Should trail cams be legal?

[Nick87]

If your damaged trail cam appears as though it weathered a hail storm ... I have no idea how that happened!

That's nice.

 

[Rie Bread]

What makes them a crutch vs a tool? Are optics a crutch? Rifles? Electronic mapping tools? Trucks? Everyone has a line somewhere between hunting from helicopters and traditional archery equipment. I think to say everyone knows that one particular thing is a crutch is not totally accurate.

Gaining information of what’s going on in the field while you’re at the bar is why it’s a crutch for poor field skills. Having a second set of eyes would be great, having them unattached in your head is even better. People don’t take the time to look for sign or don’t know how.

Iv used camera professionally for mammal studies and any camera I set on sign was 100% successful when the camera was left for the max 120 days the permit was allowed for. Cameras I set based off terrain like ridges and pinch points etc were more spotty in success of intended species. If it were deer I am positive I could have 100% sucess within the 14 days they are allowed to be left up.

So yeah I think it’s a crutch for poor field skills.

 

[elkduds]

I use them and set them up every year, usually on public land.

In Montana you can't currently have one that reports to your phone in real time during the season. I see this law being broken way too much. The past few years I keep finding trail cameras all over the place and lots of them are of the sort that report in real time. I am for them being banned on public land because of the number and types that I see EVERYWHERE.

You don't have to just leave them there. What happens out there, stays out there.

 

[Nick87]

Which is a bigger fine. Destruction of property or illegal cell cams?

 

[Flynarrow]

I use them and set them up every year, usually on public land.

In Montana you can't currently have one that reports to your phone in real time during the season. I see this law being broken way too much. The past few years I keep finding trail cameras all over the place and lots of them are of the sort that report in real time. I am for them being banned on public land because of the number and types that I see EVERYWHERE.

They were totally banned for many years before FWP waffled.

 

[Flynarrow]

They were totally banned for many years before FWP waffled.

Fortunately I am presently bowhunting in AZ. Just a couple of years ago AZ Commission banned them completely for hunting....hurray!

 

[brymoore]

I’m to the point of no trail cams on public land.

My first objection is the amount of times I’ve taken pees in front of an unknown camera. Mid stream I’ll look around and catch a camera on the path I’m on. I should be able to pee in peace!

Bear hunters use the trail cams info to pattern bears based on when they visit bait and can use instant cell delivered pics to go to the bait if it’s close. I’m sure deer and elk hunters can do something similar trying to pattern animals.

I agree with the pirate law argument too. A local guy got mad because someone tried to steal his camera. He got the cell pic and was able to drive to the camera before the guys left. He argued with the guys and decided not to prosecute. I happened to know the camera had been up way over a year. I told him it was abandoned property on public ground. Good luck getting that prosecuted by the county DA.

In the end, trail cameras on public ground just cause unnecessary problems.

 

[Maverick1]

The poll is not flawed. Maybe you didnt read the actual poll?
It says "trail cams should be allowed..." then the options. Yes would not be a reasonable response to the poll. Perhaps you only read the title of the thread?

Read the title of the thread.
If someone wanted to, how would they indicate they are supportive of trail cameras being allowed on all lands private or public, anytime, all year round, and with transmitting capabilities?
The options provided do not allow this to be indicated - if that is what someone's view was. Sliced and diced to indicate different options, but those options are restrictive to be not all encompassing of what someone may want based on their views.

 

[The_Yuki_Yama]

Read the title of the thread.
If someone wanted to, how would they indicate they are supportive of trail cameras being allowed on all lands private or public, anytime, all year round, and with transmitting capabilities?
The options provided do not allow this to be indicated - if that is what someone's view was. Sliced and diced to indicate different options, but those options are restrictive to be not all encompassing of what someone may want based on their views.

The title is just the title of the thread.

The poll says
'Trail cams should be allowed...'

and you select the option that completes the sentence that you agree with.
To answer the question of "how would they indicate they are supportive of trail cameras being allowed on all lands private or public, anytime, all year round, and with transmitting capabilities" you would select
'all year long on public land with transmitting capabilities'.

Which view are you trying to express that these options are not encompassing? The only reasonable one I can think of is allowing them on public land with transmitting capabilities but not during hunting season, but I find that quite unlikely to be someones opinion so I didn't include it. I included what I believe are the range of commonly held views ordered from most to least restrictive. If your view is not shown buy any of these options, let me know and I will add it.

 

[Elktrack]

I have mixed thoughts about it. I know a bunch of guys that have trail cameras going most of the year and they get tons of pictures of big bulls and bucks. Not a single one of them ever gets a critter from where the trail cameras are. All it does is show whats in the area and what they never seem to kill.

 

[The_Yuki_Yama]

Redumbdant threads re: trail cams.

I apologize if that's the case. I looked through threads and I couldn't find any polls similar. Can you please link to the 'redumbdant' thread?

I haven't been here very long and I've already come across multiple occurrences of you being pretty negative... Haven't had a bunch of other people complain. Kinda seems like it may be more of a you issue???

 

[MTTW]

I kept cameras out for several years straight and finally killed an animal that was on a camera but didn't know it until I checked the camera 2 weeks after I killed the bull. To me they have never been used to improve my chances hunting. I have never needed a camera to tell if an area was worth hunting. I enjoy checking them and seeing critters that I seldom see. I would be fine with pulling them during open hunting season.

 

[Stone_Ice_1]

You don't have to just leave them there. What happens out there, stays out there.

I even found one that said on it "For FWP research purposes". I know for a fact that it wasn't there for that.

 

[The_Yuki_Yama]

I’m to the point of no trail cams on public land.

My first objection is the amount of times I’ve taken pees in front of an unknown camera. Mid stream I’ll look around and catch a camera on the path I’m on. I should be able to pee in peace!

I run 5-10 cameras, often on public, and have never gotten a photo of another person, much less someone peeing lol what are the odds

 

[Straight Arrow]

I apologize if that's the case. I looked through threads and I couldn't find any polls similar. Can you please link to the 'redumbdant' thread?

I haven't been here very long and I've already come across multiple occurrences of you being pretty negative... Haven't had a bunch of other people complain. Kinda seems like it may be more of a you issue???

It is a me issue. Try to ignore. I've likely been here too long and get peeved at some of the same topics and issues over and over ... with no real solutions or really helpful information ... just a pile of personal opinions. (ie: trail cam employment, crossbows, drones, etc.)

 

[Straight Arrow]

"I looked through threads and I couldn't find any polls similar." Although a poll rather than a "regular" thread, the discussion will be very similar, thus the redundancy.
IMO, the topic and related issues have been hashed ad nauseum in previous threads ... but again that is just an old curmudgeon "me" thing.

Should trail cams be legal?​

• Thread starterThe_Yuki_Yama
• Start dateToday at 9:31 AM

Trail cameras​

• Thread starterItsbeef
• Start dateDec 30, 2024

 

[The_Yuki_Yama]

"I looked through threads and I couldn't find any polls similar." Although a poll rather than a "regular" thread, the discussion will be very similar, thus the redundancy.
IMO, the topic and related issues have been hashed ad nauseum in previous threads ... but again that is just an old curmudgeon "me" thing.

Should trail cams be legal?​

• Thread starterThe_Yuki_Yama
• Start dateToday at 9:31 AM

Trail cameras​

• Thread starterItsbeef
• Start dateDec 30, 2024

I read that thread. It was largely asking about the effectiveness of using trail cams specifically for elk imo. Not about the general legality. Also doesnt have a poll that easily tracks general sentiment.

 

[brymoore]

I run 5-10 cameras, often on public, and have never gotten a photo of another person, much less someone peeing lol what are the odds

It’s happened to me several times. I guess my idea of a pee spot is some other guys trail came spot. It’s been on closed logging roads.

 

[Montana_Wanderer]

Where I archery hunt from stands for whitetail is pine trees so can't use a climber. Carrying in a ladder and tree stand every day before sunrise to set up in the dark to bow hunt frankly sounds ridiculous. This would effectively outlaw archery stand hunting there. I cannot get behind that.

Plenty of portable options for trees with limbs now a days. If you use the same tree set up is simple.

 

[EKYHunter]

They are a tool, nothing more. Having pics does not equal success in harvesting game. They are a lot of fun for sure. I run them on private property and really enjoy all the different critters that I see. If you don’t like them, don’t use them.