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HAT Working Group urges limits on advanced hunting tech after statewide survey
Summary
The Hunting and Advanced Technology (HAT) Working Group recommended prohibiting weapon-mounted smart optics and restricting thermal, night-vision and transmitting trail-camera use during parts of the season, citing survey results showing strong opposition among Idaho hunters to several technologies.
Ellary TuckerWilliams told the committee that the Hunting and Advanced Technology (HAT) Working Group met with professional facilitation, reviewed public input, and studied other states and industry practices before reaching its recommendations. "They met with professional facilitation, heard from other states and industry, and reviewed extensive public input," TuckerWilliams said.
TuckerWilliams described a random statewide survey of big-game hunters that reported strong opposition to technologies including transmitting trail cameras, smart optics, night vision, thermal imaging and drones. The working group reached consensus on eight recommendations and narrowly missed consensus on three items (thermals, night vision, and transmitting trail cameras) because of enforceability concerns. The working-group chairman, Ken Crane, and several members who testified said the recommendations were an effort to balance hunter opportunity, wildlife management objectives and fair‑chase ethics.
The recommendations fed into Docket No. 13-0108-2401 language limiting certain technologies during portions of the fall season on public lands. The department said the recommended restrictions would not change expanded methods of take already allowed for wolves, nor would they impede livestock producers' ability to monitor or protect livestock using technology.
