The two missing cows were found less than a mile from the owner's property in the woods Watch video
HAMPTON - Richard Shafer smiled and accepted the unusual job from a couple who called his drone business. They wanted him to find their two missing cows.
Shafer, who is the president of Droning Around, LLC, in Union Township, is a FAA certified commercial drone pilot who started his business in August.
"Yes, that was the first time I had a request to find missing cows," said Shafer with a chuckle. "But it was fun. It was exciting. Most people are going to go the traditional route but this couple didn't. I had read an article where a drone helped locate an 82-year-old missing man, so I wasn't totally surprised by the call."
On Saturday, four beef stir cows belonging to Troy and Kirsten Ennis walked away from the couple's small Hampton farm when the gate was inadvertently left open. Two of the cows were immediately found but the other two remained missing.
The next morning, a neighbor said he had saw the two cows on a property adjacent to their farm, but a four-day search came up empty.
The couple conducted an exhaustive search and considered hiring a helicopter or plane to help find the cows, but the cost was prohibitive. And, an airplane flew too high.
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One of their friends suggested they hire a drone agency. They called Shafer and it took him just two-and-a-half hours to find the cows. They were less than a mile away from the farm, hidden in a wooden area.
"Turns out that they were hiding from me," said Kirsten Ennis. "When I showed up, they would run in the woods. I had been to that area several times."
The experience has left the couple big fans of using drones in a search. Kirsten said they're less intrusive and very efficient.
Shafer said the use of drones is a growing industry. They have a maximum height of 400 feet and can maneuver in tight spaces. He said news reporting organizations, agencies seeking data for traffic patterns, utility companies wanting to inspect cell towers and organizations needing the use of thermal imaging are among those who seek the use of drones.
"We were just happy to be able to help Troy and Kirsten," said Shafer.
The two cows, however, still haven't been recaptured. They've proven to be smart and elusive. Kirsten said the couple has built a small corral on their property and filled it with food and water to lure the cows back home.
"This isn't over yet," she said with a smile.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.