Iowa Cell Camera rules

[Muddyrem]

I have not hunted public for years (except for pheasants) so I didn’t realize that . That’s annoying! Cell cams ?

I don’t typically deer hunt public but I do turkey hunt and look for sheds every now and then. This spring I seen 3 trail cameras (cell cams) on 1 small field not far off a public pull in, assuming they were scouting for turkeys? Ran into a guy mushroom hunting and he was also complaining about it this spring. On top of that, a guy can get on social media and see posts. I seen a guy last fall was complaining about another guy throwing a cell camera up on the same fence post he had one on; that’s insane……..

Just like everything else In the world; leave it to us humans to mess up a good thing. Deer make people do really stupid things and throw social media in the mix where everyone is out for the likes and atta boys its just change the dynamic of it all. Really sad what it has come to honestly……….

 

[deerhunter93]

I did a lot of hunting on public land when I got started. Even though I have a few private spots now I still go back to one public piece that I spent a ton of time at over the years. I think in the first 20 years of hunting it I saw one or two cameras. The last few years I have seen multiple cell cameras consistently on the one trail I walk in on. I don't want to know how many are scattered around that place.

I hope the DNR doesn't back down on this.

 

[Oct-Lull]

I am all for it but E bikes have to go too. Theu are ruining public far more than cameras.

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[whitetail_obsession]

Have been listening to a podcast by the Southern Outdoorsman and the guy being interviewed was asked what he did differently when he started consistently killing big bucks. He said without a doubt the number one thing was the use of trail cameras and even more with real time data with cell cams. I found it interesting as it pertains to this discussion. Take away cameras and you're back to visual sightings and scouting for sign not knowing how big the deer was that left the sign. Totally agree the public has too many trail cams so it will make it feel wild again. I know its been discussed on here about what could bring the giant bucks back in Iowa and I think if we're being honest there's a whole lot of us that are not as good at targeting big deer as we think without the info we gain from cameras. Definitely will be interesting and again I hope they ban cell cams entirely because all it takes is a couple days of not checking a non-cell camera and a buck could be on a different pattern especially near or during the rut.

 

[Daver]

Have been listening to a podcast by the Southern Outdoorsman and the guy being interviewed was asked what he did differently when he started consistently killing big bucks. He said without a doubt the number one thing was the use of trail cameras and even more with real time data with cell cams. I found it interesting as it pertains to this discussion. Take away cameras and you're back to visual sightings and scouting for sign not knowing how big the deer was that left the sign. Totally agree the public has too many trail cams so it will make it feel wild again. I know its been discussed on here about what could bring the giant bucks back in Iowa and I think if we're being honest there's a whole lot of us that are not as good at targeting big deer as we think without the info we gain from cameras. Definitely will be interesting and again I hope they ban cell cams entirely because all it takes is a couple days of not checking a non-cell camera and a buck could be on a different pattern especially near or during the rut.

I have sung that same tune ^^, especially the bolded parts, out loud, long and strong. I really think this would have much more of an impact on getting back to the day where there are more true giants in the timbers than just going to a OBL. (I don't oppose a OBL, I just don't see it as the primary driver that others do.)

It used to be that the guys that could consistently take out old bucks were pretty dang good hunters. Now...it is more of a "camera game" and some not nearly as good hunters can connect on a true Mr. Big any given year...and/or take out the Hi Po 3's and 4's...aided quite a bit by what I call electronic surveillance.

 

[CottonwoodCanyon]

I never in a million years though this argument from guys online would turn into a public land hunter vs private land hunter. You literally can’t walk a piece of state ground in any part of the state and not have a trail camera taking your picture; it’s absolutely bananas. On top of that, now you’ve got guys who run cameras and hang stands and act as if that part of the land is “theirs” to hunt. I think once the dust settles public land will be a lot more enjoyable to be on compared to today. The woods aren’t merely for deer hunting and I know lots of people who enjoy using the land and not having 100 pictures taken of them everytime they step foot in them.

My thoughts exactly, and I'm pretty sure this is the DNR justification. They're tired of dealing with calls about stolen cameras and drama regarding cams on public too.

I have not hunted public for years (except for pheasants) so I didn’t realize that . That’s annoying! Cell cams ?

Yeah unfortunately. Cells cams have gotten so cheap and decent quality at that price that anyone can afford a handful or more. I do a little deer and a lot of turkey on public, almost all my pheasant on public, and it's gotten out of hand.

 

[newfarmer]

My thoughts exactly, and I'm pretty sure this is the DNR justification. They're tired of dealing with calls about stolen cameras and drama regarding cams on public too.

Yeah unfortunately. Cells cams have gotten so cheap and decent quality at that price that anyone can afford a handful or more. I do a little deer and a lot of turkey on public, almost all my pheasant on public, and it's gotten out of hand.

And people just leave them all year- which is also really stupid. I know my county was mowing down willows/junk brush and didn’t care if cameras were there or not- they know the mowed 3 ‍