Should cell cams be banned?

[menhaden_man]

Until my late 20s, I hunted and lived in places where cameras didn’t exist - weren’t available and wouldn’t be affordable anyhow. Moved out west for about 15 years and the technology wouldn't have made much sense for backcountry hunts.

Then over last 5 years back in the southeast I’ve come to learn that guys are going nuts with them.

What do you think?

 

[ProRoad]

What do you mean? Trail cameras?

 

[menhaden_man]

What do you mean? Trail cameras?

Trail cams that send pics real time to your cell phone.

 

[Alpineelk]

I think they should be banned. At least during hunting season. I have them and use them and they are super fun but If we don't start limiting ourselves with technology we aren't going to have animals to hunt. Animals can't increase they're technology. They were born with wat they have. We have become extremely proficient at killing them.

 

[missjordan]

I’m not sure and need to think about it. I know where we hunt cell coverage is non existent so cell cameras don’t serve a purpose anyways so you need to be checking cameras every so often.

In more urban and close to town places, i could see where they would provide hunters with an advantage. If you saw a big deer showing up at the same time everyday for a couple days, you bet hunters would be trying to make an encounter on that animal. They can help give an advantage for sure.


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[Pilsner]

I think they should be banned. At least during hunting season. I have them and use them and they are super fun but If we don't start limiting ourselves with technology we aren't going to have animals to hunt. Animals can't increase they're technology. They were born with wat they have. We have become extremely proficient at killing them.

if this is true then why hasn't overall hunter success rates when up? Instead they have stayed steady since folks started tracking this data.

 

[RockAndSage]

Nevada banned the use of cell cams from July 1st through Dec 31st each year, with non-transmitting cams banned from Aug 1st though Dec 31st. I have mixed feelings about this, but definitely understand the logic. A huge part of the push for the ban came because of commercial guides/outfitters blanketing watering holes with them. Guys get photos of target bucks and start marketing them to potential clients.

 

[Alpineelk]

That I can't answer. I just think if we don't start limiting ourselves somewhwr where will it end. Cell cams, drones, thermal, airplanes. I mean sometimes it feels like we know about all the animals in our area tags are getting increasingly harder to get I simply don't think hunting will be as we know it today unless we can slow this thing down somhow

 

[Pokerface]

Should we ban scopes and smokeless powder? Use whatever is legal or don’t use it… Joe

 

[GoatPackr]

I could live with not using cellular cams during elk and deer season. Sitting in the house waiting on 1 of 50 cams to tell you where your BOL is and where he is going so you can run out and cut him off with your latest super wizz bang rifle just doesn't feel like fair chase to me.
Outside of season I'm all for wildlife photography.

Also what are thoughts of cell cams being used in Wilderness areas? Should they be considered a mechanical device?

 

[Ckat]

Not public land, but our use case is management of private land. We use them far more for a, “Hey, this is a new buck in the area; but he needs another year or two before he’s mature…” purpose than using them as a tool for finding/harvesting deer. As a matter of fact, we (as lease groups) have shot way fewer bucks since using them versus prior to using them. The difference is that fewer immature bucks are getting “accidentally” shot in the heat of the moment.

With that said, we also purposefully leave some areas unmonitored to keep some sense of “you never know what you’re going to see.” Admittedly, those are my favorite areas to hunt.

I could certainly see where they could get out of hand on public land…

 

[ProRoad]

I am considering getting a few this year, just to see what made all of those tracks during my season. (I got blanked by the full moon cycle)

 

[Dos XX]

I say we ban cell phones, as I type this on one.

 

[ddd-shooter]

Also what are thoughts of cell cams being used in Wilderness areas? Should they be considered a mechanical device?

Never thought of that. Food for thought.

 

[mtnbound]

The areas I hunt in don't have cell coverage, so it's not a big deal, but I do like that they can send their current GPS position to their app, which might help get a camera back after it's stolen or even help prevent it from being stolen. I get tired of having cameras disappear.

 

[douglasfir]

I don't like any cameras on public land. I poop out there sometimes...

 

[Germangarcia]

Why would they?

 

[Bubblehide]

I have never used trail cameras of anykind. I have a couple friends that use them at times. Cell cams allow the opportunity for a person, or persons, to sit back and wait for the game to show up. It simply does not seem like fair chase to me; and therefore does not fell like hunting, to me. I'm sure some will disagree.

 

[mtnbound]

I could live with not using cellular cams during elk and deer season. Sitting in the house waiting on 1 of 50 cams to tell you where your BOL is and where he is going so you can run out and cut him off with your latest super wizz bang rifle just doesn't feel like fair chase to me.
Outside of season I'm all for wildlife photography.

Also what are thoughts of cell cams being used in Wilderness areas? Should they be considered a mechanical device?

At least in Idaho, there isn't much cell coverage in Wilderness Areas that I know of, so it wouldn't work anyway, and the idea of getting into the backcountry in time to harvest an animal isn't plausible for me.

 

[GoatPackr]

The day is coming very soon where cell cams will actually be linked with satellite.