does it matter if the trail camera shows a flash? can anyone give me some ideas on whether or not flash is bad?

Flash is bad, ir flash is a lot better but the trigger of the camera can still spook a dear. An actual flash like a camera will ensure you never see a deer again. Flashes are there for low light pictures so it is important.

i have the one with the flash blocker. its tinted. so supposedly it doesnt show much flash at all.

Flash cameras are not bad!
I've been using flash cameras for 8yrs now and have thousands pics of mature bucks that keep coming back. They get used to them.
It's harder to find true flash cameras anymore though as manufactures are moving into black flash.
My favorite true flash camera is the Cuddeback Capture and my favorite IR cams are my Reconyx HC500's.

Most of the IR trail cameras show a red glow and still catch the attention of most Deer,the Black-flash trail cameras are suppose to be better and less detected by Deer.The trick is to set a Camera up higher and aim it downward to be less detected by the Deer!

Some trail cameras give off a click or shutter sound when the camera is triggered...this can scare the Deer just as bad as a flash.As Pnut mentioned some Deer aren't as scared of the old white flash trail cameras as some mention...I also have an older Cuddeback Capture (white flash) Camera that has a fast shutter/trigger speed and have caught many nice Bucks on it and still works great and hasn't scared the Deer away!