flash scare deer??

[bucksniper14]

Do you think the flash of a trail cam scares deer. I think it does because i had a cuddeback excite and it seemed like after just a cpuople of days of being in one spot i started getting less and less pics. Now i have the moultriei60 and i love it and scince its infrared i seems like the deer keep coming back. so what do you think.

[janesburg]

I think it can and will spook some deer. However, I have also had alot of deer get their picture taken over and over again without moving from in front of the camera..

[J Pike]

Most of the time the flash doesnt spook them enough to cause them to stop using the area, I get pics of alot of mature bucks each year and usually get pics of each one multiple times. Infact most of my cams are within bow range of my stands and if I thought that the cams flash spooked them I wouldnt have them anywhere near my stand locations.
In my opinion in most cases its not the flash or the camera but human scent
that causes a particular buck to stop visiting a camera site as a result of the cams owner checking it too often. I only check mine once every 4-6 weeks. Pike

[leadoperator]

I have 4 IR cams and 2 flash cams, in my experience it doesn't make any difference. I believe it has to do with human scent and that the deer dont know what the flash is or that they see the IR's light up. Either way i've had deer spook with both type's of camera.

[PastorJim08]

bucksniper14,

This is probably one of those debates that will go on for years and never be settled. This is my take on the subject. A few years ago when I made the transition from 35mm film cameras to digital, I was doing alot of research on which ones to buy. I had narrowed it completely down to the Moultrie M-40, which is a white flash camera. When I got ahold of trailcampro, the site I purchased from, they convinced me that I would be happier with an IR camera. They claimed that a regular flash camera would spook some deer and had proof of that by their own testing. I currently own two I-40s and a Reconyx 55, all IR flash cameras. After a few years experience with the I-40s I'm not sure it makes much difference. The deer I have pictures of all seem to look at the cameras as their picture is being taken. Sometimes they even seem to stare at it. It doesn't seem to spook them but you can definately tell they are curious about it. I also have captured several pics of deer that seemed to be doing the "stomp" at the camera when their pic is being taken. If I buy anymore cameras I really think I will purchase a white flashthe next time as I sorta miss the nightime color pics I got on my old 35s. If I do buy anymore cameras or if I have to replace any that I have, I believe my next step is a homebrew anyway. Cause I want to be just like michiganbowbender, the obvious Grand Poobah of this board. Seriously though, the homebrews take the best pics I have ever seen.

Blessings.....Pastorjim

[bucksniper14]

pastorjim what are these homebrews that you speak of

[MichiganBowbender]

ORIGINAL: PastorJim08

bucksniper14,

If I do buy anymore cameras or if I have to replace any that I have, I believe my next step is a homebrew anyway. Cause I want to be just like michiganbowbender, the obvious Grand Poobah of this board. Seriously though, the homebrews take the best pics I have ever seen.

Blessings.....Pastorjim

Oh Pastorjim, you have me way over rated my friend. I'm just lucky to have some good cams to work with, and so far some cooperative animals who seem to like their pics taken......

As far as whiteflash spooking animals, I can say it has on occasion for me, but very few times. I've gotten too many return visitors for it to be a big concern for me. I am more concious of leaving residual scent in the area, which I am 100% sure can have a negative effect, and whiteflash or IR isn't gonna solve that issue, no matter what you use. I also like the color night time pics, enough that I can not see changing anything for me.

[PastorJim08]

bucksniper14,

They are cameras that you build yourself. You begin with a regular digital camera and then you are able to buy alot of the rest of the stuff you need, ie. circuit boards and cases and put them all together to make your own. The quality ofpictures from these cameras are light years ahead of anything else. Contact michiganbowbender on where to get instructions and components for building your own. Or you can buy them already assembled. Hope this helps.

Blessings.....Pastorjim

[PastorJim08]

Okay Don, you may want to abdicate your throne but your pictures speak for themselves.

Blessings.....pastorjim

[MichiganBowbender]

Thanks friend...