It is unlawful to:
use aircraft (including drones, except by activity-specific permit) to hunt, locate (including wounded animals), manage, harass, drive, trap or photograph any wild animal.

In my opinion, it's not even worth it to fly a drone during deer season. I have one that I fly in the off-season for fun and to see how the land has changed. There are some areas on my property that are hard to access - easy way to check how the native vegetation is growing in those areas and to scope out the pond water levels in areas that are hard to access.

I've encountered deer with it, but they are always in full sprint heading for cover. The drone seems to scare any game that happens to be in the area even when flying at the maximum altitude allowed by the FAA. I try not to fly it too much in fear of scaring everything off my property.

I find it interesting there are links posted to specific TPWD rules & reg's and folks still have their opinion as to why they may or may not apply.

" The drone seems to scare any game that happens to be in the area" is the reason for... "unlawful to use aircraft (including drones, except by activity-specific permit) to hunt, locate (including wounded animals), manage, harass..."

It's pretty black and white, get the permit and cover yourself or we'll be reading about you in the "Game Warden Field Notes" that get posted on THF.

Like so many other rules, they are only valid for those who rules apply to.

TPWD was pretty on top of this, can't use them to assist during deer season.