I tried adjusting some light on that photo too, and it does appear to be a buck....just too grainy to know for sure

And I think those second bucks that just get a face full of flash are the ones you will never get another picture of. Older bucks do not make juvenile mistakes. During the summer people seem to get some velvet pictures of some real bruisers but as fall approaches and the days shorten so do sightings.

I'm afraid they are far better at this game than I am... obviously.

Finding that skull was one of the biggest "wake up calls" I have ever had. I became a better hunter because of that in some respects.

You are correct. I just watched a DVD on hunting Marsh Bucks by Blood Brothers Outdoors and they said when hanging trail cams do not hang them where you are planning on hunting. Hang them in spots where you are not planning to hang a stand. I'll be doing this come September. Last year I didn't. That is one awesome hunting video, I've still got half of it to watch yet.

I don't own a trail cam. There is a group of hunters that hunt the same areas that I hunt. They have about 10 cameras out. The senior partner of the group told me that most of the time they only get one picture of a big mature buck from the same spot. They sometimes get another pic in a different location. It is his opinion that the cameras scare the deer.

I will have to getthat DVDand see what I can learn, My camera is only used now after the season is over. I have seen the flash effects first hand and it ain't pretty.

Great DVD Magic!! Thanks man!!!

Hang your cameras in places you DON'T plan on hunting.....and take them down before the season starts. Never have to worry about spooking them with the flash OR (more likely) spooking them with your continued scent in their bedroom.

Too many photos of them hanging around for me to give it too much thought, though. It's a vacuous "absolute" I don't agree with (that it scares all of them - the flash).

Its my belief that its all about the deer. Some will spook and some wont. Also, the deer can getused to cameras in certain locations (i.e. bait piles and mineral licks). Especially if you have been using cameras for a number of year (5) like i have.

I don't know about anything besides what I have experienced, and the bucks here have no problems with either my flash or my IR camera. I will get picture after picture as they stand there or mill around. I have not experienced anything that would lead me to believe that the cameras bother the deer whatsoever. Is it possible that many only get one pic of a big buck because of the roaming nature of bucks? Just a thought.

caveat: I am not saying that anything you guys have experienced is "wrong" or that you are exaggerating or anything. I just haven't had the same experiences. I also usually hang my cameras over piles of corn, which are also places I don't hunt.