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DOR: trail cameras on public lands require MOU with DWR under recent Utah law
Summary
The division attorney told the council that year-round trail cameras on public land require compliance with UCA provisions and an MOU between DOR and the Division of Wildlife Resources; staff are drafting the agreement and said it is the most practical route to avoid statutory restrictions on camera use.
Nicole, the division attorney, briefed the council on legal constraints for trail cameras and recommended an MOU with the Division of Wildlife Resources so trail cameras can be used year-round on public lands. "The easiest, best, and, in my opinion, best, easiest, and most efficient way forward is to comply with this law, which just means that we need to enter into an MOU with DWR between DWR and DOR," she said.
She told members the code cited (spoken as "UCA 23 a dash 5 dash 3 0 7") places DWR in the lead on wildlife-related camera rules because Utah holds ownership of wildlife; the MOU will set operational details and privacy procedures. Council members raised privacy and constitutional concerns about cameras; staff said on public land privacy concerns from a legal standpoint are limited, but social/political concerns remain and the MOU will address operational limits and data-sharing.
Rachel Toker said an MOU draft is underway and staff expect to present it when available so the council can review. Nicole suggested the council rely on the DWR process and confirmed that similar MOUs exist (for example, with UDOT for traffic cameras that capture wildlife).
