Thoughts on trail cams

I was wondering how everyone feels about trail cams. It seems like lately in our mountains they are everywhere. If there is a wallow or water hole you will find a trail cam there. I personally know guys who have 8 or more of them set up.

I personally wish they would go away. I can understand why people use them, hunting is hard and it could be a huge advantage to always know what is drinking out of your favorite water hole. But there is this thing called scouting where you go out and actually look with your own two eyes. It can be a lot of work to hike miles into the woods to find animals preseason. But I think that is just part of the whole game.

Are trail cams part of fair chase hunting? What do you guys think.
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hardstalk
I think i could go either way on this one. If i lived close to my hunting area i would agree with you. unfortunately my favorite area to hunt is an 8 hour drive. That's also the location i have a 98% chance of drawing a tag in. For me there really helpful to see if the game is still there and the area is still active I am not allowed to take off as much time as i would like from work so once i have the tag in hand i can then make the time for a bonsai trip and setup cams and be back to work on Monday which makes for 16 hours of driving 7 hours of hiking and a sleepy me on Monday. once i get to actually hunt the area i have seven days to make something happen. i can bring a digital cam check the pics on the trail cams and plan if i would like to stay in that area and make it a base camp or wander to new territory and learn an all new area. (I am speaking like i have done it a hundred times but really that's just the game plan I have come up with for this year i don't mean to be misleading)
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Great question/topic!

The same could be asked of a rifle and a high power scope though right?

IMHO, the hunting season is so short and the opportunities so few that I would have to support the trail cams (even though I don't use one). I'm also excited about my new scope! :thumb
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2559/5783808946_60ac0c6bfe_z.jpg" alt="" />

I cover a lot of ground scouting, but I'm ok with people having the edge coming into a 5 day hunt like they did last year in Ut.

Interested to hear other opinions though.

-Sid
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killerbee
like everything, it only takes a few bad apples to ruin it for everyone!

i have 3 , haven't even set any up in 3 yrs, to me their just a fun hobby if i have time. fact is- i always set mine up in a unit i couldn't even draw a tag for- didn't even apply there. so while i am out "scouting" the area i'm going to hunt, i'm also enjoying taking picturs of bucks and bulls just out of curiosity.

that said- i sure dont like the idea of trail cams on every water hole to locate a 400" bull or people getting so caught up with dis-liking them that they steal or damage them.

so might vote is right down the middle of the road i guess :-k
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I have to agree with no cameras, here in Montana they are illegal during hunting season including early antelope. This keeps everyone on a equal bases.
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MuleyMadness
I personally like them, but agreed they are a bit 'out of control'.
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dahlmer
I have never used one. I do see them all over the place and I'll admit I get a little bugged when I can't go down the trail without having my picture taken. I really get bugged though when I find areas where folks have taken ATV's right to their cameras in an area that is closed to that use. I have seen that a few times.
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derekp1999
I would really struggle with putting my cameras up on public land. I hear too many stories about guys getting their cameras broken or stolen. That's a couple hundred dollars I probably couldn't afford to loose. My family has some property and have had a camera there for the last couple years, mostly for the entertainment of my grandparents who set up a trough and salt lick behind the cabin. But last year I finally figured out some of the kinks and got a couple decent shots of some bucks when I hiked up the mountain behind the cabin.
I've had a lot of fun strapping a camera onto a tree at family campouts or scout camp. My wife does the scrapbook thing and we've got some great pics on family outings from the cameras. Parents love seeing the slideshows I can create & we can see the whole weeks activities of scout camp in a 4 minute time lapse video at a Court of Honor.
I consider it more a hobby & entertainment, but if it just so happens that I check my camera and a nice buck is frequenting the area... well you know where I'd be in the fall.
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sneekeepete
I think they have their time and place. Honestly they do bother me on public land because of the ammount of impact they do bring. People checking them and conflicting with other sportsman who hunt the same area or the radical enviromental folks out looking for them and stealing them just seems to bring too much negative impact to our public lands.
I agree they are fun and can be very helpful but I also think that they should be restricted by season and if that didn't simmer things down then just banned from public land all together.
Just my .02
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