Author Archives: Megan Plete Postol

The Great Trail Camera Debate

Why Some Say They Give Hunters an Unfair Advantage

Let’s say a hunter has a network of cellular trail cameras placed in the woods where she can monitor the activities of wildlife, such as whitetail deer, passing by. She chooses the locations of these trail cameras based on what she knows about whitetail deer patterns and preferences to optimize the amount of images she will capture. Her cameras pick up regular deer patterns, and she notices a nice shooter buck passing by the same hardwood-lined runway around dusk every few days. She plans to hunt that area on her day off, which she does, and she harvests that target buck. Is this unethical? Is this fair chase? Would it have mattered if her trail camera wasn’t a cellular kind, which sends information remotely, but rather the kind that needs to be manually checked with a card reader?

Hunting can be challenging, and many hunters prefer that. Some might argue that hunting is inherently challenging, with or without modern tools. Others might argue still that it is irrelevant just how challenging the process of hunting is, because it’s about self-sufficiency and procuring wild food, and not about the logistics or thrill of the hunt.

Do cellular trail camera give hunters an unfair advantage in this process? Some hunters think they do, while some do not.

Many states have regulations governing the use of cellular trail cameras. In Alaska, there is a limit on the amount of information hunters are permitted to receive via trail cameras during active hunting seasons. In New Hampshire, the law prohibits hunters from killing an animal on the same day it showed up on a trail camera. Kansas, for example, has banned the use of the devices on all public lands. Some states, such as Arizona, have outright banned the use of any trail camera devices.

What do trail cameras do?

Trail cameras are electronic devices that are placed afield to observe what is happening in an area with minimal disturbance to wildlife. Sensors alert the camera to take photos whenever it detects an animal passing by (or sometimes a wayward tree branch or high gust of wind). Cellular trail cameras are equipped to be connected to a cell phone and transmit images and/or video remotely. Non-cellular trail cameras require the user to physically travel to the camera to manually check the images, which are saved on an SD card for later viewing.

Do Trail Cameras Violate the Rules of Fair Chase?

Trail cameras give hunters the ability to see an animal in a dated and time-stamped image before they see it in person. That is what they are designed to do. Some hunters argue that this violates the rules of fair chase because they believe all hunters should have an equal opportunity to shoot the game without interference from technology.

Let’s take a look at the rules of fair chase, as defined by Pope and Young. The term fair chase refers to the ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit of free-ranging wild game animals that does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over the animal.

That means, according to Pope and Young, that no animals shall be taken under the following conditions: helpless in a trap, deep snow or water, or on ice; from any power vehicle or power boat; by jacklighting or shining a light at night; by the use of tranquilizers or poisons; while inside any escape-proof fenced enclosures; by the use of electronic devices for attracting, locating or pursuing game or guiding the hunter to such game, or by the use of a bow or arrow to which any electronic device is attached, with the exception of lighted nocks and recording devices that cast no light towards the target and do not aid in rangefinding, sighting, or shooting the bow.

Most of these rules are straightforward, black or white, and without any wiggle room. But when it comes to trail camera use, it appeared to hunters that there was some gray area.

The question of whether trail cameras violate these rules came up so often that the two main authorities in deer hunting, Pope and Young and Boone and Crockett, came together to release a joint statement on the matter. The statement read:

“The use of any technology that delivers real-time location data (including photos) to target or guide a hunter to any species or animal in a manner that elicits an immediate (real-time) response by the hunter is not permitted.”

The key component here is if the advantage of cellular trail cameras has an immediate effect on what action the hunter takes, and if that leads to a kill. So, for example, if a hunter receives an image on her phone from her cellular trail camera of a deer making its way toward a specific food plot, and she drops what she’s doing to immediately get to the food plot at the same time as the deer and proceeds to harvest that deer, that’s a real-time response.

More recently, Boone and Crockett dug even deeper to clarify its stance.

“Trail cameras can be a helpful tool in game management and selective hunting,” a statement read. “The use of any technology that delivers real-time location data (including photos) to target or guide a hunter to any animal in a manner that elicits an immediate (real-time) response by the hunter is not permitted. ‘Real time’ is the key concept. Seeing a photo and harvesting an animal a few hours later, or even the same day, uses this technology to assure a kill. It also takes advantage of the animal, which cannot detect impending danger from a camera. Waiting several days, or even until the following season, to pursue an animal captured on camera is different, and would not be deemed an unethical use of a trail camera.”

So to be clear, the use of trail cameras, even cellular trail cameras, in this definition, is not prohibited or deemed unethical. It’s that real-time response that is.

“Technically, the reason we revisited the rule was because, as written, if you’ve followed a buck for four years on camera and the first pic of him years ago was on a cell cam, that buck was disqualified. We didn’t want that,” Justin Spring, formally of Boone and Crockett but current director of Pope and Young, said. “We just want hunters to think about the questions of fair chase. Is the use of this technology ensuring a harvest? Not giving an animal time to escape? We make hunters read and sign the (fair chase) affidavit, but at the end of the day, it comes down to the honesty of the hunter.”

Boone and Crockett’s in-depth statement covered more than just the use of trail cameras. It also touched on other advantages, as they defined them, such as drones, thermal night scopes, baiting, scent-attractants, and two-way radios or texting another hunter, and smart riflescopes.

Our Hot Take on the Trail Camera Debate

Hunting regulations differ from region to region and from state to state, as do hunting styles and techniques. As time has passed, hunting has evolved with it. Modern technology has changed a lot about how we hunt, and of that there is no doubt. In many ways, it has given hunters an edge that wasn’t available a generation ago.

These advancements inevitably bring up questions. It is healthy to explore different perspectives on modern advantages, such as trail cameras. There is no harm in respectful, thoughtful debate.

This author believes there is nothing wrong with using trail cameras within legal limits. Like anything, trail cameras are another tool in the hunting arsenal. They offer insight into wildlife in a way that is noninvasive and doesn’t interrupt their normal routine. Use them as they are intended to be used, follow the law, and enjoy the experience.

The Great Trail Cam Debate: Why Some Say They Give Hunters an Unfair Advantage

Hunters of Color is Growing and Expanding

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Quick – what does a hunter look like? If your first thought was a white guy in camouflage, you’re not alone. Hunting has long been marked by a lack of diversity, but an organization called Hunters of Color has been working for the past few years to change that preconception.

The origins of Hunters of Color trace back to when former executive director Lydia Parker, current executive director Jimmy Flatt, and founder Thomas Tyner were just three undergrads at Oregon State University.

They were passionate hunters trying to navigate a community that didn’t always feel welcoming. The statistics were alarming: 97% of hunters in the nation were white, with only 3% of hunters that identified as black, indigenous, or people of color, (BIPOC), according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The group set a goal to foster an outdoor community where people of color feel empowered to participate in hunting and conservation proportionately according to the demographics of the nation and to dismantle the barriers that kept people of color from participating in hunting, such as lack of access to education, gear, mentorship, and land. In the United States, 98% of private land is owned by white Americans, according to the USDA.

Within the first few years of operation, Hunters of Color has grown tremendously, linking a network of ambassadors throughout the country and reaching thousands of new hunters to the resources they need to begin hunting.

“In 2022 we had 1023 participants at our events and in 2023 we had over 1300 participants at our events,” Hunters of Color Executive Director Jimmy Flatt said. “We have expanded into 5 new states making the total to 14 states with community leaders. Our members come from all 50 states and as we work to build capacity and expand our events to more states we encourage people to find ways to get involved through the community website.”

Hunters of Color is a membership-based organization. People who might be interested in a HOC membership are either someone with hunting/conservation knowledge or someone seeking to obtain said knowledge. All of this is intending to build the most welcoming and inclusive environment for hunters to engage and share their hunting cultures.

This past year Hunters of Color launched the Hunters of Color Community website; a place for everyone to gather virtually and work towards achieving the mission of Hunters of Color. The platform is essentially a social media where members can connect with other members, find a mentor, become a mentor, register for events, find industry discounts from the organization’s partners, gain access to educational materials, share their stories, or ask questions.

“It’s really a powerful tool and we are actively looking for people to join the network and find a way to engage,” Flatt said.

The work they have put in is showing real-world dividends, and the folks at Hunters of Color aren’t slowing down any time soon.

“The most recent demographic study from the USFWS shows an upward trend in BIPOC participation in hunting which means that our efforts are having a measurable impact,” Flatt said. “That being said, we still have a long way to go and need as many people to help us in our mission. We will continue to establish opportunities for communities of Color to establish a connection to the land/culture and need more partners helping us in this effort.”

Tips From a Tracker

Tracking Deer in the Northeast’s Snowy Wilderness

For deer trackers, fresh snowfall is the best thing that can happen during hunting season. Hunters that track deer in the snow wait for this the same way preschoolers wait for Santa Claus. They stash their vacation days and then head into the wilderness when the conditions line up.

Tracking whitetail deer in snow can seem like a daunting task to hunters that have only ever hunted sit-and-wait style. There is definitely nothing wrong with hunting from a blind or a treestand. It is tried and true style of the majority of whitetail deer hunters. Tracking deer simply offers hunters a unique challenge and an alternative to sitting still.

Experienced deer hunter Dale Postol has been tracking deer for the past seven or eight years, but his interest in tracking actually started as a young boy, following his father around in the winter woods, long before he was old enough to carry his own gun.

“Growing up we always did deer drives,” Postol said. “We carried whistles through the swamps. And then I would follow my dad around while he was still hunting and try to keep up. When I got old enough to hunt myself, I couldn’t sit in the stand for very long. I was constantly wondering what was going on over the next hill. And so, I walked around and did a lot of scouting. I got a lot more interested in tracking than sitting in a stand.”

At one time, tracking deer in the snow was relegated to a nearly forgotten practice, something that only white-bearded and red-plaid-wearing grandpas did. But that red plaid has endured, and tracking has seen a revival in recent years, thanks to folks like Hal Blood and his Big Woods Bucks, Rodney Elmer and the Mountain Deer crew, and plenty of other YouTube creators who have given this old-timey tradition a modern feel. The premiere cultural celebration of deer hunting in the Northeast, Huntstock, has also focused heavily on deer tracking, which has helped with its increase in popularity.

It is not all for nostalgia, either. It is a strategic way to deer hunt in Northeastern states such as New York, Vermont, and Maine, where deer densities are low. While it is not impossible to sit and wait for a deer to walk by a well-placed stand, chances of connecting with a big one are much better for hunters who make the trek into the mountains and follow a track.

“While you’re tracking, you are one-on-one with that deer,” Postol said. “You are trying to figure that buck out. Your mind is sharper because you’re engaged with the task.”

How to track deer in snow

Tracking whitetail deer in the snow is more than finding a track and following it, but at the same time, it isn’t.

While that may sound counterintuitive, it is true. To learn about deer tracking, the experts suggest just going out into the wilderness and finding a deer track to start. By doing this, hunters will learn the subtle differences in tracks and how to interpret whitetail deer tracks.

But some folks might not even know where to begin to find a track. The first requirement is snow. An argument could be made that it is possible to find and track deer in mud or other conditions, but the general rule is to find fresh tracks in fresh snow. Any tracks in freshly fallen snow had to have been made during or after the snowfall. But how would someone know by looking at a track if it is fresh if the snow is not?

Examining it closely is one way to tell if the deer track is fresh. Any dirt, debris, or snow in the track indicates it has probably been there a while.

The next thing to look at is track size. Keep in mind that the size of whitetails, and therefore the tracks they leave behind, tends to vary by region. So, getting familiar with what a typical deer track looks like in the area you hunt is critical.

Postol suggests rather than simply eyeballing it, place a hand near the print for reference. Big tracks tend to be associated with big bucks.

Another element to notice is the gait width, meaning the space between the left and right tracks. Does tend to walk with their legs closer together, while bucks tend to walk with a wider stance. Usually, the wider the stance, the bigger the buck. In the Northeast, a gait a few inches above or below twelve inches often indicates a mature deer. In addition to a wide stance, a long stagger is also a sign of a big buck. Another sign of a mature deer is drag marks between tracks. To summarize: a wide gait, long stagger, and drag marks are all signs of a big deer.

“Generally, if you get on a track and there is a lot of space between tracks and it is dragging its feet, it is a good deer,” Postol said.

The best way to learn the differences between gaits, staggers, and tracks is to get familiar with what those things normally look like. This is only achieved through experience.

“Get out and walk around,” Postol said. “It doesn’t matter if the first track is a doe. Then you learn what a doe track looks like. When you get out and walk around, you learn so much and see so much.”

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