Trail cameras, do they help?
02-07-2010, 01:40 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,873
Trail cameras, do they help?
I have been running trail cameras for about 12 years now. I have seen deer spooked by either type, infrared or flash. I know there is no way to tell really an be absolutely sure. But do you think that they benefit in patterning a particular buck or make it more complicated.
I am not trying to find a right or wrong answer. Just looking to see if most feel that putting cameras in the woods is a plus or minus?
I am not trying to find a right or wrong answer. Just looking to see if most feel that putting cameras in the woods is a plus or minus?
02-07-2010, 02:11 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,873
02-07-2010, 03:39 PM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Hudson, Michigan
Posts: 338
I like them to see what kind of bucks you got in your area and they help me with watching my food plots while im at school and playing football. I like puting them over scrapes to see how the rut is progressing...
02-08-2010, 03:53 AM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location:
Posts: 7,367
I really don't think they are a Lot of help when it comes to patterning a buck, but I do think mine played a part in being in the right spot to arrow my 140 eight point this year.
I Love using them and it does give you an idea what is out there, but it is amazing what I see and don't see while hunting compared to what I have pics of on the cams.
Dan
I Love using them and it does give you an idea what is out there, but it is amazing what I see and don't see while hunting compared to what I have pics of on the cams.
Dan
02-08-2010, 04:45 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,358
they help with patterns! They timestamp the pictures so you know when the deer are there. I found on new spot this past summer, loaded with sign. Set up a stand and hunted never saw a deer. couldn't figure it out. Hung a camera there for a week, got consistent pictures. ALL FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, all in the light (no night pictures). I'd been hunting it in the afternoon!
02-08-2010, 05:33 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Indiana
Posts: 3,372
AR,
I think the answer is two-fold. Yes they do help with seeing what is out there. As far as patterning a certain animal, I think that depends on the time of year. What I am learning is that just because I am getting pics of a buck or groups of bucks at certain spots over and over again in July and August, is no indication that I'm going to see that animal on a regular basis come hunting season. The last two years are perfect examples of that. This past summer, I got probably 25 pics of the biggest eight pointer I've ever seen beginning in the month of May and continuing through August. I had him consistantly on three different cameras and thought I pretty much had him fiqured out. Then after August I only had one picture of him, in late Oct. I may have saw him once during the season but I'm really not even sure about that. The same thing happened in the summer of 08 when I was getting pictures of a huge 9pt and a big 8pt that always seem to be together. Never saw either deer during the season. I think my mistake has been that I placed too much emphasis on hunting the places that I got pics of these deer on a regular basis during the summer. On the other hand, in '07 I had three pics of a 14pt in the month of July and ended up killing him in November out of the same tree I had the camera mounted on. But I'm learning that is probably the exception and not the rule. So to answer your question, yes I think they do make a difference in being able to tell what's out there but as far as using them to pattern a certain deer, I think I am learning that it all depends on the time of year you are getting those regular visits. You're probably more confused than I am now.
Blessings......Pastorjim
I think the answer is two-fold. Yes they do help with seeing what is out there. As far as patterning a certain animal, I think that depends on the time of year. What I am learning is that just because I am getting pics of a buck or groups of bucks at certain spots over and over again in July and August, is no indication that I'm going to see that animal on a regular basis come hunting season. The last two years are perfect examples of that. This past summer, I got probably 25 pics of the biggest eight pointer I've ever seen beginning in the month of May and continuing through August. I had him consistantly on three different cameras and thought I pretty much had him fiqured out. Then after August I only had one picture of him, in late Oct. I may have saw him once during the season but I'm really not even sure about that. The same thing happened in the summer of 08 when I was getting pictures of a huge 9pt and a big 8pt that always seem to be together. Never saw either deer during the season. I think my mistake has been that I placed too much emphasis on hunting the places that I got pics of these deer on a regular basis during the summer. On the other hand, in '07 I had three pics of a 14pt in the month of July and ended up killing him in November out of the same tree I had the camera mounted on. But I'm learning that is probably the exception and not the rule. So to answer your question, yes I think they do make a difference in being able to tell what's out there but as far as using them to pattern a certain deer, I think I am learning that it all depends on the time of year you are getting those regular visits. You're probably more confused than I am now.
Blessings......Pastorjim
Last edited by PastorJim08; 02-08-2010 at 05:38 AM.
02-08-2010, 06:31 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Isle, MN
Posts: 1,469
They definitely help 'inventory'. by the time bow season starts i pretty much know every buck that steps foot on my property (i said 'pretty much'). That is a huge advantage. I've had years where there's just a bunch of forks and spikes and maybe a six point. I hunt elsewhere if that happens.
also helps pattern bucks. last year i had quite a few pictures of a nice 9 point that was going past one of my stands several nights a week, just after legal shooting. i put out tons of tinks one night (scent was blowing right where he'd been coming from) and did some rattling and grunting. guess who showed up (about half hour before the end of legal shooting)? I shot him at 5 yards. I wouldn't have hunted that stand that night w/o trail cameras.
I've also been using cameras for about 12 years. i spend more money on new cameras every year then i do on archery. very fun!
also helps pattern bucks. last year i had quite a few pictures of a nice 9 point that was going past one of my stands several nights a week, just after legal shooting. i put out tons of tinks one night (scent was blowing right where he'd been coming from) and did some rattling and grunting. guess who showed up (about half hour before the end of legal shooting)? I shot him at 5 yards. I wouldn't have hunted that stand that night w/o trail cameras.
I've also been using cameras for about 12 years. i spend more money on new cameras every year then i do on archery. very fun!