Episode
Is Drone Deer Recovery Legal in Illinois? Full Court Case Breakdown | The DroneOn Show Ep 49
- Podcast
- The DroneOn Show
- Published
- May 22, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 4565
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://the-droneon-show.castos.com/episodes/illinois-court-win
Actions
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Summary
In this DroneOn Show episode, Mike and Kevin sits down with Jeremy Shelton, an Illinois drone deer recovery pilot, and his attorney Ed Fanning to break down a landmark court case. Jeremy received a citation for using a thermal drone to search for a wounded deer. The case went to trial and he was found not guilty — not on a technicality, but because the judge ruled that simply searching for a lost deer with a drone does not violate Illinois statute. The conversation dives deep into the actual law versus the conservation department’s interpretation, what “hunting,” “pursue,” and “take” really mean, why conservation has stated they will ignore the ruling and continue seizing drones, and practical advice for pilots who want to offer this service legally. A must-listen for anyone running or considering thermal drone deer recovery in Illinois. Edward J. FanningFanning Law Office - Hardin, IL(618) 576-2284 Jeremy Shelton - https://www.dronedeerrecovery.com/pages/pilots/midwest-thermal-drones