Trail cams being outlawed, thoughts?

[Rob5589]

Have no experience with them but don't see a problem on private property. You should not, however, be able to leave them on public land; same with tree stands, ground blinds, etc.

 

[rodney482]

I like the idea of treating them like spotlighting/baiting. During the season its a no.

 

[camping1601]

I voted no. Although I use GPS, sat imagery, and such there's something about electronic surveillance that crosses my personal line in the sand with ethics.

 

[hflier]

I think a middle ground is banning real-time camera's and banning them during hunting season.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

Sick and tired of finding cameras everywhere. They are akin to litter to me at this point. Maybe banning them will get guys back to developing woodsmanship and actually learning to hunt again and weed out those that don’t want to learn to hunt.

 

[GLB]

I think a middle ground is banning real-time camera's and banning them during hunting season.

This is pretty much where I stand. There has to be some limit on technology for our own good. We are constantly pushing the hunt out of hunting.

 

[Rich M]

This is pretty much where I stand. There has to be some limit on technology for our own good. We are constantly pushing the hunt out of hunting.

I keep seeing guys saying stuff like this.

They use OnX, Go Hunt, cell phone, gps, in-reach, range finders, flashlights, video recorders, scopes on rifles, compound bows & xbows, binoculars, spotting scopes, etc. And a game camera is a big deal.

I'm surprised at the number of guys against cell cams.
With that sentiment, I'd really like to see a rule that says no electronic devices can be used in conjunction with hunting. Nothing that uses a battery (even a solar-powered light in camp for the back-country camp out hunters). Let the men be men and the other dudes whine & cry about it.

 

[CorbLand]

Sure that's what they said. I am just asking who gets to decide if your camera is there to "take wildlife" or to watch your property/ag fields? I also know that the burdon of proof should be on the division, but how does that saying go...you can beat the rap but can't beat the ride...I would bet money that if your trail cameras are up along the borders of BLM lands (like mine are) and a warden sees them, they are going to start walking around your property using their probable cause to do whatever they want and it will be their mind reading ability that is going to tell them if someone set the cameras up to watch game or watch for people. I don't have a problem with this rule on public land. Private is a whole different thing.

I agree that private ground is going to get tricky and I hope that wardens are honest, the same way that I hope sportsmen are honest. If you normally run cameras to watch your ground, I would give the warden in your area a call and explain why you have cameras set up. 10 minutes of time on your end would probably go along ways.

 

[svivian]

To play devils advocate and out of curiosity, how much do you guys think trail cams play in harvest rate? How much do you think it compares to usage of ONX hunt maps, GoHunt, etc....

 

[Mt Al]

Personal opinion: ban them on public ground always. What people do on private land is up to them.

 

[svivian]

One comment I have in addition, I find treestands left up over a water hole all season more bothersome then a trailcam.

To me a trailcam is someone getting a feel for the area, where a tree stand is like some one trying to mark "their territory"

 

[CorbLand]

One comment I have in addition, I find treestands left up over a water hole all season more bothersome then a trailcam.

To me a trailcam is someone getting a feel for the area, where a tree stand is like some one trying to mark "their territory"

Seen the same thing happen with trail cameras. Most states have laws on the books that leaving a stand/blind does not reserve the spot for you. I find stands all over the place and have sat many water holes with peoples stands on them. I actually feel kind of bad for a guys camera that I sat in front of for about 6 nights this last year. That dude has got to have a lot of pictures of me.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

I keep seeing guys saying stuff like this.

They use OnX, Go Hunt, cell phone, gps, in-reach, range finders, flashlights, video recorders, scopes on rifles, compound bows & xbows, binoculars, spotting scopes, etc. And a game camera is a big deal.

I'm surprised at the number of guys against cell cams.
With that sentiment, I'd really like to see a rule that says no electronic devices can be used in conjunction with hunting. Nothing that uses a battery (even a solar-powered light in camp for the back-country camp out hunters). Let the men be men and the other dudes whine & cry about it.

Id be all for this. Woods are getting crowded with all the guys that have every “game changing” electronic device available hanging off them but can’t quarter a deer or change a tire for that matter without looking it up on Youtube. If getting rid of electronics causes them to quit hunting than i guess they weren’t really cut out for it in the first place? Hunting isn’t for everyone and i’d bet it’s why most who TRULY enjoy it do enjoy it. Seems city slickers are more comfortable around crowds and overly reliant on technology whereas i hunt to get AWAY from crowds and technology. Maybe they can take up a less rigorous hobby perhaps.

FYI, sorta weird to lump things like Binoculars in with Cell Cams sending real time images to your phone while you’re sitting on the couch watching Youtube dont ya think. I don’t really see those two things in the same light AT ALL.

 

[svivian]

Seen the same thing happen with trail cameras. Most states have laws on the books that leaving a stand/blind does not reserve the spot for you. I find stands all over the place and have sat many water holes with peoples stands on them. I actually feel kind of bad for a guys camera that I sat in front of for about 6 nights this last year. That dude has got to have a lot of pictures of me.

I suppose that is true for some who put up trail cams. With that said I have had mostly good encounters with the folks with the trail cams and mostly bad with the tree stand guys when they show up and I'm on "their hole".

The trail cam guys knew I might be there and were accepting that I got there first.... not so much for the tree stand guys.

There are assholes of all forms and beliefs not just one.

 

[CorbLand]

To play devils advocate and out of curiosity, how much do you guys think trail cams play in harvest rate? How much do you think it compares to usage of ONX hunt maps, GoHunt, etc....

Harvest rate will be hard to see a difference. In order for harvest rate to decrease people will have to go home empty handed. There has been plenty of arguments made that "cameras make people hold out for animals because they know a big one is in the area." My opinion is that anyone that holds out because they have a bigger deer on camera is most likely to hold out period. Most people set a line and shoot the first thing over that line. Harvest rates dont take into account animal size but in my opinion, a dead deer is a dead deer. A two point isnt worth any less than a four point.

What I think you will see is that bucks that get smart are going to live and be harder to kill. Old bucks are cagey and they have something in them that makes them avoid people. A good majority of those duck into places that they cant be seen. What stopping the use of cameras will do is allow them to use that natural instinct. I know guys that have ran cameras in areas for three plus years to pattern a buck and see where he goes for the later season hunts.

These laws are not meant to stop the guy that has one or two cameras. Its meant to stop the guys that have hundreds upon hundreds of them. Those people are real and they do exist.

 

[CorbLand]

I suppose that is true for some who put up trail cams. With that said I have had mostly good encounters with the folks with the trail cams and mostly bad with the tree stand guys when they show up and I'm on "their hole".

The trail cam guys knew I might be there and were accepting that I got there first.... not so much for the tree stand guys.

There are assholes of all forms and beliefs not just one.

That is more indicative of the person than whether they use cameras or stands. I personally would say I have ran into the opposite but thats from a pretty low sample size.

 

[Trial153]

What are the laws do people not have to follow because they are on private property?
Can you use rifle during the archery season? What if baiting is illegal, if you’re on private property does not apply to you? What about bag limits?
In states like Utah land owners are already given a big slice of the publics wildlife. Now they get
Exemptions from fish and game laws too?

Sorry I think that’s bullshit

 

[svivian]

That is more indicative of the person than whether they use cameras or stands. I personally would say I have ran into the opposite but thats from a pretty low sample size.

I guess that's what I meant by assholes comment. There are good people and bad people on every side of things. I don't think banning one or the other is going to fix anything. People are still going to put up cameras even if its banned. Look at Colorado Shed hunting.... every year certain guys are walking out with piles of sheds at 6am May 1st.

Its just sucks when one kid throws a rock in the playground so they take away all the rocks instead of punishing the kid in the first place.

 

[Marble]

I dont have a problem with the use of cameras anywhere. I do beleive the cellular type cameras shouldn't be allowed during hunting season and that it does provide a very large advantage to the hunter.

There should be no regulation for private property. The argument against this is the animals are a state resource, so then the regulation of cameras applies no matter the location. Idk....I don't like the government getting into my business anymore then it needs to.

I've used cameras primarily on a ranch to watch for deer, pigs and turkey's. It has helped with all three species. I have also used it at fence crossing spots to catch poachers or people cutting/ moving the fence to come cruise around on their OHV. They have also stolen cameras, batteries and SD cards.

 

[GLB]

I keep seeing guys saying stuff like this.

They use OnX, Go Hunt, cell phone, gps, in-reach, range finders, flashlights, video recorders, scopes on rifles, compound bows & xbows, binoculars, spotting scopes, etc. And a game camera is a big deal.

I'm surprised at the number of guys against cell cams.
With that sentiment, I'd really like to see a rule that says no electronic devices can be used in conjunction with hunting. Nothing that uses a battery (even a solar-powered light in camp for the back-country camp out hunters). Let the men be men and the other dudes whine & cry about it.

Well, I don’t use Go Hunt, In Reach, video recorders, Compound bows, and Xbows. Like I said I believe at some point there should be a limit on the technology we use.