Michigan Keeps Drone Ban for Tracking Game
The state's prohibition on drones to locate wounded or dead game remains in force after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Hunting
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Michigan continues to ban the use of drones to track wounded or dead game. The U.S. Supreme Court declined in June 2026 to hear a challenge to the prohibition brought by Mike Yoder of Drone Deer Recovery and the Pacific Legal Foundation.
Why it matters
The ruling leaves in place a state rule that treats drone searches for downed game as a form of taking wildlife, affecting hunters who want to recover animals more quickly. The case reflects an ongoing debate over fair chase and the use of technology in hunting.
Michigan law defines take to include following or pursuing wildlife, and the Department of Natural Resources says a drone search for wounded or dead game counts as a take. Dogs remain permitted for the same tracking purpose, and the state has not yet acted on a recommendation to allow recovery drones.
The players
Mike Yoder
Yoder is the founder of Drone Deer Recovery who challenged Michigan's ban on drone-assisted deer recovery in court.
Pacific Legal Foundation
The Pacific Legal Foundation is a public-interest law firm that represented Yoder in litigation against the Michigan drone ban.
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is the state agency that enforces wildlife laws and interprets the drone prohibition as a form of taking game.
The details
Michigan law prohibits using drones to take game or fish, and the ban applies to turkeys and other game. Mike Yoder of Drone Deer Recovery and the Pacific Legal Foundation sued, but the Sixth Circuit ruled against them in 2025.
Timeline
2025: The Sixth Circuit ruled against the drone-recovery challengers.
June 2026: The Supreme Court declined to hear the drone-ban case.
Legal Context
The dispute centers on Michigan's wildlife code definition of take, which the state applies to drone searches for wounded game. The ruling extends an existing fair-chase framework to a newer technology that hunters increasingly use.
Michigan hunters cannot use drones to locate wounded or dead game, so recovery still depends on tracking dogs and traditional search methods. The rule applies to turkeys and other game as well as deer.
The takeaway
Hunters in Michigan should confirm current Department of Natural Resources rules before using any technology to search for game. The ban remains in effect despite the legal challenge.
Further reading
Explore more on hunting regulations and how states define fair chase.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Cars 108.
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