Trail cam ban

The state of Kansas is the latest to join a growing number of states that are cracking down on the use of trail cameras by hunters. A March 9th meeting of the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP) Fish and Game Commission brought a vote to prohibit the use of all trail cameras on public lands in the state. This includes both cellular and conventional trail cameras. 

The move brought unanimous support from the 7-member commission. While some in the meeting were pushing for an in-season ban of cameras only, the commission ultimately chose to apply a year-round ban to all public lands owned or managed by the state. The ruling will go into effect prior to the fall hunting seasons. 

The Reasoning Behind the Ban

The obvious question is, why place a ban on trail cameras? What’s the point? 

According to the commission, much of the issue revolves around privacy of others. “There are some deleterious issues when it comes to trail cameras,” says Commissioner, Gerald Lauber. “In some places, cameras are used to spy on other hunters. And some people recoil from seeing a camera. They’re private. They don’t want to have somebody take their picture, and then have it on Facebook.”

But obviously not all Kansas hunters are in agreement. A number of hunters showed up to voice their disapproval of a year-round ban. Kansas bowhunter, Sean Miller, spoke out to the commission asking them to consider an amendment to the ban that would apply only during the fall hunting season.