Should trail cameras be outlawed?

[huntnnw]

My cams are solely used for 1 reason to find a certain animal or large bucks. They are not assisting me in my harvest rates. I have owned so many different cams and will never place cams on trails to get pics. They don't always take pics and your highly mis informed if you think your cams work perfect . I have messed with cams more than most. 95% of my cams are for whitetails and to rely on a cam placed on ridges, trails or funnels is ridiculous if that's how u plan your hunts according to your pics.When I'm hunting a specific big buck your not ever going to get a bunch of movement from him. The said buck could of walked 20 feet by your camera and never take a pic. I scout my areas in March and April to see the old trails , scrapes and rubs. That info is used to place stands by August. Walking into check cams in a bucks core is doing more harm than good. My cams are used on fringe areas with an attractant to basically survey the herd in that given area. All I need to know is if they are there.

I agree on the cell phone transmitted cams, that could directly help someone harvest an animal. Imagine placing 3 or 4 of them on wallows .. U could see how easy and direct that helps someone

[biggfish]

I've posed the question in my head several times.....

-one, taking my photo without permission doesn't really suit me. (invasion of privacy) 
-Leaving private property on public land sometime makes me wonder
-the damage caused by bait sites sometimes has irked me.  Irresponsible people dumping salt etc out in the woods can cause serious damage for the years to follow.
-change of game patterns done by baiting and sometimes the habituation of critters to man...
- The unfair edge it gives hunters towards animals sometimes poses ethical/moral/whatever the word is, questions in my head.  We are going to technology ourselves out of our game. 
-mass use by certain organizations like USO for scouting abilities to make money off of harvest....placing thousands of cameras out   

Those are some thoughts that have crossed my mind.

I can agree with some of your points here. The only thing I think may pose an ethical problem is the baiting it's not scouting for you at that point its showing you how many you were able to trick into stopping by and possibly actualizing them to come to that spot for a treat.  That being said ethics aren't universal if the voice in your head is saying there is something not quite right here doesn't mean another is hearing the say call.  I use attractants when I hunt but I don't run cams do to cost right now and don't think I would bait if I did, but that's because I'm looking for natural habits.  I do think they should be kept legal the damage caused and unfair advantages that may be created all lie on the conscience of those that put them there.  Unless it's illegal to each his own.

[buckfvr]

trail cams dont come with a guarantee of success, and I dont see where success rates have climbed as a result of cams......Sure you get to see some animals you may not otherwise see, but hunting as an individual for yourself, its just a confidence maintainer......

I agree with bone and his experience in NM....that is where it goes too far.

[vandeman17]

I use cameras as well as bait in front of them. I use it as a tool to see how many animals are in a given area and I also think it gives me a great excuse to get out in the woods. There are weekends where I would not normally go out but since I want to check my cameras then I go and I like that aspect.

One aspect, at least for me, is I think it makes me a better hunter because when I am out finding new places to hang cameras, it makes me try to think more like a deer or elk or whatever then if I was just scouting. I find myself really studying the terrain and my surroundings to try and find that perfect spot to hang a camera. I think it has helped teach my girlfriend some basics about animals' travel habits and tendencies.

As for the bait argument, I am fine with it because I am aiding the overall herd health. When I put out salt, it brings minerals to tons of animals that visit it. Even if I were to harvest one of them that came in to my sight, I think that the benefit to all the others that consumed my bait out weighs the one that I killed.

The one thing I am against are the cameras that send the photos back to your phone or computer. The only way I would ever use those is during non hunting seasons but even then I highly doubt I would use them because half the fun is getting out in the woods. After all, that is the main reason we all hunt and fish is to get away from everything and spend time out in the woods. 

[huntnnw]

Vandeman your forgetting that most on here think elk and deer will eat so much salt they will die!! Once again people with 0 exp. they will not consume what they don't need or lack from there diet! They are not like people! My big bucks may hit a salt site 5 times a month and spend no more than 5 min there on avg

[BOWHUNTER45]

NO ...But I am sure that's the next thing coming ...remember we live in Washington ...pretty soon it will be ( remove the powder from your bullets ) 

[buckfvr]

We cant all hunt orchards and alfalfa fields...........some of us have to create hot spots on public land, and that in itsself poses many, many problems.  There arent animals in every square acre of public land.......find them, and you increase your odds. Get their attention, and maybe you can see them during legal hours.  Once that is accomplished, you can set about getting yourself a shot.....bow hunting challenges abound from this point.

Cameras tell me hang a stand, or move on......that simple.  I wont hang a camera where I wouldnt/cant hang a stand...............

[vandeman17]

Vandeman your forgetting that most on here think elk and deer will eat so much salt they will die!! Once again people with 0 exp. they will not consume what they don't need or lack from there diet! They are not like people! My big bucks may hit a salt site 5 times a month and spend no more than 5 min there on avg

I agree. In one of my spots now I have a few bucks that come back about once per week and they are only there for a few minutes then they bounce. Elk are a little different but they are much bigger animals and require the minerals from the salt longer but they still take what they need and move on.

[woodman]

Everyone's except mine!

[2MANY]

Personally I find it funny that I simply wanted to see other peoples opinions on this subject and that irritates some people.

I was just curious how people felt and that's why I asked the question.

Those that have a problem with me wondering or consider me a troll for asking may want to take a trail camera picture of themselves staring into the camera and then ask the guy in the picture.................Is this the kind of person that I aspire to be?

If the answer is yes then perhaps they should set their goals a little higher.

[pianoman9701]

Personally I find it funny that I simply wanted to see other peoples opinions on this subject and that irritates some people.

I was just curious how people felt and that's why I asked the question.

Those that have a problem with me wondering or consider me a troll for asking may want to take a trail camera picture of themselves staring into the camera and then ask the guy in the picture.................Is this the kind of person that I aspire to be?

If the answer is yes then perhaps they should set their goals a little higher.

It is a hot topic. You asked a controversial question and got some controversial answers. I'm sure some people thought you might be proposing it. A lot of folks on here have thousands of dollars tied up in cameras. You also didn't respond for several pages, so it did kind of seem like a troll to me until I checked you other posts on this forum.

Start another thread about whether compound bows should be illegal and watch what happens. 

[Heredoggydoggy]

No, but Red Light Cameras should be.   

[turkeyfeather]

Those that have a problem with me wondering or consider me a troll for asking may want to take a trail camera picture of themselves staring into the camera and then ask the guy in the picture.................Is this the kind of person that I aspire to be?

I have lots of trail camera pics of myself, and can honestly say I am exactly the kind of person I aspired to be.

[PolarBear]

I've posed the question in my head several times.....

-one, taking my photo without permission doesn't really suit me. (invasion of privacy) 
-Leaving private property on public land sometime makes me wonder
-the damage caused by bait sites sometimes has irked me.  Irresponsible people dumping salt etc out in the woods can cause serious damage for the years to follow.
-change of game patterns done by baiting and sometimes the habituation of critters to man...
- The unfair edge it gives hunters towards animals sometimes poses ethical/moral/whatever the word is, questions in my head.  We are going to technology ourselves out of our game. 
-mass use by certain organizations like USO for scouting abilities to make money off of harvest....placing thousands of cameras out   

Those are some thoughts that have crossed my mind.

[turkeyfeather]

I'm interested as to the OP's impetus for posing this question.

Trolling to 

He's not a troll. I think it's a semi-legit question, albeit far fetched IMO.

Agreed

Looks like maybe I was right about the stirring the pot thing.  Which is cool and I have no problem with. Alot of times that leads to the best debates and discussions. Carry on.