Trail Cam/Western Hunting/Public land = Necessary?

[yycyak]

No. But I’m a satisfied user of bumble/tinder so my moral compass must be off..

I'm with you. I met my wife online and we've been together 5 years now. I'm confused.


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[yycyak]

I have heard the sentiment about trail cams being cheating from a few people. Generally they can't figure out how to use them and I think they hold a grudge against those who do. I wonder for those who only want pictures of dead animals I guess you don't care for photography either? Only after a picture of someone holding a big set of horns? Certainly you don't care to learn more about your quarry. Running trail cameras is a different sport. Yes there is some over lap with hunting. But especially out west it's not like you pin animals down with them. It was quite a learning experience for me putting them on wallows. It will show you what is in the area. Here in the east only once have they ever helped me pattern a buck to the extent I sat expecting to kill it. That buck was literally showing up under a certain white oak 3 times a day. Of course I find mature animals and try to target them. But many times on my farms it's easier to glass them then to get a picture of them.


Public ground is public ground. All normal rules apply. Haven't ever seen anyone "yield" to a trail camera. Maybe they use different signage than I do. I normally have mine so nobody notices them. One of the biggest things I find is people doing illegal activity on public land. Maybe that's a reason to not like them.

I guess that's the point I was wondering about. Public land out west is huge. I certainly don't think you could "pattern" anything like the guys who do the stand hunting/food plot deals out east.

I figured out west here the cameras might help give you some confirmation as to what critters are frequenting a spot you think might be productive, but other than that I didn't think they would add much else.

(Although any excuse to get out to the woods is more than worth it.)

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[5MilesBack]

Let me ask this. If one puts up a trail cam in a particular area, is it considered “your spot” and are others expected to yield to it?

It's no different than putting up a tree stand on public ground. Are people supposed to avoid an area just because someone has a tree stand up on it? Two years ago my daughter and I were working our way up an Aspen slope in the late afternoon when I heard something and looked over and there's this guy waving his arms like crazy up in a tree. I acknowledged that he was there with a wave and we kept heading up but away from him. Then the guy just about fell out of the tree jumping around, waving, and calling to us. I guess he assumed that he owned that whole area.

 

[LINK83]

2

 

[mtnbiker208]

trail cams are better than Christmas. you never know what you are going to get!

 

[Billy Goat]

trail cams are better than Christmas. you never know what you are going to get!

On public, generally someone peeing or showing their azz.

 

[Sled]

i get more bear and cougar than elk on mine. but i'm hunting low elk density/ high hunter areas. you can't pattern them like whitetail but you can see what's using the area. typically i will throw some salt out and see what shows up. i enjoy seeing the bulls but am usually after a cow, calf or spike. knowing where they frequent can help tell you what time of day/ night they are passing thru but i don't feel it has been a huge improvement to my hunting. i might feel different if i were in a high density area and were able to hunt the rut with a bow but unfortunately utah leaves that to the LE rifle hunters.

fwiw, i've never had a human steal my cams but the bears sure do love them. i also don't put them out on trails or wallows. if you find my cams you are welcome to view the pics but please return the card to the cam with the pics still on it.

 

[16Bore]

Trail cam A captures a pic of a large buck
Trail cam B captures a pic of a small buck

Where are you going to hunt?


Same two spots, no cameras. You select spot “B” and see the smaller buck.

Do you shoot or pass in hopes of finding something better?

 

[Clarktar]

Trail cam A captures a pic of a large buck
Trail cam B captures a pic of a small buck

Where are you going to hunt?


Same two spots, no cameras. You select spot “B” and see the smaller buck.

Do you shoot or pass in hopes of finding something better?

I will probably hunt both locations throughout the season.

If I see the smaller buck on opening day and I have the entire season to hunt I will likely pass. If I know I have limited availability and am not looking for a mature buck I have no problems shooting the smaller buck. I am assuming that by small you are referring to a young (i.e., not mature) buck.

Or if I have other hunts planned and time is of importance I would likely harvest the small buck as well.

As you can see, much more goes into my decision to harvest other than simply size alone.

This thread is a strong indication we are in the doldrums of summer ....

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[ghostmoney]

Trail cam A captures a pic of a large buck
Trail cam B captures a pic of a small buck

Where are you going to hunt?


Same two spots, no cameras. You select spot “B” and see the smaller buck.

Do you shoot or pass in hopes of finding something better?

You glass hillside A from 1.5 miles away with your spotting scope and spot a large buck
You glass hillside B from 1.5 miles away with your spotting scope and spot a small buck

where are you going to hunt?

So is glassing animals from a ways off equivalent to a fenced hunt?

 

[16Bore]

You glass hillside A from 1.5 miles away with your spotting scope and spot a large buck
You glass hillside B from 1.5 miles away with your spotting scope and spot a small buck

where are you going to hunt?

So is glassing animals from a ways off equivalent to a fenced hunt?

I like what you did there, pretty good perspective.

 

[Anozira]

I used trail cameras for the first time on this years elk hunt. I bought two cheapo cameras from amazon and got some decent pictures of animals. My opinion is this: I like them because they can show what animals the areas can hold and what may be around. Also it's really fun to check them because you never know what you might find (like these two bears). But here is my problem: I got consistent elk pictures up to about 2-3 weeks before my hunt and then literally nothing. Not a single elk and all the fresh scat and sign dried up in the area. I think they can bring a lot of knowledge to the table but I would never rely on one or put all my eggs in one basket because of a camera.

 

[MallardSX2]

They should be illegal to use cell phone operated trail cameras on public land. It provides an unfair advantage. The mountains east of salt-lake are riddled with cell phone trail cameras over water holes on the mountain where my friend hunts and guides are using them to get clients into position on elk. Know that. Its a 100% fact. Its happening all over.

He said its a nightmare trying to do anything up there without crossing one of the guides high dollar cameras.

It should be pirate law on public lands for trail cameras as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Felix40]

They should be illegal to use cell phone operated trail cameras on public land. It provides an unfair advantage. The mountains east of salt-lake are riddled with cell phone trail cameras over water holes on the mountain where my friend hunts and guides are using them to get clients into position on elk. Know that. Its a 100% fact. Its happening all over.

He said its a nightmare trying to do anything up there without crossing one of the guides high dollar cameras.

It should be pirate law on public lands for trail cameras as far as I'm concerned.

I agree that real time photos are crossing a line. New Mexico got out if front of the cell phone cameras this year by making them illegal.

 

[16Bore]

I reckon I’m old skool and like thrill of the unknown. Seems to me that if a spot is good enough for a camera, it’s good enough to hunt.

 

[Anozira]

AZGF also made this (wireless game cameras) illegal for use this year as well. After considering the unfair factor and the cluster that MallardSX2 discribed I'm kinda glad to be honest. I think its like being in more than one place at a time which is unfair to the animals.

Edit for clarification.

 

[Billy Goat]

There is always the unknown. If your hunting one particular buck you have on camera but have the opportunity at another of similar size or by chance something bigger would you not take it?


I think those that haven't used cameras don't understand them. Now maybe in arid climates on waterholes it's a different story. I don't use them there.


I also don't agree with wireless on public ground.

And no, if it's a small buck I wouldn't shoot it. I have passed on many that only get shot by someone else later but I wait for mature deer. I can shoot plenty of venison for the freezer in does. If I had a big bull on camera and was hunting a particular spot for him and a small bull came in, I would probably still shoot the smaller bull. And if I had a small bull on one camera and a big bull on a different camera I would hunt where more elk came into. However you could probably tell that from the sign without a camera.

 

[MtGomer]

I have a few out. They’re fun.
I put them in unique places and leave them there for a long time. Some of these places I don’t even hunt. Just thought it would be cool to see what you can get a picture of.


I can understand the viewpoint that if you have the only source of water for 10 miles covers in cameras and you are using them during season you may be creating an advantage. I think the vast majority of guys aren’t doing that.
Obviously cell phone cameras during season also cross the ethics line.

Does throwing a $50 camera on a saddle last week and picking it up next year? Not in my opinion.

 

[whereisfredbeckey]

I've tried it but aside from giving me some confidence that there are animals around, I haven't found it to be all that helpful. Then again, when you are hunting blacktail it just reinforces that they tend to travel in front of cameras at night.

 

[coues32]

Hopefully all cameras are on the way out on public lands in AZ, trash lagged to trees are out of control.
Guys running trot line of cameras looking to sell trophies is bs.
Private land do what you want. Go scout with your boots and optics..