Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

season #1....I used mine the whole year. It was GREAT!

season # 2....I used it ONLY in the Summer. It was GREAT!

season # 3....I may not put one out, at all.

I'm thinking it would be nice to go to the woods every day and have NO IDEA of what might be coming through the thicket next.

Anyone like NOT having an idea? Anyone gone away from using cameras after utilizing them for a while?

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I'll be using mine less this year being I think I checked it too much last year. My big buck pics were down 2/3rds from what they were in the begining of the year when I didn't check it very often.

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

Gee, I think they call that hunting. You know, no bait stations, trail cams to find your spot and all that. Read the sign and dive in. If it doesn't work, do it again somewhere else.:D Most of us are limited in hunting spots so it doesn't really matter much what's there. We set our standards and go to it. It's called hunting.[8D] It also keeps the cost of meat under $100 a pound. LOL

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

Jeff I have been No 3 and still may stay that way. I really don't know, I like the suprise. I saw porky for the first time 10-15-2006. On the ther hand, if I would had a camera out early I may have seen Mr. Mass was bedded down about 80 yds from where I was setup.

It's a tough call:eek:

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I must not hunt, because I have really enjoyed seeing what is out there. It is just plain fun to hit those occassional pictures of big bruisers who are roaming through. Have the cameras changed the way I go about hunting? No. But they have made it more fun when I am going through a stretch of seeing nothing from the stand because I KNOW that there are a few good ones out there. Helps keep my motivation up I guess.

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

i think mine has made me a better hunter. now i hunt the most active areas. i don't have time to scout like some do, so at least it up's my chances. it help me take better bucks and pass on smaller ones. if i know a nice buck is in the area. i'm more likely to let the 2yr olds walk. that just imho

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I love mine so far. We used it at work to see what was getting into our horse feed. I put it on a support beam across from the feed, and over the weekend we got about 20 pictures of 4 different skunks.

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I hunt the big public woods of wis. and minn. I am afraid someone would steal my camera so I dont use one. I do tons of scouting and have found many cameras in wis. usually next to bait piles. There are people out there who have some very interesting photos of me!!!!!!!!

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

This is where I think I am lacking right now. Being I coach baseball, soccer and basketball for my kids, I am not putting in the time glassing I use too.

Good post

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

Hey I'm torn too. I don't think there's one "right" way. I just may do it a little differently this year. Might not, too!;)

The ONE thing that makes me want to put it out.....is to see what I'm hunting. I only use mine for "inventory" purposes....and it's out of the woods before the season starts by a few weeks. I may put it out fora month or so in the summer......may not.

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

It might be fun to go into the woods with no idea what may walk in front of you.....that being said, trail cams can be very effective tools for scounting and patterning deer

I think they are goods things to use...they shouldn't be checked TOO much, like someone said as you can in turn educate the deer...but I dont see anything wrong with putting one up so you can get an idea of what your going to be dealing with

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I don't use one! I like doing my own leg work, gets me in the woods! I enjoy the scouting part of hunting! To each his own!

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

Stop being so dramtic:D To be honest there is a part of me, where using one just does not feel right. I cannot explain it, and soley my isssue.

1. I know it will make me better hunter, but...

2.It's my own mental instabilty that keeps me from using one. When I pull the bow back, I want to know I beat him on his terms. For some reason a game camera muddies that for me. Let me point out this is my own personel issue, to each his own. For some reason a camera crosses the line for me, and I don't know why. I have every gadget know to man[:@]

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

Hey just asking.....

If I put my camera out3 months before the season opens....and take it down a couple weeks before the season begins......and leave it in one spot....hundreds of yards from whereI hunt (on a mineral site).....

HOW does this gain me an advantage (if indeed someone thinks it does)?

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I love my cameras. I will continue to use them!

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I was purposefully being melodramatic b/c the idea that it isn't hunting if you have a camera somewhere seems a bit overboard to me.

How does a camera make you a better hunter? I must not be using them to their full potential because all they have done for me is give me some idea of how many and how big. I was able to identify some resident bucks to go after, but they just wouldn't fall into any kind of predictable pattern. I shot the buck I was after over 500 yards from the nearest camera at a greatseeking phase stand that we have used for well over a decade and I hadn't gotten him on camera for weeks prior to killing him. In fact, I thought he was dead.

This winter has been great b/c I am getting a good idea of what next year might be like seeing what survived the season.

I guess I can see where you are coming from, but not how you got there;)

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

How about I re-word what I said, A camera would make me more knowledgeable Hunter, which I thought would make me better, now I am mental on that, thanks:D

Being I am terrible right now, I should buy one:D

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

BTW

I have had a no flash cuddeback in my hands 3 times now, I just could not buy it. It's not the cash[8D] I could be talk into buying one.

This is where it bugs me. I rarley watch hunting shows, but I have caught a few lately. When I see "We're hunting this spot because we caught a big buck on camera" it bugs me, and I have no idea why[:@]

I have no ill will towards anyone who uses one, I think I am a moran for not[:-]

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

First year of serious cams (6 of em). Never going back.

There are a lot of reasons. Off the top of my head:

(1) great to inventory what deer you have on your property.

(2) cool to track deer movement (got 2 bucks on cams a mile apart).

(3) lets you know generally whether an area is a morning or afternoon area.

(4) You can rule out unproductive areas. We have one secluded food plot behind new CRP we
have been hunting unsuccessfully. Cams confirmed very low deer activity. Finally figured out
that even though the area "looks great," it is probably suffering for lack of great escape routes
(plot that is more open next to big woods getting torn up).

(5) It gets you pumped up to get out there and stay out there. I know I hunted harder
this year knowing we had some nice bucks on cam.

(6) Similar to (5). It gives you something to do when not hunting.

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

See I need to think like you LB:D plus with my boat I could sneak around and they would never know[8D]

What is wrong with me:eek:

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

Get the regular flash it has much better night pics (and between you and me it doesn't scare the deer, but don't tell anyone I said that or they will jump all over me:D) If it cheapens anything for you, then obviously it isn't worth it to you. I think the same about scent blocking crap but that is just my gig. So basically, we are both cheaters;)

And you are not a moron for not using a camera. You are a moron for not spelling moron right, and I am a moron for not using scent blockers:D

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I don't ever use one. Did use a trailcam pretty heavily in 04' and 05'.. but I started witnessing some erratic deer movement. So I stopped putting out the trail cam.. cold turkey. In fact I did not put one out at all in 2006 or 2007 on farms that I hunt.

I don't know that I'll ever put one out again.

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

And the sad part is the "a" and "o" are like 9 kets apart:eek: Moron I am

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I’m with Germ on this one. I feel like a trail cam taking pics while I’m not around would be synthetic (for lack of a better term) to the hunting experience. I’d rather walk through the forest as a beast, who uses skills instead of gadgets. Problem is, all the stuff I bring are gadgets too, we just all have our own feelings and lines to be or not to be crossed. Some with trail cams might not use a compound bow (like I do), and wouldn’t, because it would take something away from their hunt.

My neighbor uses trail cams all the time. He lives two properties over from me. He would say “I’m not hunting in the back yard, there’s no good bucks back there” and then “man I saw a monster”! He was looking at that thing so much, it dictated his actions and hunts. I told him not to ever tell me about what he saw on the camera. To me, it takes some of the magic away from it. Turns it into more of a procedure or something. I’d like to be wondering what may be on the way, rather than expecting a certain deer. Not knowing is cool I guess, to me. I’d rather look for rubs and scrapes and other sign. But hey, that’s just me; and I’m sick…

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

That's good stuff Duke. Thanks.

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I enjoyed using mine last year and a little the year before, but definately believe they can be a catch 22 in some respects... I'd like to see one produced that on IR mode at night does not get the attention of any critter, whether it be the noise or the light..

? how many of you guys have tested your IR's yourself at night ... pitch dark? I haven't..

Nights here are pretty quiet, especially in the summers, the birds are done, the chipmunksandsquirrels go to bed, theboats are off the lake, the logging equipment is all done for the day, cars/ trucks are parked, kids go in for the evening, people retire for the night...etc.. and sound really travels in these mountains.. Its pretty much deathly quiet out here if the wind isnt up at night... Makes me wonder if the "noise" issue is more noticeable at night by an old buck than during the daytime when the secondary noises are nill versus drowning out per say the slightest noise from a IR camera. Other than crickets or a bull frog... it canbe creepy quiet at night here in the summers and even early fall..

I also question the a deers low light sensibility to pick up any light, for example my bushnell and cudde back have a red light that comes on when I am on test mode.. I havent even thought about it but does this come on regular mode at night too??? I should have checked that myself..

I'll still use mine for now, I'd like to seesomeone produce a camera that can be undetectable by be it noise or light at night..

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I would never go back to not using my trail cameras. They haved help me out so much for scouting purposes.

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

Germ, I think that this falls into the fence/guide thing where people start thinking that cams "make it too easy."

There is something in some hunters where the reward is all in the challenge. I have some of that, which
is why gunhunting is less thrilling to me.

As to cams being a "quick fix," before there is any pressure in the late summer they often follow similar
daytime patterns, but by the time bowseason started the summer patterns were off and the big bucks
were unpredictable and mostly nocturnal (till the rut).

So, a good way to look at it would be as simply a tool to increase your odds (like finding rub lines).

BTW Germ, my last 2 bowhunts had different spikes walk almost right under me (in a ditch as planned).
Given my season, it was tough to pass those bastards. [:@] I just need to get on the board and the does
never wanted to cooperate. [&:]

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

Why couldn't you tape over the red light? Is there a reason for the light.....other than to let you know it's working?

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

Here are the rules for fair chase: Check out rule no. 3. IMO, trail cams violate it.

FAIR CHASE

sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging wild game animal in

a manner that does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over such

game animals.

Use of any of the following methods in the taking of game shall be deemed

CHASE

1. Spotting or herding same from the air, followed by landing in its vicinity for the

purpose of pursuit and shooting;

2. Herding, pursuing, or shooting game from any motorboat or motor vehicle;

3. Use of electronic devices for attracting, locating, or observing game, or for

guiding the hunter to such game;

4. Hunting game confined by artificial barriers, including escape-proof fenced

enclosures, or hunting game transplanted solely for the purpose of commercial

shooting;

5. Taking of game in a manner not in full compliance with the game laws or

regulations of the federal government or of any state, province, territory, or tribal

council on reservations or tribal lands;

6. Or as may otherwise be deemed unfair or unsportsmanlike by the Executive

Committee of the Boone & Crockett Club.

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

Shed,

A lot of people think the deer see the IR because they are often looking in the direction of the camera.
They may be able to see something, but IMHO I think on a quiet day the primarily hear the "click"
of the shutter instead of see the IR flash. For example, we've got a bunch of daytime pictures
that are a blur from the deer jumping in reaction to the cam taking the picture. I also noticed
that after a while it didn't seem to affect the same deer as much.

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

Yeah, those are my same thoughts as above....in regards to the noise from the camera.. quiet nights and a sound the deer are NOT used to hearing at the water hole, bait pile, feeding area.. you name it..

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

No rhyme or reason for me... Some summers I put it out, others I dont. Last summer was the first I left it out an extended period of time....

I quickly get tired of messing with it honestly.

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I agree! I can hear mine when I check it, its a very very light sound but to the deer its probably allot more alarming!

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

wecomplained about flashes; we got the IR... shouldnt be long until we get one that is deadly silent when it takes a photo

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

There is no reason for a "click" on a digital camera[&:]

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

So what are you saying? this makes no sense at all!

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

Another thing too Troy these camera's were picked up by the bear we were getting on camera too this last fall. A bears sight and hearing is nothing close then that of a whitetail. I just wonder if maybe they can see the little red infared lights when they blink. What do you think?

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I'm not going away from them, but it seems more casual to menow than 4yrs ago! I just bought a Cudde EXcite a few months ago and still enjoy seeing what's running around my area.
If nothing else, a trail cam gives a hunter better "insight" reguarding the local deer herd. No dought. This could be considered an advantage by some. So I can easily see where Germ is coming from, and how he got there.:D

RE: Anybody going away from trail cams?
 

I use mine in much the same way, but for longer periods of time than what you do Jeff. I use mine from the time the last season closes (usually around the second week of January) until antlers fall. This does two things for me, it allows me to check and see who made it through the season (both bucks and does) and tells me when it is worthwhile spending time shed hunting.

Depends on what your goals are, I know you were trying to thin the herd of does out a little bit last year Jeff and if you keep a tally on what's showing up day in and day out and get to know specific deer to the point that you can id them, you can get a good idea about the buck to doe ratio in you area.More or less that is the second time in the year that I use my cameras.When antlers start togrow I will begin the monitoring procress, being careful to watch my scent in checking the cameras. I will change the location of the cameras at the begining of August off of the actual food sources to be placed on primary travel corridors and let them run until about 3 weeks before the opener with the last setting of the cameras being an uninterupted month or so. That last pickup of camera data or cameras for that matter, is a great event for me. It aids in which stands will be hunted in the earlyseason. After that, its all adjusting to what is happening as most of us do.

I love that I can see what is out on the property, but it does not make it anyless exciting for me. Bucks travel. What I look at all summer long may spend all of hunting season on the next guys property. Vice versa, a bruiser that spent all summer in front of somebody else's camera might get a gold tip from me in our first meeting. That's why it is still hunting.