OF WILDLIFE Division of Law Enforcement Trail Cameras June 2013 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE

Division of Law Enforcement

Trail Cameras

June 2013

Trail Cameras

• SD card
• Remote uplink

to computer

Walmart $50.00

The Wildgame Innovations Crush 8 Cellular Trail Camera sends pictures wirelessly via MMS - Compatible with GSM provider that uses SIM cards with 3G speed capability (AT&T, T-Mobile).

Current Status

• Trail cameras are legal in Nevada
• NDOW has authority to regulate as it

directly relates to hunting

– Similar to aerial scouting

• USFS & BLM have no restrictions

Trail Cameras

Pros

• Year round hobby
• See secretive wildlife
• Allow non-hunters to

enjoy wildlife

• Can be used to sell

trophy hunts Cons

• Get stolen
• Can restrict wildlife

access if habitat manipulated to funnel wildlife

• May cause baiting
• Can be used to sell

trophy hunts

• May give hunting a bad

image

States Survey

Does your state allow the use of trail cameras for purposes of hunting?

YES

• California
• Utah
• Colorado
• Idaho
• Wyoming
• Oregon
• New Mexico
• Arizona

NO

• Montana

Arizona Game & Fish

• If you’re not a subscriber,

here is just a taste of what you have been missing: using trail cameras, hunting tips, fishing tips, important dates, department news and announcements, elk hunting and draw odds,

• wls of Arizona, and

much more.

.

Utah Division for Wildlife

Utah Division of Wildlife Website

Preparing for Utah's archery hunts

Trail cameras, tree stands and ATVs If you want to learn more about the wildlife in your hunting area, placing a trail camera

• r two in the area is a great idea. Ted

Hendricks, recreation manager for the Uinta National Forest, says you don't need to register your trail camera with the U.S. Forest Service at the present time.

Montana

The 1999 language was: It is unlawful for a person, while hunting, to possess any electronic motion-tracking device or mechanism, as defined by Commission rule, that is designed to track the motion of a game animal and relay info

• n the animal’s movement to a hunter.

Montana’s Regulation

• Current Law (2010) states:

– It is illegal for a person to possess or use in the field any electronic or camera device whose purpose is to scout the location on game animals or relay the information on a game animals location or movement during any Commission adopted hunting season.

Montana’s Regulation

• With the opening of the first big game

season in the state no trail cameras may be used for the purpose of hunting

Montana’s Regulation

• Montana’s trail camera regulation is not a

“stand alone” regulation.

– Must be written under “violation of commission rules and violations”

Montana’s Regulation

• Penalty

– Misdemeanor – $135.00 fine – No revocation associated with a conviction

Montana Comments

• Montana’s regulation is designed to

– Protect trophy animals – Do what is ethically right – Non hunters influence hunting activities, this regulation demonstrates hunters do want to hunt ethically

Montana Comments

• Montana’s observations

– Initially controversial – Good hunter support after implemented – Positive non-hunter public support – Few problems

Conclusions

• Baiting has been an identified issue that

sometimes arises from the use of trail cameras

– NAC 503.149 covers baiting

• A trail camera regulations will be

controversial amongst hunters

Conclusions

• It a Social & Ethical Issue
• What do our sportsman want regarding

use of trail cameras?

– Distance restriction? – Time restriction? – A ban? – Leave as is?