Interesting bit of trail camera info

[WNYBuckHunter]

Definately worth watching

[phade]

Anyone barehanding a cam and then showing vids of deer being alert is being counter-productive. That and I highly doubt his polo, jeans, and hat were his typical measure of scent prep.

Nonthing really new, line of sight, and not entering a core area is the way to go. Use field edges and transition zones to get pic for info and not alerting a deer. Height is a great mitigator.

Edited July 29, 2012 by phade

[landtracdeerhunter]

Very interesting video. We've know the height theory for quite a few years, less spooking deer. Found this out, quite by accident. We always try to install cameras a least 6'., some farms, 10'., also for security reasons. Don't have to worry about scent so much. The video part makes sense, but doesn't it use film card space more rapidly,and shortens battery life?

[WNYBuckHunter]

Phade, the guy stated he sprayed the cams down and then waited for 2 weeks to go by before he took any footage into consideration.

Ive only ever thought the height thing was for security, but I never set my cams high, as I use locks on them, so I dont worry about security. It makes sense though, to get them out of the deer's normal line of sight. I think I will be canging up my cam placement, it cant hurt.

I already keep my cams away from bedding areas, and tend to put them along field edges, tractor paths and large, more heavily used trails in the woods. I even try to drive my truck up to the cam location as close as I can before getting out. The deer are used to vehicles on the farm roads.

[Cabin Fever]

I wonder if this was the first time these particular deer in the video had encountered a trailcam? I can see that it would get their attention, looking new and out of place to them. I suspect the longer you use trailcams and the more the deer encounter them, they become accustomed to them, seeing that they aren't a danger. I've been using trailcams for 10 years on my property, so really, for all their lives they've encountered my cams.

I've certainly seen some negative/cautious responces, but others, not so much. Kind of curious and not sure what to make of it, but certainly not "spooked".

If you were concerned about the deers reaction, placing the cams higher would help. Or maybe we just need to take more time and camo our cam setups better, so they blend in more. (ie. twigs with leaves to break up the edges)

I think these videos were from last year. (Same buck, vids just seconds apart) Certainly not spooked, but definately curious...

Edited July 30, 2012 by Cabin Fever

[fasteddie]

I have never set my cameras on Video . If I had , I might have gotten a better pic of the chubby kid's dad .

Yeah , the 10" high helps but cameras still make a noise and tip the deer that something is there .

[phade]

Phade, the guy stated he sprayed the cams down and then waited for 2 weeks to go by before he took any footage into consideration.

Ive only ever thought the height thing was for security, but I never set my cams high, as I use locks on them, so I dont worry about security. It makes sense though, to get them out of the deer's normal line of sight. I think I will be canging up my cam placement, it cant hurt.

I already keep my cams away from bedding areas, and tend to put them along field edges, tractor paths and large, more heavily used trails in the woods. I even try to drive my truck up to the cam location as close as I can before getting out. The deer are used to vehicles on the farm roads.

That's my point. Not many people leave cams for two weeks - especially once you get beyond the "inventory" stage of the summer and hunting season nears or is in progress. It needed to be real world application...this makes it done in a vaccuum. To be realistic, he should have kept the cams in a bin, used gloves when hanging, and provided all of the data. Some of his info is certainly useful, but its apples to oranges with his data.

Edited July 30, 2012 by phade

[WNYBuckHunter]

Gottcha.

I try to only check mine every 2 weeks, except for during the season, and then I only really put them on scrapes on the perimeter. Generally speaking, I pull my cams right before season starts, or they get left right where they are for the entire season.

I think his info though, was directed at how most guys use their trail cams. Most dont go to the lengths you do, including myself.

[Deerthug]

Im definitely going to test this out with my bushnell trophy cam.

[phade]

Gottcha.

I try to only check mine every 2 weeks, except for during the season, and then I only really put them on scrapes on the perimeter. Generally speaking, I pull my cams right before season starts, or they get left right where they are for the entire season.

I think his info though, was directed at how most guys use their trail cams. Most dont go to the lengths you do, including myself.

I think what he was doing by omitting the two weeks, was done on purpose. He knows that the intrusion is the biggest issue with a camera. While the cam may be noticed, a source of scent alarm, etc.....it pales into comparison to the human intrusion. Two weeks washes away the intruison to a degree. He should be teaching the cam-setting process/technique to get the most info with the least amount of damage done and not necessarily how the cam should be set specifically. He's basically testing/promoting a theory that has zero or very limited real-world application because the instrusion makes all of his schtick for naught.

I 100% agree on the height setting, though. I'd bet 95 of every 100 cam owners do MORE damage than good with their use. The select few who don't either, A. hunt unpressured deer B. Know how to properly set and maintain a cam or C. Simply get dumb luck.

Most hunters are so psyched to see a pic of a mature buck a few days after setting the cam along a trail, near a core area, etc. Usually its one of the earliest pics on a card. Then after that, the buck doesn't show for the next 10 days of the soak. The hunters are so happy that they got a buck on cam that they fail to realize that the next ten days had no pics of him. Happenstance? I think not. Great, you've got a pic of a big buck. Now what? More than likely you won't have him on your wall since you signaled the alarm bell.

There is a reason many big bucks are shot FTI (first time in). Same principal goes for the cam.

Edited July 30, 2012 by phade

[WNYBuckHunter]

And thats why I try to leave mine out for long periods and only put them in areas that normally have human activity.

I did go out and set cams yesterday. All of them are now at 6+ feet.

[deerpassion]

i might try this next time i pull my card because I had a yearling doe infatuated with the cam, must have gotten 10 pics of her, BUT I couldn't see her response after the fact through just pics... Then again, this buck never even noticed the cam..