Trailcams in WY

[Scoot]

Is it legal to have a trailcam up in WY during the season? For example, can I put a trailcam up on an elk wallow while I'm hunting elk in the same unit?

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

Nope it is not illegal. You are good to keep it up.

 

[Scoot]

Thanks!

 

[brewer427]

Can anyone clear up whats the rules are for Montana. I asked a game warden and he said no trail cams during any open hunting season in Montana? This didn't make since to me because for example there's no antelope in the HD I hunt elk and mule deer but he said it didn't matter I had to have it down before archery antelope started.
So then I asked the biologist for that area and was told I only had to have it down before Elk and Deer archery season as long as I wasn't targeting antelope in that area???
I haven't done any research yet but just figured Id see if anyone on hear knew?

Thanks

 

[Scoot]

I can't clear it up- I've heard both of the interpretations you have too. My impression is that you are at the mercy of the game warden who you run into about this. There's got to be a black and white version of this, isn't there?

 

[tttoadman]

Unfortunately you have to put yourself in the shoes of a game warden. It is pretty easy for someone to simply claim that they are only using it to look at "whatever isn't in season". The problem is also the fact that you have a permanent record, and that information can be given to people that could exploit it the very next day. I realize this is not a very fair "tagging" put on ethical hunters like us, but they have to think worst case. Sorry for being all "dooms day" on this, but my job has turned me into this.

My point is to not assume that a warden will instantly see that you are an upstanding ethical hunter. He has every right to ticket you, and I wouldn't want to put myself in that position.

 

[brewer427]

I get what your saying about targeting "whatever isn't in season", but where I hunt elk and deer there is absolutely no antelope. So how come I need to take down game cameras a month or so before elk archery season starts, just because there's a archery antelope season going?

I completely understand that kind of logic in HD's where antelope are present but don't understand it when I'm setting game cameras at 8'000 feet on wallows and game paths to see what bulls or bucks are in the area.

At the end of the day I don't want to get fined so ill do whatever, just don't understand the reasoning.

 

[tttoadman]

I totally agree with you. They should be able to write that type of provision into the law. They may have tried, and it got too convoluted. After all, someone will say "the antelope could go there if they wanted". What a mess. Good luck. We don't want to see a mug shot wearing a Rokslders tee shirt.

 

[brewer427]

I totally agree with you. They should be able to write that type of provision into the law. They may have tried, and it got too convoluted. After all, someone will say "the antelope could go there if they wanted". What a mess. Good luck. We don't want to see a mug shot wearing a Rokslders tee shirt.

Hahaha ya that wouldn't be good advertisement for Rokslide. And your right, it would be hard to keep stuff clear cut enough to where people would obey the law at all times.