are trail cams illegal on national forest?

[bearpaw]

I'm going to see if we can get outdoor gaurdian to comment on this.

Montana is the only western state that I know of with laws on trail cam use.

[Blacktail Sniper]

provivder you should be for all that is hunting related

Thanks for the tip Cement...  I'll take that under consideration.

I'm interested to hear why you think game cameras should be illegal in the NF. Please elaborate.

I was wondering the same thing.  Are you talking about game cameras only on National Forrest lands or game cameras in general?  Would like to hear what you have to say about this if you don't mind elaborating.

[D-Rock425]

If it is a law I think a lot of people will be getting tickets.

[Knocker of rocks]

I doubt that there is a blanket prohibition against trail cams per se'.  What I think is being enforced is an individuals interpretation of abandoned property laws.

[lokidog]

I think he had an agenda, or didn't like you.

 http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/specialuses/filming/

This clearly states for commercial purposes.  I wonder if all those DIY and other hunting shows get permits for filming?

Maybe bait is considered a "prop"?  If that was the case then it could very well be illegal according to this paragraph. 

Commercial photography is defined as the use of photographic equipment to capture still images on film, digital format, and other similar technologies found on National Forest System lands that: takes place at a location where members of the public are generally not allowed or where additional administrative costs are likely; or uses models, sets, or props that are not part of the site’s natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities (FSH 2709.11 2008-2 (CH 40)).

Seems pretty petty though.

[Elkaholic daWg]

Had a gamie take down my game cams because he said they are not legal on nat. forest, anyone ever hear this?

I doubt that there is a blanket prohibition against trail cams per se'.  What I think is being enforced is an individuals interpretation of abandoned property laws.

  Sounds like an agency LEO  that needed to show you this law or statute, that if they could not  should be cited for theft just like any of the rest of us would be. I could be wrong,(There may be such a "law" since individual NF can have their own quirky rules) but it seems that person was imposing their own beliefs on you, and might not be suited for an DFW LEO career.

[Russ McDonald]

I work pretty closely with FS LEO's.  I have an email out to him to get some clarification.

[hillbillyhunting]

  just want to follow

[Knocker of rocks]

Had a gamie take down my game cams because he said they are not legal on nat. forest, anyone ever hear this?

I doubt that there is a blanket prohibition against trail cams per se'.  What I think is being enforced is an individuals interpretation of abandoned property laws.

  Sounds like an agency LEO  that needed to show you this law or statute, that if they could not  should be cited for theft just like any of the rest of us would be.

See  261.10(e).  I believe, right or wrong, that the USFS could use this law to prohibit trail cams

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev3_054750.pdf

[Houndhunter]

I'd call his supervisor, if you got ticketed id definitely take it to court

[christopheri]

Had a gamie take down my game cams because he said they are not legal on nat. forest, anyone ever hear this?

I doubt that there is a blanket prohibition against trail cams per se'.  What I think is being enforced is an individuals interpretation of abandoned property laws.

  Sounds like an agency LEO  that needed to show you this law or statute, that if they could not  should be cited for theft just like any of the rest of us would be.

See  261.10(e).  I believe, right or wrong, that the USFS could use this law to prohibit trail cams

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev3_054750.pdf

So your thinking that the Abandoning any personal property. clause might mean that you cant set a trail cam up? When Hunting I adbandon my camp every morning and sometime dont come back till way after dark.

Ill take my chances I have three cams out in the GP now.

[Knocker of rocks]

A reasonable person would feel that your camp (and car) were not abandonend. 

The USFS has acted in a similar fashion (correctly) using abandonend property laws against some rock climbers, boulderers, slack-liners and bums.

[cwuwildcat]

Abandoning something has the implication that you're not coming back for it.  If I hang a $100 trailcam, I'm coming back for it.  That's the purpose of the trailcam.  To capture images for you to retrieve later.  It's something worth value that I will be retrieving and not "disposable", it's not a broken down dishwasher that I'm dumping without any intent of getting back.

[christopheri]

A reasonable person would feel that your camp (and car) were not abandonend. 

The USFS has acted in a similar fashion (correctly) using abandonend property laws against some rock climbers, boulderers, slack-liners and bums.

So a reasonable person would feel that I would be back for my trail cam. With that said if there is a law against haveing a trail cam in NF useing 261.10 (e) wouldnt hold up as an argument in a court of law. I wounder if there is something eles on the books?

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Had a gamie take down my game cams because he said they are not legal on nat. forest, anyone ever hear this?

I doubt that there is a blanket prohibition against trail cams per se'.  What I think is being enforced is an individuals interpretation of abandoned property laws.

  Sounds like an agency LEO  that needed to show you this law or statute, that if they could not  should be cited for theft just like any of the rest of us would be.

See  261.10(e).  I believe, right or wrong, that the USFS could use this law to prohibit trail cams

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev3_054750.pdf

That link had some interesting crimes. Here's one for you.

"Publicly nude means nude in any place where a person may be
observed by another person. Any person is nude if the person has failed
to cover the rectal area, pubic area or genitals. A female person is
also nude if she has failed to cover both breasts below a point
immediately above the top of the areola. Each such covering must be
fully opaque. No person under the age of 10 years shall be considered
publicly nude."

So peeing in the woods seems to be a no no, as is skinny dipping at the hot springs, not to mention breast feeding if the mother's breasts aren't covered. But at least if you're under 10 you can still pee in the woods and skinny dip.

Yup these activities are definitely a threat to the national forests.

Here's another interesting rule.....

"(d) Causing public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm by making
unreasonably loud noise."

Now there isn't a definition of "unreasonably loud noise",  But I'm guessing a rifle shot could be argued to be unreasonably loud and might annoy and alarm some people. Here's a loophole to outlaw hunting on NFS land or at least harass hunters.