Game Cameras on public land.

[Buzzard Breath]

Whether you're hiking, hunting, or saying goodbye to your ex-wife.......

 

[killingtime 41]

TVA doesn't allow it either.

My opinion: I don't care if someone uses a cell (or other cam) on public all year (if legal to do so). I have hung them before a hunt. As said many times about trail cams, the cam does not guarantee a kill. The person has to get to the spot and hunt it and the deer has to get to the spot to be hunted and that has to happen at the same time...lol... As we have seen in many other threads, someone else may beat you to the spot or hunt it on days when you aren't around so no guarantees. I look at this the same as the debate between long bow, crossbow, compound, rifle, shotgun, muzzelloader..... Will always be a spirited debate and will have different opinions. Trail cams for me are inventory devices. Entertainment if you will. I'm not a fan of messing with someone's legally placed cam on public land. Now, will I have fun with it, you betcha. If I see it before I pass it, I will make sure the owner has a chuckle when they examine the card. Sometimes I put a txt on my phone with my number so they can contact me and we can swap stories if they like.

the phone number thing is a good idea. Probably won't call but who knows.

 

[killingtime 41]

This is a tough onewith many different opinions, I hunt private and public and use cameras everywhere.
When I am in the woods of I see any gear from someone I back out and move on.

now I might sit in the general area but not consecutively. It is public land and anyone has the right to hunt it while abiding by rules and regulations, even though they can be tough to interpret sometimes.

TO EACH THEIR OWN AND TO EACH BE LEFT ALONE
That's what I say. Why are you going to pull someone's card as you stated, leave another man's stuff alone, problem 1
#2 that's wrong of that game wardens and many others.

I'll tell you and anyone. You hunt how you want and I'll hunt how I want. I won't touch anything of anyone else's nor should you.

Now I have a guy a Catoosa that found my camera and whipped his d*** out. Well my 9yr old was standing right next to me when the video started luckily I turned away fast enough. And he better hope he moves quick if I ever see him. If everyone worries about themselves and let people stuff alone might be a lot of better places to hunt.


Opinions don't matter the law is the law.

Ok let's back up a minute. Let's get one thing straight. If a stand is placed on public land. It might be yours but any warden will tell you. First one to it sits in it. Not the owner the first one that decides to sit in it. I have never sat in another man's stand and most likely never will. Now let's get to pulling the card you seem to have a problem with. If I'm legally allowed to sit in someone else's stand. Why then do I not have the right to pull that card and see what's on it. If it's legal it's legal right. And first off my way of thinking about cell cams is this. I go to public land and put in the time to figure out where deer are coming and going. Somebody else may not put the pieces together like I have. Now they hang a cell cam boom there's this buck that buck or doe's. Not having to put the puzzle pieces together. Now just by having a camera hung out getting pics to there phone 24/7. Now they are hunting there in a situation they may on there own intel have never figured out. Just keep moving the camera till you find something. I am not against cameras at all. They can and are a very valuable tool. I run a couple at my house but it's my house. They are not cell cams. As I don't have to walk far to check them. And it's a form of entertainment. Let's get it straight I'm not a thief. Or the cameras wouldn't be in the woods would they.I hope you were just misunderstanding what I was trying to say. But I also say hunt whatever way makes you happy. As long as that doesn't encroach on any place a man would or will decide to hunt on public. And to me cell cams are an encroachment. If the acreage of said public land is large enough. To just get in the truck and drive elsewhere miles away.even though the cell cam is obviously interfering with your hunting if you have to now change course. I can live with that because of a large amount of acreage like Catoosa.

 

[BSK]

Ok let's back up a minute. Let's get one thing straight. If a stand is placed on public land. It might be yours but any warden will tell you. First one to it sits in it. Not the owner the first one that decides to sit in it. I have never sat in another man's stand and most likely never will. Now let's get to pulling the card you seem to have a problem with. If I'm legally allowed to sit in someone else's stand. Why then do I not have the right to pull that card and see what's on it

I couldn't agree more. Personally, I don't know why stands are allowed to be left in the woods on public property. But if they are, then I have no problem with someone pulling the card and seeing what's on it from a camera left on public property. Again, personally, I don't think stands should be allowed to be left in the woods on public ground, nor I do I think cameras should be allowed on public ground. But that's just me, and I don't have a dog in this fight (I don't hunt public land).

I go to public land and put in the time to figure out where deer are coming and going. Somebody else may not put the pieces together like I have. Now they hang a cell cam boom there's this buck that buck or doe's. Not having to put the puzzle pieces together. Now just by having a camera hung out getting pics to there phone 24/7. Now they are hunting there in a situation they may on there own intel have never figured out. Just keep moving the camera till you find something

This is the only part of your argument I have a problem with. It takes much, MUCH less skill to place a stand for hunting than it does to get an old buck on camera. A gun reaches a long way from a stand, and any deer moving in the gun's range can be taken. It doesn't take that much skill to find a good-looking area and decide to hunt it. However, it takes considerable knowledge and skill to place a camera where a mature buck is going to walk close enough to it to get his picture taken. Basically, closer than most can accurately shoot a bow. If you had to "put the puzzle pieces together" to find that spot to hunt, so did the person placing the camera, and the person placing the camera has to get much closer than most hunters.

 

[TheLBLman]

It takes much, MUCH less skill to place a stand for hunting than it does to get an old buck on camera.
However, it takes considerable knowledge and skill to place a camera where a mature buck is going to walk close enough to it to get his picture taken.
Basically, closer than most can accurately shoot a bow.
If you had to "put the puzzle pieces together" to find that spot to hunt, so did the person placing the camera, and the person placing the camera has to get much closer than most hunters.

THIS!
Ask me how I know.

This thread reminds me of some old threads of bowhunters bashing gun hunters and gun hunters bashing bowhunters. Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

Most who are angry about others using trail cams have never used one, or at least not enough to understand their limitations and values. This is even much more the case with cell cams.

 

[killingtime 41]

I couldn't agree more. Personally, I don't know why stands are allowed to be left in the woods on public property. But if they are, then I have no problem with someone pulling the card and seeing what's on it from a camera left on public property. Again, personally, I don't think stands should be allowed to be left in the woods on public ground, nor I do I think cameras should be allowed on public ground. But that's just me, and I don't have a dog in this fight (I don't hunt public land).


This is the only part of your argument I have a problem with. It takes much, MUCH less skill to place a stand for hunting than it does to get an old buck on camera. A gun reaches a long way from a stand, and any deer moving in the gun's range can be taken. It doesn't take that much skill to find a good-looking area and decide to hunt it. However, it takes considerable knowledge and skill to place a camera where a mature buck is going to walk close enough to it to get his picture taken. Basically, closer than most can accurately shoot a bow. If you had to "put the puzzle pieces together" to find that spot to hunt, so did the person placing the camera, and the person placing the camera has to get much closer than most hunters.

I will agree with you on that. But to find the sign needed and to sit on it. Takes more time to figure it all out. Should I get closer. Am I to close do I need to back up. Now you've sat few hours to realize it's doe's with spotted fawns. Now you dig a little deeper. I know you have to put the pieces together to put the camera out. But now instead of doing like we use to. You get all the intel watching a rerun of seinfield. I know how important game cams are. Like I said I use them at home. We'll just let this dog lye. Because I cannot argue you are correct. I love watching the fawns grow into mature bucks. And doe's become old matriarchs. I watch in November all the new bucks coming through. But it's like I said at my house. I wanted other peoples opinion on public land use of them. Not really wanting an argument. But I was sure it was gonna happen. Take it easy BSK appreciate all the interesting work you do. Now that I can get behind.

 

[ImThere]

So if I set a cam on the way to hunt I'm automatically leaving it out all season and you should be able to look at my personal card in my camera because it's in public land?
Should I be able to use your car because it's on public land?

 

[41Magnum]

I use a trail cam on public land where I hunt and it's remote rough land. Not many folks will go up there as it's just plain hard hunting, low deer density area. I've never had a pic of a person on my camera. I move it frequently, every 3-4 weeks, as to see what's going on. The buck I took this past season I never saw on camera. It helps me decide where and how I'll hunt it. I have seen other cams in other areas up there but I steer clear of those areas when I do. As for stands I do have a couple of ladder stands there and I only move them if the sign goes away. Matter of fact I haven't had a person walk in on me in years.
When I hunt a WMA, if I see a stand while scouting I just wish the guy well and just move on. I just go a little deeper and set up somewhere else.

 

[paboom]

The anti-cell cam crowd is fascinating. I've never known another group of people so passionately against something which clearly understand so little about how they work.

 

[Ski]

I wanted other peoples opinion on public land use of them. Not really wanting an argument. But I was sure it was gonna happen.

You clearly have a staunch opinion on the subject, asked others their opinion, then proceeded argue with them about it. That really seems like wanting an argument.

That said, I don't mind. Call it an argument. Call it a debate. Doesn't matter. It's an exchange of perspective and that hardly ever can happen in a pretty manner. Nature of the beast. When it goes too far is when someone gets emotional or begins berating and insulting others. So long as it can remain civil, I rather enjoy "arguments" because I learn from others or see things from a new perspective. Just because we don't agree on a topic doesn't mean we are enemies.

 

[TheLBLman]

The anti-cell cam crowd is fascinating. I've never known another group of people so passionately against something which clearly understand so little about how they work.

I can actually see how any cam could create problems on a water hole in a western desert.

But on most places in TN, public or private, I believe they cause more benefit than harm, even to those NOT using trail cams.

One of the main factors behind the increase in hunters eagerly passing up young bucks has been their having pictures of older bucks on trail cams. This in turn has dramatically increased the number of 2 1/2 & older bucks available for ALL hunters.

Another thing: The use of trail cams can actually cause a decrease in other hunters intruding (scouting) wherever you are or were planning to hunt. I'd much rather have someone place a cell cam in an area than be walking around that area "scouting" for fresh sign. Truth is, "scouting" (in person) does more to harm other hunters opportunities than anyone's trail cams.

Trail cams simply cause more good than bad,
at least here in most of Tennessee.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

The anti-cell cam crowd is fascinating. I've never known another group of people so passionately against something which clearly understand so little about how they work.

I'm one of those guys that is passionately against trail cams on public land. It's not because I clearly understand so little about how they work; I use them myself on private land. It's because I'm tired of people leaving their yugo in the woods for others to clean up. Every year I extensively scout local WMA's for the next year. Every year I find multiple stands, broke down blinds, camp chairs, trail cams, etc, that people probably set up with good intentions on retrieving them in the future, but never do. They leave it up to guys like me to pack them out and haul them to the garbage.

 

[themanpcl]

TVA doesn't allow it either.

the phone number thing is a good idea. Probably won't call but who knows.

we did that in IL but no response. Not sure if cam was working or not so...

 

[Falconi]

So if I set a cam on the way to hunt I'm automatically leaving it out all season and you should be able to look at my personal card in my camera because it's in public land?

Yes. I cannot take your SD card because that is theft (or is it?). Are the pictures on the card protected by law? IANAL, but I doubt it, because it's on public property.

Should I be able to use your car because it's on public land?

Obviously, no. It's a bad analogy.

 

[killingtime 41]

You clearly have a staunch opinion on the subject, asked others their opinion, then proceeded argue with them about it. That really seems like wanting an argument.

That said, I don't mind. Call it an argument. Call it a debate. Doesn't matter. It's an exchange of perspective and that hardly ever can happen in a pretty manner. Nature of the beast. When it goes too far is when someone gets emotional or begins berating and insulting others. So long as it can remain civil, I rather enjoy "arguments" because I learn from others or see things from a new perspective. Just because we don't agree on a topic doesn't mean we are enemies.

That is a fact we are not enemies. Just Different strokes for different folks.sometimes even being able to see the other persons side a little bit.

 

[killingtime 41]

I can actually see how any cam could create problems on a water hole in a western desert.

But on most places in TN, public or private, I believe they cause more benefit than harm, even to those NOT using trail cams.

One of the main factors behind the increase in hunters eagerly passing up young bucks has been their having pictures of older bucks on trail cams. This in turn has dramatically increased the number of 2 1/2 & older bucks available for ALL hunters.

Another thing: The use of trail cams can actually cause a decrease in other hunters intruding (scouting) wherever you are or were planning to hunt. I'd much rather have someone place a cell cam in an area than be walking around that area "scouting" for fresh sign. Truth is, "scouting" (in person) does more to harm other hunters opportunities than anyone's trail cams.

Trail cams simply cause more good than bad,
at least here in most of Tennessee.

That really was never the argument to begin with. This isn't about cameras. It's about them being left on public land all year.

 

[paboom]

I'm one of those guys that is passionately against trail cams on public land. It's not because I clearly understand so little about how they work; I use them myself on private land. It's because I'm tired of people leaving their **** in the woods for others to clean up. Every year I extensively scout local WMA's for the next year. Every year I find multiple stands, broke down blinds, camp chairs, trail cams, etc, that people probably set up with good intentions on retrieving them in the future, but never do. They leave it up to guys like me to pack them out and haul them to the garbage.

Ah, the whole 'punish everyone because of a few bad apples'.

FWIW, I know a lot of people who run cameras 365. So they weren't "left" and they aren't "trash". They're in use.

 

[ImThere]

Yes. I cannot take your SD card because that is theft (or is it?). Are the pictures on the card protected by law? IANAL, but I doubt it, because it's on public property.



Obviously, no. It's a bad analogy.

No it's actually not. IMHO. It's your private property in public land. Same o same o.

Ok maybe I don't use your car. Maybe I just sit in it and listen to the radio. Is the music coming out of the radio private?

My private property is still private property no matter where I leave it IMHO.

I don't uses cameras on public land because I don't want them stole. But I have left my stands on public land and people hunted out of them often. It was a risk I was willing to take to have some easy places to hunt and not carry anything in. Where all my stands hunting stands or decoys? Idk if I put a trail cam out would it be to have you stop and look or continue scout in to my honey hole? Things aren't always what they seem.

I have no problem either way. I don't understand the it's not fair mentality. Anyone can do the same thing it's equal opportunity.

 

[Falconi]

No it's actually not. IMHO. It's your private property in public land. Same o same o.

Ok maybe I don't use your car. Maybe I just sit in it and listen to the radio. Is the music coming out of the radio private?

My private property is still private property no matter where I leave it IMHO.

I don't uses cameras on public land because I don't want them stole. But I have left my stands on public land and people hunted out of them often. It was a risk I was willing to take to have some easy places to hunt and not carry anything in. Where all my stands hunting stands or decoys? Idk if I put a trail cam out would it be to have you stop and look or continue scout in to my honey hole? Things aren't always what they seem.

I have no problem either way. I don't understand the it's not fair mentality. Anyone can do the same thing it's equal opportunity.

Others have said you can sit in someone else's stand on public property. It's because equipment left in WMAs is "public domain." You can't take it, but you can use it. The parking lot is excluded.

I don't have a dog in this fight. Just making conversation.

 

[paboom]

Others have said you can sit in someone else's stand on public property. It's because equipment left in WMAs is "public domain." You can't take it, but you can use it. The parking lot is excluded.

I don't have a dog in this fight. Just making conversation.

Good to know. Hear that boys? You can "use" someone's 4 wheeler or Side By Side. As long as it's not in the parking lot of course.