With many unidentified drones flying over major cities in several states in the East and most recently out West, it’s hard to go just about anywhere without them soon becoming the central topic of conversation. And that includes deer camp.

It’s quite likely that many deer camp campfires, just like ours, involved at least one discussion of the drones, including speculation of their likely sinister nature and what best to do about them. And, invariably, the topic turns to the best setup for shooting them out of the sky. (“A 12-gauge with 3-inch magnums ought to do it.” “No, dumbass, they’re out of shotgun range. My old 30-ought-six would work, though.”)

Since I’m writing this story, I feel compelled to weigh in with my thoughts on the matter. It’s my opinion that they are surveillance drones being launched by operatives from a hostile foreign government—probably China—because they know our current government leaders aren’t likely to do anything about it. My second-best guess is that they are being operated by one or more U.S. government law enforcement agencies who surveilling who-knows-what for some purpose we can’t even imagine. (Note: They’re sure not surveilling our southern border, where we could really use them.)

In full disclosure, those are both just wild guesses on my part. I’m no more intelligent about the mystery drones than the next guy, but I feel like I should be able to have an opinion.

Speculation aside, there is one thing that is not just my opinion but a dead certainty: Shooting down a drone, while fun deer camp fodder, is illegal and classified as a serious offense. Drones are considered aircraft by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and damaging or destroying an aircraft violates federal regulations, including the Aircraft Sabotage Act.

Additionally, individuals who shoot down a drone could face felony charges for property damage, reckless endangerment or violating federal law. Such actions are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and large fines under U.S. law.

The latest information, or misinformation, about the drones, came from the federal government on Tuesday in the form of a joint statement from the FBI, FAA, Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security.

“We assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as manned, fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and stars mistakenly reported as drones,” the statement said.

As for President-elect Donald Trump, he said he doesn’t know who is operating the drones or what they are doing with them. But he, like me, is not buying the content of that joint statement.

“Our military knows, and our president knows, and for some reason, they want to keep people in suspense,” he said Monday at Mar-a-Lago. “Something strange is going on, and for some reason, they don’t want to tell the people. And they should.”

Interestingly, while federal law forbids shooting down drones, one U.S. senator sees the threat as so serious that he’s calling for someone to start knocking them out of the sky, saying they should be “shot down, if necessary.”

“We should be doing some very urgent intelligence analysis and take them out of the skies, especially if they’re flying over airports or military bases,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut told whyy.org.

For once, Sen. Blumenthal, an avid gun-ban advocate and Second Amendment hater, actually said something that makes some sense.

Incidentally, along with warnings about not shooting drones,  the FBI is now urging the public not to shine laser pointers at what they believe to be drones after several airplane and helicopter pilots reported being hit in the eyes with lasers pointed at their aircraft.  

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33 COMMENTS

  3. The issue is not a lack of anti-drone technology. There’s plenty of that available in the military, that could also be deployed by Federal and Local authorities. The issue is one of policy.

    For example:

    h ttps://flexforce.us/dronebuster/

  4. Florida man;
    h ttps://nypost.com/2024/07/02/us-news/florida-man-shot-walmart-drone-with-9mm-because-he-thought-it-was-watching-him/

  5. It’s certainly a government actor or actors.

    The US government is either lying about what it knows or is completely incompetent -or both

    The government always lies, even when they don’t need to It just can’t help itself since it knows bo other way.

  6. I have watched a few of the mainstream media video clips and some of them are definitely conventional aircraft.

    Not sure how that impacts our national discussion, though.

  7. Back around 1979 the military performed a “raid” of Lubbock, TX in practice for an Iranian hostage rescue. There was no prior notice but after dark the sky was filled with helicopters and fighters. It was a nerve rattling experience.

    Citizens are of no consequence and need not be advised. While that is being said the Chinese, Russia, North Korea, and other spies already knew the plan. The question of secrecy on American’s is just a facade.

  8. “It’s my opinion that they are surveillance drones being launched by operatives from a hostile foreign government—probably China—because they know our current government leaders aren’t likely to do anything about it.”

    That will change with the incoming administration, ‘kinetic’ responses will be authorized over military installations..

  10. The only potential explanation which makes perfect sense, to me, so far is they are ours and are searching for something in particular. A potential target is an errant nuke from Ukraine. This happened a number of years back near Arizona where they were running the interstate corridors searching for some missing uranium. This would explain our government’s lack of addressing the issue; as it wouldn’t be a very good idea to tell the public they have intel a nuke might be loose in the states and oh by the way we’re looking for it.

  11. Well, they aren’t trying to hide, are they? And WTH would they be surveilling in NJ, where peeps are so hapless they are not allowed to pump their own fuel?

    I note in passing that the brightly lit nefarious lurkers are not flying (apparently) in red states that have lots of thick vegetation and guns. I conclude these drones are likely expensive…

    Best guess as to function, if really there – they just be trying to get ever body ever more stumpbroke. Plus troll a few ‘pubs with mothership rumors. But they could in reality be training for, or even conducting a chem/bio attack of some sort on densely populated areas.

    SUV sized drones, yeah right. Coming soon to the states where fear and prior restraint rules supreme – a ban on goose loads and turkey ammo. Can’t be having peeps disrupting rehearsals for the Christmas drone show.

    Back to my nap.

  13. The 1946 case United States v Causby established a legal precedent that set airspace rights above private property at a minimum of 83 feet (the altitude that military aircraft were flying at directly above his chicken coop and scaring his flock to death.)
    I’m not the greatest shotgunner, but even I can hit things at 28 yards.

  16. If they’re low enough a 12g goose gun might do it. Otherwise rifle. The problem is what goes up must come down. Just like NYE celebrations with gunfire, people get killed with the incoming projectiles. Has happened several times here in AZ in the last couple of decades.

  17. When the facts are not made public, rumors will sprout. I have seen everything from foreign governments prepping the battle space, our government preparing for martial law, and even secret agencies looking for a stolen nuke.

    I would have doubted 2 of these ideas a few years ago. Today, not so sure.

  18. Remember the good ole days when spies, with snap brim fedoras, sat on benches secreted by their newspapers or could be found hanging around phone booths?

  19. “We assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as manned, fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and stars mistakenly reported as drones,” the statement said.”

    Trust us prole, now get back in line for your next shot.

    • It isn’t on my end. From the site page, the Ruthless Assassin article says it has 69 comments. When I open it, it has 35 visible comments. A similar glitch has occurred on other posts.

  21. I would think county Assessors would use drones as well. Check parcels for unpermitrted structures and such. I thought of it, so that means they are doing it, is how I approach it. The attitude of most governments is adversarial to the people, IMO. One predication I will make is that there will be anonymous hunter drones coming soon. Cheaply made, untraceable, fire and forget drones, that ram other drones. And unless they can trace back to the launch site, nobody can be held liable.

  22. We can’t shoot ’em?
    Why not?
    Buckshot can be just as lethal to light weight drones and electronics as well as humans out to a quarter mile. Hit probability might be low, but a high capacity magazine tube will fix that.
    Just shoot, shovel and shut up.

  25. They are probably owned by one or more of our “5 Eyes” allies, whom our government uses to spy on us when US law prohibits them doing it directly.

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