Trail Cam Ban

[Mayfly]

Motion-Tracking Devices and/or Camera Devices
It is illegal for a person to possess or use in the field any electronic or camera device who’s purpose is to scout the location of game animals or relay the information on a game animal’s location or movement during any Commission adopted hunting season.

From page 10 of the regulations.
http://fwpiis.mt.gov/content/getItem.aspx?id=42204


Trail Cam Ban in Montana! What do you guys think about this? Is it going to spread?

[Mayfly]

Here is a good short article that I found on the trail cam ban.... I guess its old news just making the news now:

UPDATE: Montana Trail-Camera Ban

We had a good discussion ripe with speculation on this last week, and I said I would get to the bottom of it. Well, Hilary, one of my editors at Grand View Outdoors, did it for us. She interviewed Mike Korn, Assistant Chief, Montana's Law Enforcement Bureau. Excerpts from the story here:
Big revelation--trail cameras (during hunting season) have been illegal in Montana for 12 years! Who ever knew that? Glad I never used one while filming all those hunts on the Milk River.
"This is not a change from previous years,” Korn said. “Because of numerous questions from people (recently), the commission chose to clarify the use of trail cameras…in the 2010 Big Game Hunting Regulations.”
Korn said there have been “some significant discussions over hunter ethics, fair chase and technology” in Montana. He mentions “remote hunting” and says: “to some degree, this is an attempt to get ahead of that activity…”
What constitutes remote hunting? Korn says: “where a person taking an animal does not have to be physically present to take an animal.” I don’t know what that means or how it is even possible. But there is speculation that the newest cams that relay images to a mobile phone are a big part of why Montana is clarifying and tightening the regs.
Those 2010 MT regs read: It is illegal for a person to possess or use in the field any electronic or camera device who's [sic] purpose is to scout the location of game animals or relay the information on a game animal's location or movement…
The broad wording “any camera device” made me wonder if this could apply to our Buck Stops Here HD cameras. Suppose we film a good buck in a woodlot one morning, then go back in the same woods and hunt him that afternoon?
"The regulation does not apply to video cameras being used for the purpose of documenting a hunt or hunters being filmed by television programs,” Korn said.  “It is only aimed at scouting and relaying (therefore in another location) information on an animal’s physical location."
Okay, good, but I still have 2 questions:
Will other states follow suit and disallow trail cams in the season? While this could certainly be precedent, I doubt it. Do you think it could happen?
And do you really know what’s lurking in your hunting regs? It had never occurred to me that trail cams would be illegal anywhere. You and I had better read up.

Article source: http://www.sdoinsider.com/tc_update_montana_trail_camera_ban

[BiggA]

I have no problem with a ban during the hunting season. Especially if it is true that cameras and send exact time locations of animals in the present. I  did not know these things were that advanced.

[deadeye]

"Korn said there have been “some significant discussions over hunter ethics, fair chase and technology” in Montana. He mentions “remote hunting” and says: “to some degree, this is an attempt to get ahead of that activity…”

I believe he is referring to a web site that was set up about 7-8 years ago where you could aim and shoot a gun.  At the time it was discussed that it could be used for "remote" hunting. (for a fee you could control a gun and shoot baited animals). 

At first I thought what's the big deal about "cameras" but then when you think about it... just where do you draw the line.  A guy could have 10 cameras streaming video from locations all around him directly to his laptop. (while in a stand) Different sounds could alert him if the deer is approaching or leaving his stand.  Just think of all the possibilities. 

[stevejedlenski]

i do believe there is regulation in Minnesota about using cameras with live images. not the trail cams that you have to pick up and check. i will check and see if i can find it but I'm sure it's around.

[stevejedlenski]

all i could find before getting side tracked was the "computer hunting" laws