Got to take a helicopter ride yesterday.

It's been since 1971 that I've flown aboard a chopper "the good old huey". Seems I forgot all that can be seen. It all started as an argument with my uncle who trains helicopter pilots. He kept telling me there were thousands of cannabis plants visible from the air sitting right out in the open. I challenged his story and he said, I'll be by shortly and we'll go for a ride. He arrived about thirty minutes later and off to the airport we went. I have to admit, I was totally apprehensive when I saw this seemingly tiny chopper that I would have to fly in. There were other choppers too, but he choose this small one so we could get in nice and close.

As we left the tarmac and were gaining altitude he said, look right there, pointed and said, that's your house ! Sure enough it was. From that point on he began showing me the plants. I was totally shocked, thousands of them in back yards, hidden under trees and brush, you name it and I saw it. One spot must have had anywhere from 600 to 1000 plants, big with huge colas and completely enclosed with sheets of plywood about eight feet tall with wide open tops. Oh the envy I felt. I forgot to mention this was Fresno county and the city of Fresno.

After about 2 hours, We decided to head for Madera, in Madera county to refuel. On the way it was just unbelievable, plants, plants and more plants. Some spots, only a few with several spots up into the hundreds. Sometimes between buildings, between hedges, hidden behind objects, in rows of corn and tomatoes, up against buildings, even under trees, but none really were hidden that well. It did make me wonder about just how many we couldn't see. The plants that were lit up with sunlight were like beacons, they won't be missed in a search. Plants in the shadows were much more difficult to see but in order not to scare livestock and other animals, we would only orbit an area once.

What an eye opener for me. If I were the power that be, I too would wonder, why so many plants ? Those growers just have to be illegal !! Some gardens we seen were well over 1000 plants. It's for sure that LEO knows about these gardens, there ain't no hiding crops like that outside. Of course we here at ICmag understand that co-ops and the like could legally, according to the amount of recommendations, contain thousands of plants. But to those who have no knowledge and refuse to see the light, what I seen would be very disturbing. In all we covered an area of about 100 to 175 square miles, hovering, orbiting, and regular flight.

So what did I learn, the little chopper was a cool ride, I actually enjoyed it. I can now see what others say is a problem that must be eliminated, at any cost. At least I see their view of it, but on the same note it's totally legal, except for the ordinances that say it isn't. Be careful out there.....I just had to share my experience with each of you, some details I left out or I would be here typing all day long.

One other note, of all the plants I was able to see, I'm convinced they were ALL medical cannabis gardens. My uncle wins....

cool story. Thanks for sharing.

What exactly is the problem you see that needs to be eliminated at any cost? All the plants that are being grown?

Mrgrowem said:

So what did I learn, the little chopper was a cool ride, I actually enjoyed it. I can now see what others say is a problem that must be eliminated, at any cost. At least I see their view of it, but on the same note it's totally legal, except for the ordinances that say it isn't. Be careful out there.....I just had to share my experience with each of you, some details I left out or I would be here typing all day long.

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How many places did you fly over that sold liquor or smokes? I bet for every plant, not grow you saw but plant, there are 10 places to buy liquor and smokes. What about that major problem?

I don't think that was your point of posting this so sorry for bringing it up. However, great story. That is what you call over growing the world my friend.

crazybear said:

What exactly is the problem you see that needs to be eliminated at any cost? All the plants that are being grown?

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I can now see what others say is a problem that must be eliminated, at any cost. At least I see their view of it, but on the same note it's totally legal, except for the ordinances that say it isn't.

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I think he is just saying that if he were a cop or someone with an "LEO mindset" he could see why they might be shitting bricks. I think.

Listen, I never posted this up here as derogatory to our cause. I'm showing LEO's and the public in general's point of view. I UNDERSTAND and BELIEVE that we have the force of LAW on our side "the medical side". This is mostly a heads up to the county and city dwellers, that when the county and city ordinances take root, the forces that be already know where to look. Here we have helicopters that fly everyday. Very few of us have the opportunity to see what a helicopter can see, now you have a better idea. That's all folks, a simple story. From this point onward I will no longer defend myself. Read it completely and understand it from other than your own selfish viewpoints please. It just gives you an idea of what anti MMJ types see, and believe me they see those liquor stores too. They don't like them either but they accept them. When MMJ becomes rooted in law,we'll be accepted too,if it survives that long.

crazybear,

Stop jumping to conclusions, were on the same side. Read this line again, "I can now see what others say is a problem that must be eliminated, at any cost" I see what the anti type see and understand their plight, doesn't mean I agree with it ! Most counties in California don't want marijuana of any kind within their counties. Must be eliminated at all costs is their motivation. I'm just looking from their side of the fence after attending and hearing in one of our BOS meetings that there were over 20,000 plants in the Fresno area. In fact, that's what started the argument with my uncle, was I believed the BOS were lying to scare the public. Well, now I know they weren't lying. Complaints from the public number in the hundreds about these fields of green. See it from the enemies point of view too, because it's those folk we need to educate. We need them on our side, not against us.





I agree, I love it, overgrow the entire country.

Duplicate,

Thank you. That's what I mean exactly. You wrote it in fewer words. I'm just not so good at splainin things. Always makes me hesitate about posting here. Seems that no matter what, someone always takes my words the wrong way. I understand though, I'm just not a very good writer. Takes me way to long just to type out a few words, while trying to cover all the bases that may develop when someone reads it. Like the above !! If I were talking to them directly in person they would know what I mean. But bringing it all out written leaves very little expression to go with the words.....

Thank you for the post it's true they can see alot from the air so growers out there should take notice and be careful because it really is a bird's eye view from the sky. Much love.

Thank you. That's what I mean exactly. You wrote it in fewer words. I'm just not so good at splainin things. Always makes me hesitate about posting here.

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S'all good. I'm picking up what you're putting down. I think it's a good point of view, being able to see things from the other side; understanding that they are afraid and/or ignorant, not necessarily malicious.

I've had a chance to do a ride along in a copper chopper once, it was amazing what you could see!

....jeez, read the whole thing before responding and jumping to insane conclusions folks!

thanks for sharing about the fly along! that would be a very eye opening opportunity it sounds like, i see them buzzing around my neck of the woods often, i wonder how my tiny outdoor garden looks from the sky to them...

dgr said:

cool story. Thanks for sharing.

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Shit I thought you ment the problem was helicopters.. my bad

smokefrogg,

I'm glad you brought up the small grow. Most of the small grows were not easy to see, my uncle had to point out most of them so I could see them too. But here's the kicker, he brought along a pair of binoculars 11 X 80mm. If you have a small garden and the LEO has a pair and your not hidden very well, those plants will most likely be seen. To me, most of the green stuff below, at 500 feet, looked about the same. He then took us to 250 feet and they became apparent but still not easy for my untrained eye. In only a few locations did we dip below 100 feet, but at this level I could see under the canopy of most trees while hovering with about a sixty degree side view. But like I said earlier, sunlit plants are a beacon. Very few plants I could see looked like cannabis plants do. In fact I wondered out loud "how could those plants be missed" at anytime ? The answer is because LEO ain't always looking. Of course we were flying with a different set of rules too. We don't have to have a warrant to hover and obtain evidence. So, in some ways the laws that screw us help protect us. Evidently, a hovering chopper is considered to be gathering evidence without a warrant which might get tossed in court, whereas a chopper in motion, such as orbiting, is not a search and would be an accidental discovery. For most small gardens, at least in this state, it's not likely to be a problem even if seen. But for those out in the wide open spaces, and when the rules change, your most likely fucked. In Fresno county, after the month of March and if the rules don't change or are blocked by a court, hide them good, cause there's no way they haven't seen them.

Shit man Fresno county and you doubted your uncle. You gotta realize how many tonnes of buds are being exported out of cali throughout the country. Medical grow sure...till it gets shipped to the east coast.

fuck LEO and the general publics point of view that is anti mj. its un educated, distorted and close minded. who gives a fuck if people are growing 1 plant or 20 million? we need to legalize this shit. all those plants you saw would yield at least $20-2,000 in taxes PER PLANT. can you imagine how much good could be done with all that money? maybe we can fix these shitty roads, quit laying off firefighters and emt's and pay the teachers a salary that would entice people to help further our childrens minds, rather than just clock in and do as little as possible for their lousy $30k a year salary

Good post. Just goes to show you how important it would be to use various types of camouflage for an outdoor grow.

-~WW~-

Well said, BHT.

I live in the mountains. Law enforcement grunts can't see guerrilla grows in the thick vegetation. But the bird in the sky can. A newspaper article described deputies on the ground walking up to and past plants they couldn't see. The chopper pilot would radio something like, "walk back three steps and extend your left arm at 8 o'clock". The guy on the ground could respond accordingly and locate the plant.

This has been going on so long, growers never put more than one or two plants in a given location. Rather than diggin holes and growing trees, they plant in the decent soil w/o turning it. This makes most of the plants in my area much smaller than legal farms. But the helicopters have little trouble spotting em.

IMO all plants spotted aren't necessarily gone after, even in my neck of the woods. It depends on how easy or difficult it is to coordinate on the spot eradication. If you're lucky enough to get a place too tuff for them to dispatch, it might be a feather in yer cap.

BiG H3rB Tr3E,

Spot on !! But you can't imagine how buried in the sand these heads around here happen to be. They got the sheriffs dept at the BOS meetings scaring the shit out of the masses. Even having big kahoona meetings with the Feds just before the BOS meetings. Taking the elite for helicopter trips to show them all those illegal marijuana plants. Telling the truth but with a twist and leaving out important info that the public should know. Inflating the numbers, complaining of crime, robberies, and even death. I'll tell you now, it will be a tough expensive fight for MMJ in this county. The Mob is going to ram this right up our asses. This was not one of the counties where prop 215 was a winner.

Half of the country had domestic Cannabis growing wild in the early 60s. It only took them about 10 years to eradicate most of it. If they wanted to eradicate all of the illegal Cannabis in the country they could do a fairly good job of it. But like the eradication program of the 60s and 70s they eradicated their way out of jobs jobs. They are smarter now. They need lots of grows so they can assure their future existence.

ijim said:

Half of the country had domestic Cannabis growing wild in the early 60s. It only took them about 10 years to eradicate most of it. If they wanted to eradicate all of the illegal Cannabis in the country they could do a fairly good job of it. But like the eradication program of the 60s and 70s they eradicated their way out of jobs jobs. They are smarter now. They need lots of grows so they can assure their future existence.

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the difference is that was all wild ditch weed left that continued to grow out because of the hemp for victory in the 40s. now you got hundreds of thousands of growers planting and planting every month. they can never eradicate weed... even if it was mandatory death sentance for growing, youd still find people who would cultivate.