UTAH BILL INTRODUCED TO BAN BIG GAME BAITING AND REGULATE TRAIL CAMERA USE

[bearpaw]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out, there are some good points on both sides!

ALERT: UTAH BILL INTRODUCED TO BAN BIG GAME BAITING AND REGULATE TRAIL CAMERA USE
https://www.gohunt.com/read/news/alert-utah-bill-introduced-bans-big-game-baiting-and-regulates-trail-camera-use#gs.sdhhk7

[Skyvalhunter]

One state at a time, one step at a time

[trophyhunt]

Yup, baby steps.......  gets frustrating, seems we always need to call or sign petitions to keep up on new laws that chip away at freedom.  Who are these people and where do they come from?

[nwmein199]

Yup, baby steps.......  gets frustrating, seems we always need to call or sign petitions to keep up on new laws that chip away at freedom.  Who are these people and where do they come from?

Sounds like plenty of hunters that support this bill...this is a comment from the article posted above:

"We in Utah have a REAL problem. Its not the average dude with a cam and a bag of "Here Deer". We have a corporate hunting community that has pushed the envelope so far it actually changing migration patterns.

1st. Our famed deer units have become home to truckloads, and truckloads of apples. To the point its changed migration patterns, and movement patterns. Its done by a handful of "famous" outfitters in the state.

2nd. Like other states, our outfitting community is 100% cam driven. Its not uncommon for these outfitters to run 100+ cams on a unit. There is no longer a safe place for our herds. There isn't a minute of any day that they aren't being surveiled.

This bill end ran our Wildlife Board. Mainly because that board is controlled by SFW, which is the lobbying group for all things corporate hunting in the state. It bypassed the RAC for the same reason, as our RAC is also very embedded by the very people who are overwhelming the state in the name of $$$.

Utah is at a bad tipping point. Our deer herds are in trouble. This bill is an attempt to rein in the overreach. We are supposed to be sportsmen and in such believe in fair chase. What we are allowing in Utah presently is so far beyond that its scary.

Hopefully, its just a start to get things back into balance."

Personally, I dont care if game cams are illegal or not. I dont feel my freedoms are being restricted by outlawing use of game cameras.

[trophyhunt]

That is a good message for this bill, I can say I don't disagree with most of it with those circumstances.  Maybe they can limit the outfitters somehow with bait and number of cameras?  Not sure what a good answer is, but for the little guy wanting to place 2-3 cameras out with a salt block and cmere deer, I hate to see those freedoms go away. 

[Jingles]

I can understand banning those trail cams that send pictures to a phone as "HUNTER " gets a picture of good buck/bull loads up Truck/ATV  and away they go ( not that anyone would do that) but think it is overreacting to those that use other types of trail cameras and think they are saying easier to just put a blanket ban on all trail cameras.

[bearpaw]

One of the reasons I posted this topic was due to parallels it has with past issues here in WA. I think this state actually did pretty well at addressing the baiting issue.

[baldopepper]

I think this bill is aimed at the rumor that some cwmu units are using heavy baiting to keep both deer and elk on their units. There are about 125 cwmu's now in Utah and hunting them has become big business with elk permits going for over $20,000 and deer over $10,000 on some of the more successful units.  Like any other business it's not hard to believe that some might be doing whatever they can to improve their product and hence be able to charge more. There are arguments to be made both ways about the cwmu system, but many Utah hunters are frustrated that public land hunting is declining while the success rate on cwmu's has been excellent. Don't think the bill will go anywhere as the pay to hunt people are very strong politically in the state

[pianoman9701]

One of the reasons I posted this topic was due to parallels it has with past issues here in WA. I think this state actually did pretty well at addressing the baiting issue.

I agree, but the antis won't stop there. When this is passed in UT, they'll push it in WA, touting the support of hunters in UT.