OK, I'm bored

[drahthaar]

Greenie's post made me go looking at some old pics. Figured I post up some interesting ones just because it's a long time til hunting season.

I believe this to be the biggest bull I have ever captured on a trail camera. Look at the hooks on the fronts, those thirds and his cow pokers!



Got him twice, then he was gone. Never really confirmed I saw him during season.



Called this bull. Toadsticker. For obvious reasons. He is the only animal that I captured on film before season, then actually saw during season. Great Bear Wilderness.



Came upon Toadsticker fighting with another bull during season. Took this pic with a dinky camera. You can see his long tine over the back of the other bull.





Another dandy bull at another wallow.

 

[MtnWest]

Nice pics, some dandy bulls for sure. What camera you runnin'?

 

[MtnWest]

Here's one I've always been curious about. Spooked my boy when he was flipping through pics on the point and shoot camera to see what we had.

 

[katqanna]

Love the first pic. Tried to run it through my graphic editing to remove the alien eyes, but it is not working. One of the programs that is not fully functioning with this new operating system. I will reload it in the morning and see if that will work on the eyes.

 

[Lawnboy]

Lion?

 

[MtnWest]

Lion?

That was my first thought.

 

[Sytes]

Awesome pics!

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

Very nice. I'm also guessing lion.

 

[drahthaar]

Nice pics, some dandy bulls for sure. What camera you runnin'?

Homebrew cams.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Awesome photos!

 

[Big Fin]

I miss Draht's trail cam photos. I am coming to the conclusion that Montana's restrictions on trail cameras is a policy that has more detriments than benefits. Yeah, I get the worry about trail cams that can instantly transmit photos.

But, the large majority of users are doing it as off season fun. I am amazed when I travel to all the other states and talk to families who do "trail camming" as part of their family activities. Some of the kids are most excited.

When I see some of them talking about it, it reminds me of when I was a kid and I spent the last half of the school day dreaming about what I would find in my weasel traps that afternoon. The excitement was enough to make me run the mile from school, down Albin's hill, to the Indian Trail. Most days I was empty-handed, but the excitement of wondering what would be there was enough to keep me interested in the outdoors. I suspect trail cams could give/are giving kids that same excitement that I had in trapping, but doing so in an activity that is easier for them to do.

At the risk of hijacking Draht's topic, I am curious what is the value gained in restricting trail cameras, compared to the value of getting people in the outdoors and more excited about wildlife. Are trail cameras really that big of an issue? Most the states I hunt allow trail cams and in the course of almost 70 out-of-state hunts, I have never felt that a trail cam has impaired the quality of my hunt.

Great pics, Draht. Look forward to more of them.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Continuing with the hijack of Draht's thread. I think the trail camera law was a misguided attempt to fix a problem that didn't really exsist.

 

[katqanna]

Is that just a trail cam hunting ban, or does Montana ban all trail cams in general?

 

[drahthaar]

They changed the language of the rule to ban them during any commissioned hunting season. This basically means you can use them from June 1 to August 15th. That is the literal way the rule is.

I talked to the warden captain over here in R1. They said they obviously wouldn't hold us in R1 to the August 15th, as we have no antelope to shoot.

I dug a little deeper with them. I asked, what if I don't have a tag for that particular season, ie, wolf. They said, then you are not a hunter and can do what you want. They said you can decide how ethical it is to tell a friend that has a tag for that season, what you might see on it.

I seriously considered not even buying my one wolf tag this year, just to be legal to set some cams out right after season. But the hunter in me has this apparently misguided idea that I may actually see a wolf I can shoot. It is so fun to see "who made it" come December.

I have played by the rules, even though I am diametrically opposed to it.

 

[Gerald Martin]

This basically means you can use them from June 1 to August 15th. That is the literal way the rule is

Actually, Drahth, it's June 15. There's still bear seasons on in some units until then.

 

[Joe Hulburt]

I would never move to (or live in) a state that doesn't allow trail cam use. What's next?

I've been running them year round for several years and can't see where they have aided me in any way on a hunt. Mostly they are just a good reason to get out and get some fresh air. Getting out to check them I do learn some stuff but as far as actual photos it creates more frustration than anything. Such as the big bull at the beginning of this thread. It's amazing how they just disappear....

 

[drahthaar]

Actually, Drahth, it's June 15. There's still bear seasons on in some units until then.

Oops, yes I actually knew that.

 

[MtnWest]

Homebrew cams.

I had a feeling since the quality is so good.

 

[Horn Seeker]

The thirds on that bull make him just that special... period. He's big.

 

[BRI]

I know it's been discussed at length but as long as you aren't using them to "...scout the location of game animals or relay the information on a game animals location or movement..." you'd have a tough time being convicted. Just say you're intent is to capture really cool photos to share with your friends here on hunt talk.

Oh I'm sure you'd get a ticket and have to fight it....I'm not a lawyer but I did stay at a holiday inn once...I like the odds of winning that case.