AZG&F has lost their minds

[elkaholic]

https://postimages.org/][/u

AZG&F commissioners passed unanimously to ban all use of trail cameras.

[Patcon]

What is the logic?

[W.Miguire]

WHAT?
W.M.

[xcaliber]

Why exactly?

[elkaholic]

Here's one theory, a different approach to problem

Trail camera regulation has been discussed in Arizona for a long time, even before Nevada put their rules in place. Even though we didnt beat Nevada to the punch on regulation it is great that we seem to have Commissioners with integrity and the backbone for leadership.

And lets be really honest, this isnt about cameras for the guides, it is about data. Cameras are simply a cheap tool that allows outfitters to send teams of young inexperienced wanna be guides into the field to collect data for outfitting syndicates, some controlled outside the state of Arizona.  Also, many of the pictures collected are used to market expo and auction tags for people that view the hunt as the wasted time between  when they get off the plane and the time they pull the trigger.  Trail cameras are turning some large outfitters in multi national Walmarts when the citizens of Arizona would be much better served by keeping the guide businesses local.  Outfitters should be hired based on skill, not by their level of access to some trophy hunting database.

And the thought of not having a guide walk into a wallow at 10 AM to check a camera on my 5BS archery bull elk hunt while I was sitting in a ground blind with my 8 year old son in 2016 would be great. The thought of a team of camera checkers not running the camera circuit all day long on my Kaibab archery deer hunt in 2018 would also be nice. Even nicer would have been the ability to take a leak virtually anywhere on the strip in 2012 during my archery deer hunt , that place was covered up with camera.s then I cannot imagine it now. And like I said  above., getting  cameras off of public land will  reduce the number of fresh juicy marketing pictures that fuels the engine that  drives the shift of more  tags to expos, raffles and other circuses.,  a total win win for 99% of us.

And like someone mentioned above, if we must register the cameras they could be tagged with color coded annual registration stickers purchased online and linked to each hunters hunting license. A limit of 10 cameras per license, the first 3 cameras are 10 bucks, the next 7 are 50 bucks each. If cameras will be used for commercial purposes they  will need to capture device serial numbers in the metadata for each photo in order to make sure the device is properly registered.in Arizona . Cameras would not be allowed from aug-dec and there would be no special loopholes for guides to use more than the established personal camera limits. Unregistered cameras would be viewed as empty beers cans and other trash and responsible hunters would be encouraged to clean them up which should take the burden off of the Wildlife managers.

[elkaholic]

G&F has been pressured by land owners, etc. They cry not fair chase etc. Tanks with dozen of cameras from all kinda guides and hunters.

Say its pressuring animals and is an unfair advantage. Etc.

[Doe Master]

I guess I am different but I just enjoy seeing pictures of deer on my cameras . Would I like one of those bucks that happens to walk by . Yes by all means .

[DuckHunt]

Is that on all lands or just public lands? If its all lands, then I totally disagree with them.

I hunt in locations that have rules on the opposite ends of the spectrum. In Virginia I hunt on private land and have stands and cameras up year round. In Arkansas I hunt on public land and cameras are not allowed.

On private land, I think the Gov't has no right to tell a person what they can/can't do regarding cameras. Adding cameras doesn't kill more game, killing game does. If a private landowner wants to put up 100 cameras on his property and drive around all day checking them, more power to him. I'm sure the adjacent landowners would appreciate it.

On public land, I've hunted locations where you have to bring everything out of the woods each day that you took in with you. That works very well. You even have to pick up your spent casings/hulls. If you leave anything behind, including trail marking tape, that's littering. It evens the playing field for every hunter that has to hunt the public lands.

[XB I GO]

I think on private property you can take a picture of whatever you want. On public land this might be a good idea for many reasons.

[AJ01]

Gotta agree with DuckHunt!!!

If the land is private, put up all the cameras you want. I'm glad I had camera's running on two of my places this year cause it helped me and the Game Warden catch some poachers!!
I generally run 3-4 cameras per parcel of land.

Back in my youth, I hunted out west a lot. Most of it on Bureau of Land Management Lands. No cameras. (This was BEFORE the days of trail cams.)
Still managed to take a fair number of good animals.
I personally don't think using cameras on "Public" land is a fair idea when it comes to "Outfitters". Let's say I drive from East Texas to Wyoming to hunt Elk ( after winning the lottery ) in the same area north of Jackson Hole (in the Bridger/Teton National Forest range) that a local "outfitter" has access to year round with his trail cameras in place year round.
Who has the "better success rate"? Who's gonna set up his spike camp in the area where you have poured over topo maps for months so you'll know the area you want to hunt before you ever get there? And how and why did he do all of this, with the use of those cameras that everyone loves!
I don't hunt out west anymore. Too much of a hassle. Too much money. Too many idiots!!

Now wait a minute...before I get hate mail .
If I am an "Outfitter" that has LEASED a section of land, and that no one else should be on that section, then run all the cameras you want.
I know some guys spend A LOT of MONEY each year leasing property. In places like Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana it's a "dog eat dog" world when it comes to prime hunting areas. If I have the best Elk, biggest Rams or outrageous Deer, then I draw the clients. And IF I can't produce, guess who don't work next year?
The last "guided hunt" I have been on was probably in 1994-95. (Regulations said we HAD to hire a guide to hunt there). Since then It's all been on me. I don't want to travel just to have to compete with local outfitters on public land in order to hunt "fair chase". At that point, is it really fair chase?

Want to see a list of regulations a mile long? Then go to TPWD's "Public Land Regulations" section. There's enough restrictions there to choke a horse!
Basically, if YOU the hunter, wants to use something (stand, blind, camera, whatever), on PUBLIC LAND, "pack it in, then at the end of the hunting day, PACK IT OUT"!!!
Enough said! !

Just the thoughts of a Grumpy Old Redneck from Deep within the Heart of the East Texas Piney Woods!!
Y'all be careful out there!!
AJ

[Patcon]

I agree
Thats find for public lands or WMA land but private property should be exempt