# Trail Camera Law on Forest Service Land?



## JuddCT

I was just reading on the DWR website that you can only put a trail camera up a maximum of 1 week before the hunt starts? I haven't heard of this before. What about tree stands?
http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/news/42-utah-wildlife-news/585-preparing-for-utahs-archery-hunts.html


> If you want to learn more about the wildlife in your hunting area, placing a trail camera or two in the area is a great idea. But please remember that you may not place a camera on any national forest until one week before the hunt on that forest starts.
> 
> This law has been in effect for two or three years. 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.


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## svmoose

interesting, I hadn't heard of that either. Good to know. I was going to go set up my cams in 2 weeks. I guess I better wait.


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## Fishrmn

That's gonna be a tough one to enforce, and one that gets ignored a lot. What about someone who bought a trail camera that doesn't hunt? When is there not a hunt open in a National forest? At least around here? Bear hunts. Grouse hunts. Snowshoe hare hunts. Archery deer hunts. Mt. goat hunts. Elk hunts. Moose hunts. Muzzle loader hunts. Rifle hunts. And one week isn't enough time to scout much territory. Unless you've got lots of cameras and lots of free time to set them and retrieve the pictures before the hunt.

I haven't seen the Forest Service law (I'm looking now) but I've heard of some Forest Service employees that seem to have a dislike for trail cameras. I'm hoping that this is rumor, and not policy.

Fishrmn


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## Puddler

All you have to say is you're using it to hunt coyotes - They are always in season :lol:


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## Huge29

Maybe that is the DWR rule, I believe the FS rule is that anything left more than 24 hours?? is considered abandoned property and they confiscate it just like they will with tree stands, from what I have heard.


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## Fishrmn

> If you want to learn more about the wildlife in your hunting area, placing a trail camera or two in the area is a great idea. But please remember that you may not place a camera on any national forest until one week before the hunt on that forest starts.
> 
> *This law has been in effect for two or three years. 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.*


Looks like USFS, not UDWR. Again, how are they going to dictate how long before a hunting season if you aren't using it for hunting? Or if you are hunting something that doesn't have a closed season.

Are you saying that if I have a tent in the woods and a ranger comes by and I'm not at the campsite he can say my tent is abandoned property 24 hours later?

Fishrmn


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## Kevin D

Not that I use a trail cam for it, *BUT*, bear pursuit season opens July 9th so technically I would not be in violation.


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## gooseblaster

Fishrman, 
It's actually 72 hours until it is considered abandoned property. Most LEO's (law enforcement officers) and FPO's(forest protection officers) usually wont do anything about any property unless it has been there for weeks on end or it just simly looks abandoned. i have only ever seen one camping trailer hauled off the mountain with a towing truck. it had been there for a month and the FS tried contactin the owner for two week and left several messages but we recieved no replies. There are some wieners out there however


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## Fishrmn

Gooseblaster,
Do you have any information on the regulation for trail cameras? Is that going to be 72 hours? One week? And how are they going to determine that? Unless someone tells them when it was placed, they won't know how long it has been there. Are they going to require you to have your contact information on or in the camera? Sounds like the best policy is to have them where they won't be seen by the Forest Circus. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Fishrmn


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## fishawk

I hate to say it but this is the dumbest rule I've ever heard of. There is absolutely no reason to limit the time period of placing a trail cam. What's the harm? No one is going to spend $125+ to place a cam and abandon it. I don't see our forests becoming a junk yard for trail cams. I'm a stickler for adhering to rules and regs but this one is laughable. Sorry.


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## Huge29

fishawk said:


> I hate to say it but this is the dumbest rule I've ever heard of. There is absolutely no reason to limit the time period of placing a trail cam. What's the harm? No one is going to spend $125+ to place a cam and abandon it. I don't see our forests becoming a junk yard for trail cams. I'm a stickler for adhering to rules and regs but this one is laughable. Sorry.


It is ironic how the division often mentions a shortage of man power in enforcing existing laws and even in very slow response to hot leads of poaching and now to be enforcing an utterly ridiculous rule... :lol:


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## Guest

i'd like to report a violation of this new law!!!! SOMEONE has placed (and im sure, abandoned) a trail camera, IN THE WOODS ON PUBLIC LAND, on a tree, THAT THEY PAY TAXES ON, right next to the tree mine is attached to!! :lol: how dare they!! i want something done about this immediately!! :lol: o-||


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## gooseblaster

Fishrmn said:


> Gooseblaster,
> Do you have any information on the regulation for trail cameras? Is that going to be 72 hours? One week? And how are they going to determine that? Unless someone tells them when it was placed, they won't know how long it has been there. Are they going to require you to have your contact information on or in the camera? Sounds like the best policy is to have them where they won't be seen by the Forest Circus. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
> 
> Fishrmn


To be honest i have never heard of this reg. I think it is pretty dumb and ya hide it from the circus....you know off the trail....we don't get far off the trail 

To me this sounds like a specail order for the unitas or whatever forest this Hendricks guy is on. Some forest's can make up thier own regulations.....so i doubt this is a nation wide federal regulation. But hey i could be wrong...they do some wierd stuff that never makes sense :roll: !


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## middlefork

See this topic for the latest update.
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=35358&start=50


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## kailey29us

I checked the DWR website today and they finally changed the story!


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