Cameras on public land.

[Nsghunter]

Do you ever put game cameras on public land? I would try to lock it up.

I have a chance at a few leases but they are all shared, around $400 and at least an 1.5 hour drive. Neither of these things works well for me.

 

[scn]

It is illegal to leave them for more than 24 hours without authorization of the Area Manager.

On some, 24 hours may be the expected lifespan before they are stolen.

 

[Nsghunter]

It is illegal to leave them for more than 24 hours without authorization of the Area Manager.

On some, 24 hours may be the expected lifespan before they are stolen.

That's a good start SCN.

I figure it's a recipe for a major loss but I want to see if people do it.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

I've had success this past season with cams granted they are the very reliable $50 Tascos from walmart and I'm not being sarcastic when I say that. Had one stolen by rabbit hunters a year ago in February but that was my fault I didn't camo it it was just a bare black cam very noticeable....and was taken by rabbit hunters.....other than that I got some big deer on cam on public land and got pics of some hunters too which speaks 9n how good my camo job was. Of course I called wma managers before setting out salt kicks or cams.....and was told it is an "at your own risk" decision and salt licks had to contain a minimum of 51% salt with no grain or food, flavor attractants, etc. in them.

 

[dirtyhands]

I have an old one that I have used several times on public land. Obviously you don't want to put in on the edge of the feild where someone can easily see. I always crawled back into the nastiest place I could find and hung it there. Again anytime I would hang it I would also say goodbye to it but so far I've been lucky enough to never have had it stolen. Also it would just depend on how much traffic your public land gets. The ones I go to don't seem to get hammered much.

 

[catman529]

Never had a problem until it finally got stolen from a spot that probably wasn't concealed enough.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Vermin93]

I have used cameras on public land in 3 different states. Only had one come up missing in 5 years and I think I may have just forgot where I put that one. :shock:

I do not hang my cameras in obvious places and I hang them about 10 ft up the tree so they are not in the line of sight of deer or people.

I think cameras can be at more risk on a lease or privately owned land. I have noticed that plenty of the "some scumbag stole my camera" posts come from private land owners.

 

[huntforme7909]

As mentioned I hunt WMA land mostly and I run a lot of cameras a lot of the year. I do conceal them and have had hunters,ginseng hunters,coon hunters, all walk by. Knock on wood I haven't had one taken yet and I know some of the people saw them. I guess I'll leave it to their good faith to not take them. Lol. I know it will happen and I expect it to but have been very lucky so far. I stay well off the beaten path and have been surprised to see many people at all but there is nowhere you can get that someone hasn't been.

 

[double browtine]

Go to Academy and buy a couple of those tree mounts for trail cams. Use your climber to mount it up off the ground. Since you aren't supposed to screw anything into a tree on a wma, you might have to get creative with a block of wood and some camo duct tape.

 

[Bone Collector]

It is illegal to leave them for more than 24 hours without authorization of the Area Manager.

On some, 24 hours may be the expected lifespan before they are stolen.

That's a good start SCN.

I figure it's a recipe for a major loss but I want to see if people do it.

I've always felt like it was a good way to "donate" trail cams to less honest hunters, but I've seen them on Priest and obviously left them alone, then come back through a month later and they're still there, so I guess not everyone is dishonest. Oh and BTW none of the ones I've seen have been locked up.

I've actually met some of the guys that were running some of them. Its amazing to see some of the deer that live there, but only move at night....

 

[Bone Collector]

Go to Academy and buy a couple of those tree mounts for trail cams. Use your climber to mount it up off the ground. Since you aren't supposed to screw anything into a tree on a wma, you might have to get creative with a block of wood and some camo duct tape.

or use a strap of some sort.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

I posted a link of a contraption I'll try and dig it up

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

Found it 9 pages of post in lol

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=311483

 

[Gravey]

Depending on how much land and how many members I'd spend $400 on the lease and get cameras next year or the year after. I realize you said the 1.5 hour drive is an issue but you can possibly find something closer. That's exactly what I drive to mine. Good luck.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

Technically it is a crime of theft u/500 unless it's a reconyx or multiple cams valued over 500.....but would have to have enough evidence to prove probable cause against the perp to have a criminal summons or arrest warrant signed on them

 

[Headhunter]

Just don't use cameras. I never have and most likely never will. Nothing against them, I like seeing the pics, but to me, the majority of the time, many spend more time trying to find deer through pictures instead of just hunting. I like to hunt.

 

[Headhunter]

I would also say, the exact opposite of what many may think, you can kill deer, even nice bucks, without cameras.

 

[Mike Belt]

I'd venture to guess less than 10% of hunters running cameras kill the bucks they have pics of. They're fun to fool with though and can give you a head's up on what may be using an area.

 

[Nsghunter]

Depending on how much land and how many members I'd spend $400 on the lease and get cameras next year or the year after. I realize you said the 1.5 hour drive is an issue but you can possibly find something closer. That's exactly what I drive to mine. Good luck.

I only get to hunt around 5 -7 days a year. I have five boys, full time employee and I am a student.

It's hard for me to pay for a lease when it takes so durn long to get there. When I have such little time and minimal capital.

I believe the lease was $400 and 400 acres with 4-6 hunters.

I didn't know the fellow who had the lease but he wouldn't give me exacts about the acreage and the amount of hunters.

 

[Gravey]

Depending on how much land and how many members I'd spend $400 on the lease and get cameras next year or the year after. I realize you said the 1.5 hour drive is an issue but you can possibly find something closer. That's exactly what I drive to mine. Good luck.

I only get to hunt around 5 -7 days a year. I have five boys, full time employee and I am a student.

It's hard for me to pay for a lease when it takes so durn long to get there. When I have such little time and minimal capital.

I believe the lease was $400 and 400 acres with 4-6 hunters.

I didn't know the fellow who had the lease but he wouldn't give me exacts about the acreage and the amount of hunters.

I'm not seeing how you don't have the time. :poke:



j/k :lol:

Just don't use cameras. I never have and most likely never will. Nothing against them, I like seeing the pics, but to me, the majority of the time, many spend more time trying to find deer through pictures instead of just hunting. I like to hunt.

I bought one a couple of years ago and put it behind my house. Finally put it on the lease this year. My wife and kids gave me another one that's still in the package. They're cool and all but I'm like you in that I just go hunt based on the wind and sign I've seen in the woods.

 

[Nsghunter]

Depending on how much land and how many members I'd spend $400 on the lease and get cameras next year or the year after. I realize you said the 1.5 hour drive is an issue but you can possibly find something closer. That's exactly what I drive to mine. Good luck.

Funny thing is, I don't think that seeing the deer on camera would change much of anything about how I hunt. I am realizing that now from the posts. I think I would enjoy the thrill of seeing them on camera. Heck, if seeing them in camera translated to better harvests I would tap into a live satellite feed.

I only get to hunt around 5 -7 days a year. I have five boys, full time employee and I am a student.

It's hard for me to pay for a lease when it takes so durn long to get there. When I have such little time and minimal capital.

I believe the lease was $400 and 400 acres with 4-6 hunters.

I didn't know the fellow who had the lease but he wouldn't give me exacts about the acreage and the amount of hunters.

I'm not seeing how you don't have the time. :poke:



j/k :lol:

Just don't use cameras. I never have and most likely never will. Nothing against them, I like seeing the pics, but to me, the majority of the time, many spend more time trying to find deer through pictures instead of just hunting. I like to hunt.

I bought one a couple of years ago and put it behind my house. Finally put it on the lease this year. My wife and kids gave me another one that's still in the package. They're cool and all but I'm like you in that I just go hunt based on the wind and sign I've seen in the woods.