Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Game Cameras on Public Land

Has anyone placed game cameras on public land? Were they stolen, messed with or left alone? It was years ago when I called the Forest Service and they were fine it as long as my contact info. was readily visible on the camera. Elk move around so much I don't think they'd be overly useful for a fall hunt, but it might be interesting to see how big some of the bulls are...if the camera captures any.

I don't use them personally but I've seen a few on public land. Never crossed my mind to mess with one.

I have seen a few , but always figured it was laziness or lack of knowledge by the person on how to find elk

Most of the public land hunters that I know who use them are deer hunters. Most of those are whitetail hunters, although a few of the local ranchers I know use them to help pattern big mule deer. I do know a couple of bow hunters who use them for elk, and they seem to be useful for those who sit on water sources or heavily used trails. I think that there are so many elk hunters afield during rifle seasons that they are minimally useful, if at all.

I've come across a few over the years in the elk mountains.

I like to give the owner a gift, show them my ass crack and dirty dance in front of them for a while.

We put ours out on old crossings and water sources for mule deer and elk and pull them in the last day to see what we might have missed. We really don’t use them for hunting info..

It depends..... when I find them in Wisconsin... And I see a lot of them.

If I see one, and it is strapped to the tree and nothing is disturbed... I'm cool with it.... I leave it alone...

If I see one over a bear bait, I leave it alone. Baiting bear is legal… I'm cool with that.

But, If on Public land, if I find some AZZBAG has one screwed to a tree... with shooting lanes cut and tree branches cut for a stand tree and the like... I take out the SD card and batteries and cut the strap or tie a knot in the strap so tight that he has to cut the strap.

If I find one over a bait pile on public land, (It's illegal to bait here) I take the SD card, batteries and I may smash the camera on the tree.

The new ones are so cool.... they have cell phone connections to them. so the owner will get a picture of me on his phone when I find his camera. .. .

I never see them in the elk woods when I am out west....

I may have photos of you.

From Wyoming? Sweet.

Post my skillz.

They tend to disappear.

Would you leave your rifle leaning against a tree in hopes that it will be there for your next hunt. Abandoning stuff on public land is just asking for it to be removed. An acquaintance of mine lost a couple of cameras on public land and had some USFS stickers made to put on his cameras and so far has been left alone.

Just what the world needs, another wanna be enforcer...One COULD report them, and have a chance at the owner being caught.... nope...lets just do whatever we want and steal while we are at it.

One place where I elk hunt it is the fish and wildlife department that have the most game cameras out and it's not to watch game.

Roas495 :Just what the world needs, another wanna be enforcer...One COULD report them, and have a chance at the owner being caught.... nope...lets just do whatever we want and steal while we are at it.


I hear you... I understand what you are saying... And.... YOU are right. The world dose not need another rule enforcer...

I see a lot of these cameras on public land near my house, and I don't see a problem with it at all.

However, I have not been checked by a Game Warden in Wisconsin in the last 8 or 9 years... Game wardens are just not on the landscape. And when they are... they have bigger problems to tackle.... You are just not going to get any kind of law enforcement action of any kind for someone, on public land, who cuts shooting lanes, dumps bait, and damages trees for "their spot" . Public land needs to be respected because you are not the only one using it, and, it's not just yours.

By the way... I have an ice cream pail half full of AA batteries and 3/4 coffee cup full of SD cards....

I leave my camera on public land. If I catch some azzhole fucquing with my sheit he'll have his hands full, same as he would if he fucqued with my truck or my campsite. If it's not yours, keep your hands off it, it dont belong to you.

I once worked on an RMEF project to fence off "sensitive riparian elk wintering grounds" from what was thought to be ATV riders tearing up the banks of a creek. The DOW hung some trail cameras and found it it was mountain bikers.

I don't use cameras but I'm with you on that.

You should probably have your ass kicked for doing chit like that.

i hang cameras all year around on public land. don't use them so much to hunt but to monitor the health and numbers of the wildlife that affect me. like wolves, cats, bears, and coyotes.
last couple years its been predators out numbering the game.

if it aint yours do not fugg with it