Electronic communciation devices and deer hunting

[subzero350]

Inspired by your response in the "radios and deer hunting" thread...

You said it is illegal to use an electronic device to aid you in the taking of deer. I want to be clear on what the state views as legal and illegal when it comes to electronic communications devices.

We don't use radios while deer hunting since we have cell service. I communicate with my hunting partner using text messaging, mainly to check up on their well being. But is it illegal to text my hunting partner to tell them I see a deer or for them to text me and tell me if they see one?

Where I hunt, the stands are set up in locations where a person sitting in one has no way of seeing what the person sitting in the other stand can see, and vise-versa. But if a deer happened to run past me going in the direction of where the other person is hunting, and I text that person saying a deer just ran past me in their direction, would that be illegal?

I just want to make sure I am clear on what the law means.

[morrison]

I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. I reviewed the Indiana Code and the Indiana Administrative Code to find the wording and post it on here. I have "edited" the response in the earlier post to reflect the following.

The Indiana Administrative Code restricts a person from using an infrared sensor to locate or take a deer. It also restricts the possession or use of an electronic deer call. The Indiana Code restricts the use of "drones" for a specified period before and through the end of a species hunting season. The Indiana Code and Indiana Administrative Code pertaining to these topics are listed below. Neither the Indiana Code or the Indiana Administrative Code restricts the use of radios while deer hunting.

I apologize if my earlier response resulted in any confusion. This is the reason I usually post the appropriate regulation in an effort to remove my interpretation or views. Let me know if you have any additional questions.



(h) An individual must not use infrared sensors to locate or take deer. An individual must not hunt or retrieve deer with the aid of an infrared detector.
(i) An individual must not possess or use an electronic deer call while hunting deer.

IC 14-22-6-16Use of unmanned aerial vehicles to aid hunting

Sec. 16. (a) This section does not apply to the following:

(1) The department or the department's designee.

(2) Employees or agents of a governmental entity while performing official duties.

(3) Employees or agents of an educational or research institution acting for bona fide educational or scientific purposes.

(4) Use of an unmanned aerial vehicle to assist, provide care for, or provide veterinary treatment to a specific wild animal.

(5) Use of an unmanned aerial vehicle to monitor areas of agricultural production or to monitor nuisance wild animals.

(b) As used in this section, "take" means to:

(1) kill, shoot, spear, harm, catch for the purpose of killing, trap for the purpose of killing, or pursue for the purpose of killing a wild animal; or

(2) attempt to engage in conduct under subdivision (1).

(c) During the period:

(1) beginning fourteen (14) days before the hunting season for a particular wild animal species; and

(2) ending upon the expiration of legal hunting hours on the last day of the hunting season;

a person may not knowingly use an unmanned aerial vehicle (as defined by IC 35-31.5-2-342.3) to search for, scout, locate, or detect a wild animal to which the hunting season applies as an aid to take the wild animal.