Az Ban Trail Cams?

[Howie]

I'm on the fence here, but why even propose this....to protect animals?..... yet soon your gonna have squadrons of drones flying around invading your privacy. Dumbtalk abounds.

 

[runningmt]

Whittling your rights away bit by bit, day by day.

Are we really granted the “right” to use trail cams?

Man! Those founding fathers had some amazing foresight!

What other rights? Gun rights? You’ve got more today than you did 20 years ago, thanks to G.W. and Obama.

Just because a company manufacturers and markets a product, that does not give you the right to use it however you would like.

 

[nontyp]

I'm on the fence here, but why even propose this....to protect animals?..... yet soon your gonna have squadrons of drones flying around invading your privacy. Dumbtalk abounds.

To put less stress on animals and to not ruin people’s hunts. Imagine trying to hunt a water source with ur AZ strip tag. The water source has 20 cameras on it and people are walking in constantly to check their cams. I think it should just be a trail camera season that ends in August. That would be the best cut and dry compromise. In my understanding this issue is mostly in the high tier units.

 

[Howie]

To put less stress on animals and to not ruin people’s hunts. Imagine trying to hunt a water source with ur AZ strip tag. The water source has 20 cameras on it and people are walking in constantly to check their cams. I think it should just be a trail camera season that ends in August. That would be the best cut and dry compromise. In my understanding this issue is mostly in the high tier units.

I can see that angle. Being in Pa. and hunting state land, there are limited areas where this high pressure situation may occur. I really didn't realize how tough this must be for you guys. Sometimes we don't appreciate the quality of our hunting until we are reminded how tough some of youz have it I other areas.

 

[EKYHunter]

Very slippery slope here. Not to mention pitting hunters against hunters. I personally don’t use trail cams but I’m sure not in favor in taking away someone else’s right to do so.

 

[Bluffgruff]

I emailed them and asked them to ban them completely, more accurately, to treat them like transmitting cameras. It's a public resource, being stressed by a few individuals. People hunted without cameras until 20 years ago. I don't care about casual use on private property, but enforcement is easier with a blanket rule, and no one NEEDS a trail camera to hunt. Drones are banned for hunting in most states already, and I hope trail cameras follow them into the dark.

 

[tzone]

To put less stress on animals and to not ruin people’s hunts. Imagine trying to hunt a water source with ur AZ strip tag. The water source has 20 cameras on it and people are walking in constantly to check their cams. I think it should just be a trail camera season that ends in August. That would be the best cut and dry compromise. In my understanding this issue is mostly in the high tier units.

Though I'm not sure how a camera would ruin a hunt, I'd be willing to listen to the public land trail cam season. Not sure I'd agree with it, but I'd be willing to listen. I think an all out ban is silly. If came to a spot with someone else's camera, I'd simply find another spot.

 

[SoCalhunt88]

Though I'm not sure how a camera would ruin a hunt, I'd be willing to listen to the public land trail cam season. Not sure I'd agree with it, but I'd be willing to listen. I think an all out ban is silly. If came to a spot with someone else's camera, I'd simply find another spot.

Which for these higher tier units is easier said than done and would likely get frustrating after bouncing from one area to the next.
Its an interesting issue and I think that somewhere in the middle there’s a reasonable path forward, a season seems like a strong compromise.

 

[nontyp]

Though I'm not sure how a camera would ruin a hunt, I'd be willing to listen to the public land trail cam season. Not sure I'd agree with it, but I'd be willing to listen. I think an all out ban is silly. If came to a spot with someone else's camera, I'd simply find another spot.

These are areas with very few water sources and the water sources are known locations. Think about 15-20 cams on a water source. A trail camera itself doesn’t ruin the hunt. it’s the 20 people checking them while you are hunting. guides and hunters check cams regularly during season to get the most updated info.

 

[COEngineer]

These are areas with very few water sources and the water sources are known locations. Think about 15-20 cams on a water source. A trail camera itself doesn’t ruin the hunt. it’s the 20 people checking them while you are hunting. guides and hunters check cams regularly during season to get the most updated info.

It's partially the cameras themselves. Maybe not on man-made water holes so much, but I have had several experiences with seeing trail cams miles into Wilderness areas. It really detracts from the wildness. The worst is when you notice the camera after you already set up your tent, or just pulled your pants up after squatting for a minute. In my opinion they should not be allowed on public land at all, ever. What other equipment are you allowed to leave in the woods indefinitely?

 

[COEngineer]

Very slippery slope here. Not to mention pitting hunters against hunters. I personally don’t use trail cams but I’m sure not in favor in taking away someone else’s right to do so.

Honest question. What right?

Maybe you used that word without intending to? You have a right to free speech, a gun, a speedy trial, etc. Setting up cameras on public land is not a right that I have ever heard of.

 

[EKYHunter]

Honest question. What right?

Maybe you used that word without intending to? You have a right to free speech, a gun, a speedy trial, etc. Setting up cameras on public land is not a right that I have ever heard of.

Maybe I should have said freedom instead of right. Couldn’t traditional archers say many of the same things about compound users? Release shooters vs finger shooters? Seems some don’t like the technology related to the cams and some don’t like the fact that folks set the cams up on water holes, leading to multiple cams on water holes. As I said I don’t use them but I don’t really get the push to ban them. Some don’t like the technology but use cell phones, range finders, etc. and have no problem with that. I think we as hunters can be somewhat hypocritical at times and this subject is a good example. I also think we need be careful in our zeal to ban anything related to hunting simply because we don’t agree with it, use it, or like it. Does that make any sense?

 

[bradr]

Do other hunters ever get pissed if you hunt a wallow/water hole that has their camera on it? Lets say you show up at that water source and get set up to hunt, and then the trail cam owner shows up after you. Does he get mad and try to run you off? This is how it went down on the Missouri river in Nebraska during duck season. If you set up too close to a permanent blind, and the guy who owns the blind showed up later, there was problems. Permanent blind owners were trying to privatize the public land as "their spot", even though the law stated that they did not have exclusive rights to that spot or around it. Enough people complained to the Corps of Engineers and they banned permanent blinds. This could be why they are wanting to ban trail cams.

 

[EKYHunter]

Do other hunters ever get pissed if you hunt a wallow/water hole that has their camera on it? Lets say you show up at that water source and get set up to hunt, and then the trail cam owner shows up after you. Does he get mad and try to run you off? This is how it went down on the Missouri river in Nebraska during duck season. If you set up too close to a permanent blind, and the guy who owns the blind showed up later, there was problems. Permanent blind owners were trying to privatize the public land as "their spot", even though the law stated that they did not have exclusive rights to that spot or around it. Enough people complained to the Corps of Engineers and they banned permanent blinds. This could be why they are wanting to ban trail cams.

People are something aren’t they? Talk about arrogance.

 

[Blackcats06]

This expression clearly illustrates the difference between preserving the legacy of hunting and wildlife management versus popularity of gadgets and technologically driven trickery to make hunting "easier".

Preserving the legacy of hunting? Its always changing! We no longer market hunt, changing. Until you show me stats that show a trail camera increases your harvest percent or actually keeps wildlife off water then I don't think it should change.

 

[COEngineer]

Maybe I should have said freedom instead of right. Couldn’t traditional archers say many of the same things about compound users? Release shooters vs finger shooters? Seems some don’t like the technology related to the cams and some don’t like the fact that folks set the cams up on water holes, leading to multiple cams on water holes. As I said I don’t use them but I don’t really get the push to ban them. Some don’t like the technology but use cell phones, range finders, etc. and have no problem with that. I think we as hunters can be somewhat hypocritical at times and this subject is a good example. I also think we need be careful in our zeal to ban anything related to hunting simply because we don’t agree with it, use it, or like it. Does that make any sense?

I see what you are saying, but my primary complaint about trail cams is not the advantage they give to the hunter, but the negative effects the camera has on other hunters. I like to hunt as far from civilization as possible and I enjoy being part of the natural world (what's left of it) for a few days each year. Every time I see a game camera on a water hole or along a trail, I feel violated. I know I am on my neighbor's security camera every time I step out my front door, but I don't want to feel the same way when I am in the woods.

 

[mrcowboy]

These are areas with very few water sources and the water sources are known locations. Think about 15-20 cams on a water source. A trail camera itself doesn’t ruin the hunt. it’s the 20 people checking them while you are hunting. guides and hunters check cams regularly during season to get the most updated info.

Agree with the statement about checking them during the hunt. Had a dude show up a few times at a tank that I sat in a Sept. archery hunt. Checking his cams. He had two cams there and was hunting the week after me. I was kind of annoyed. Remove them before the first season. He was probably tracking a specific bull. I was hoping to just shoot a bull. On a postive note, I know how far he walked to get to the tank. It was really off the beaten path.

 

[Bluffgruff]

Manage the resource properly, not for a small vocal minority arguing for their own interests without considering the harm they're doing to the wildlife, their peers, and the image of hunters.

 

[ringer]

It is all about the Kaibab. Outfitters might have 200-500 cameras each in the units and they pattern the largest animals for their customers. They know when and where and size of most of the trophy deer in the area. They have messed in their own living rooms and are going to lose the camera option. Just too few water sources for animals to use which concentrates all the cameras. I prefer to take a leak without the small size of my pecker being on video.

 

[LopeHunter]

It's partially the cameras themselves. Maybe not on man-made water holes so much, but I have had several experiences with seeing trail cams miles into Wilderness areas. It really detracts from the wildness. The worst is when you notice the camera after you already set up your tent, or just pulled your pants up after squatting for a minute. In my opinion they should not be allowed on public land at all, ever. What other equipment are you allowed to leave in the woods indefinitely?

Zero personal property should be left unattended on public lands. No rotting lawn chairs "reserving" your "private" water hole on public land. But, grandpappy used to hunt here so let's fight, pilgrim. As if they show up to hunt every day. No camera attached to a public tree that then has limbs cut off. No tree stand left hanging up in a tree. This is vandalism and littering. If you leave it on public land, you forfeit it and risk ticket for littering. Can I put a cache of coolers, jetfuel canisters, sleeping bags and water jugs at the edge of the trail? How about 20 of us do that. And 3 of us "forget" to hike in and bring them out so the tarp rots, etc. I was 11 miles into the wilderness and there was a rotting blue tarp wrapped around a crap ton of now rusted and rotted items stuffed under a pine tree. I packed that "personal property I can leave if I want" eyesore up and hauled it out on horses. Not sure how many years it took to rot but had been years. That is the problem. Was a slob or a hiker or hunter that dies or whatever. That was the only manmade litter I saw on 7 days of burning up boot leather for dozens of miles. Nothing noble about the abuse of public resources. The price for using public resources is you have rules. Ban ownership of items left abandoned. Pack it in, pack it out when you leave. Otherwise, is littering.