricks. Your amateur footage can be used to alert game wardens and other authorities to who is doing what to animals.”

Do you agree with PETA’s tactics or are they simply harassing hunters?