DoctorDeath

With all the trailcamera technology on the market today I have to wonder if this has not removed the "hunt" out of "Hunting" ...I know that the trail cam's have become extreamly popular over the past 5 years but has it made us lazy? I remember growing up that deer hunting ment a lot of walking, looking for andreading sign and trying to figure out a way to out think and out smart a deer, sometimes successful but normally not (thus why it is called HUNTing). However now with the trail cam explosion has happened it seems to me that we might be loosing perspective on what hunting is really supposed to be. So tell me is it just ME or have any of you other guy's had the same thoughts?

dd

timbercruiser

My grandsons get about as excited about picking up a camera that's been in the woods a couple of weeks and plugging the chip in the computer as they do about going hunting. There is no telling what the next picture is going to have on it, and as usual the biggest bucks are nocturnal. At least they know the possibility is that he might walk at any minute while they are hunting..

2FNSLO

I went and set two trail cams yesterday. I did a lot of walking. I was looking for sign the whole time. That's how I knew where I wanted to set the cameras. I don't really look at using a trail cam as lazy at all. If you don't do the work needed to put the cams in you aren't going to have very good results, much like actually hunting. It's not like you just drive up to the nearest telephone pole, strap the cam on, come back a day or two later and you have a digital image of the entire deer herd in your area. You still have to have a pretty good idea of what you are doing to capture them on film.
To me, the cameras are great because now I may get to see what is out there and if and when I do catch a big monster on film, it will always be in my mind when I'm sitting in the tree that he may come crashing through the woods and give me a shot.
If using technological advances is bad, then we should all go back to throwing spears at them. I would rather keep the cameras, 12ga sabot slugs, smokeless powder in my .44mag, and my single cam Mathews.
Long live technology!
Happy hunting! 39days left here in OHIO!

bryant1

I agree with you DD somewhat, but I myself love looking at the pictures of all the deer before the season starts. I just got a nice 8 point on camera yesterday that i want to take on Sept. 20th, but i would really be surprised if he came in there without the pictures of him. I would say it takes the 'surprise factor' out of hunting, seeing as you know alot of what is visiting your stand.

USNRETHunter

I personally don't use the camera to replace the hunt, but augment it. I still have to get out, walk the area, check the trails, and figure out where to set up the camera. I leave it for a week or two, then move it to another spot. I, too, remember as a young'n growing up in northern Wisconsin spending a lot more time in the woods, but I had a lot more time then. I could scout and have a line in the trout stream at the same time. As I remember back then, our form of a trail cam was driving around the country roads at night 'spotting' the deer in the clearings. Things are much different when you are near 50 and work for a living, have a house to maintain, and don't live on the property you hunt. Besides, doesn't this get you excited for the upcoming season?

WVSPORTSMAN

cams are just another tool for hunters to use...not everyone has time to scout for hours andhours....cams help out the working man imho...i will always use them...they also pass the time during the off season..they help me pass on smaller bucks if I know there is a bigger one running the area.

formula1

Trail cams to me tell me the size of the headgear of the larger bucks in the area. This may lead to me passing on a smaller buck I see, knowing that a larger one is around. In my view, that is a good thing.

It is also a heck of alot of fun to check those cameras and just adds to the total hunting experience.

Mottz

It's just a picture. It doesn't say where he is going, eating, looking for or anything. Shows whats out there. Still need to fit the pieces together to get a particular deer. I think it would be neat to get pics and then if I got that deer to have a mount with the pics under it or something.

Transcendstime

Honest;y, I think sure it does make it a bit easier but hell if the tech. is available I'm gonna use it.

I also think that it could be one of the most useful tools out there for the new hunter as well. A new hunter could go out have no idea what to look for but after placing cams here and there and seeing the results , surroounding areas, signs etc. it will help them become better avid hunters in the future. Personally I love the idea of the sport expanding to those that when the tech was not avail may not have tried. Anything that helps our sport grow in a positive manner IMO is worth while.

Siman08/OH

Pretty much my thoughts exactly