when do you start getting serious with trailcams?

[Robhuntandfish]

I start getting mine out first weekend in August.  I already know where i am putting my stands for the most part and having hunted the same areas for a while know where to start. And I am not hunting areas larger than 120 acres so my setups are limited.  But i like to see if any resident big boys around.  I usually wait til Aug 1 for developed horns to see what we got.  And i then leave them out til season starts and pull them the first day in to see what I got.  Dont like going in/out too much before season. So when does the camming get serious for you?  Do you place and go in every couple of weeks? Use them more to pattern or for inventory? Its tough to wait til season - sometimes I get them two weeks before in some spots - go in midday just cause its like xmas to check them.  I used to never leave them more than 2 weeks cause i wanted to see what was on them , but got more patient and have decided disturbing the area less is better for me.     

[stubby68]

Mine are out all year.  Check every 2 to 3 weeks. I spend as much time in the woods as I can just setting,watching and learning. Try to get a couple hours a day sometimes. I've noticed that the animals have come a customer to my presences and smells. Not like pets but. They realise I'm not a danger and do not seem to mind me being there.  I've seen a big difference in the way they act when others are in the woods then it is just me.  They get use to the same smells and sights all the time. Me being there does still bother some though as evidenced by trail cam footage. The trail cams let me know how te animals react to my movements in the woods.

[genesee_mohican]

I keep some out year round because it's just fun to get pictures of wildlife. I've gotten some of my best pictures/video during June n July when nature seems to be peaking with newborn animals. I have sets that try to target bobcat and bear which can be a challenge to get a good photo of. And it's always nice to see what the deer are doing year round. I have a few older bucks around the areas that I hunt, and I'll be looking to get a photo of them too, so I will be putting more cams out next weekend.

[Steuben Jerry]

I run them all year and have 10 going right now. We live here so we're out and about with the ATVs or doing something with the tractor frequently. The deer are generally  used to our activity, but I keep most of the cams near field edges or at least near trails where I can ride up to them and keep my "boots on the ground" at a minimum when tending to them. I pulled cards last weekend and for one cam I had a group of does and two fawns watching as I swapped cards. They weren't bothered by me, and were still there when I rode away.

I like running them year round to see the progression of the seasons with the local wildlife population. Velvet development and babies this time of year, hard horn in the fall, survivors after deer season, and the turkey flock return in March/April.

[Steve D]

I just picked up a couple of Brownings from Phade and have been dying to put them out but have not because I am afraid they would melt hanging in this weather and do not want to go back and find a glob of melted plastic.

[LET EM GROW]

I run a few for Spring Turkey and baby critter season.. But the entire cam inventory doesnt come out until Late July or August when the bucks are darn near fully developed. In hopes to pattern a good one for opening of Bow season. 

[WNYBuckHunter]

I pull most of mine out late winter, with the exception of a few here and there that I may put in new areas that Im looking at or if I have a bait pile going for yotes. I may have a couple out in the spring, but late June or early July is when I really start running them to get an idea of what deer are around. In late August or September, I start moving them to certain areas to either watch food sources, or get a better understanding of how deer are using specific areas, and which deer are using them. Most of my stands are in certain areas, but If Im looking to put up a new set, I may adjust my plans based on what cams are showing. I generally check them every 2-3 weeks, and I keep them in spots where I can get to them directly using my ATV. I even prefer to make it so I drive right up to them and swap cards/batteries without ever getting off of the ATV. It may sound silly, but it really cuts down on abnormal scent near the cams, and I have found that since I started doing it, activity in those areas have increased or not slowed down through the season.

This year is going to be more of me using most of my cams to figure things out on my new property, and just a few in known hotspots over at the farm just to see whats around.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

Year round. With the Cam.s at camp and park that are 3 hours away only get checked every month or so. The ones here on the 700 acres i check more often as i am out and about on the property.At this time of year i keep them in the fields and such to see whats around. Also to keep tabs on the local Vermin to see if they need any attention.

Those natural Mineral licks are a hot spot after a good rain and give up some good info.

[G-Man]

mid sept. bucks are usually on neighbors all.summer and show up when they become hard horned. ticks him off to no end that they move off his and on to my place .. different seasons they need differernt habitat.. its why i really dont care about big boys in velvet. rather see them hardhorned and in season using the property

[Fletch]

I run a few all year. I may add a couple a few weeks before the season if I have questions about what or where is moving.

[Salmon_Run]

The winter conditions are tough where I am, so I put them out about now until January..... 

[grampy]

Around the first of August for us. 

I know we have at least a couple out there since last year.

Now, if I could just remember where I put them....................................?

[Hock3y24]

I find myself caring less and less about trail cams anymore, but i have 2 out now. 

[nyslowhand]

Trail cams are great for entertainment & inventory purposes. Nice to know they are around, gets my pre-season enthusiasm pumped up!!!! Anyone that has used them long enough realizes there's no predicting what BB will show up where/when by strictly using months or even weeks old cam shots. Huge changes in a BB's summertime patterns and behavior begin when the velvet starts to come off. More so when their hormones intensify. Don't we all know there are some bucks that seem to hang around into bow season, others may disappear or then magically a never before seen BB strolls past your stand.

When do I get serious about trail cam photos/vids - never serious, but enthusiastic yes! Maybe if using a cam with a cellular transmitted photo of a BB and you can get to that area within hours.

[Robhuntandfish]

mine are going up this weekend!  Gonna do some stand work too.  

[fasteddie]

I have some out for a few years that seem to hold up well . Others have crapped out and I have at least 11 that no longer work . I posted them on CraigsList for $10 each with a statement that they don't function and might be able to be repaired or to use as decoys . No hits . I have one CHEAP camera that won't program the date or time . It's a BRESSER and I got it for $20 at WallyWorld . Got a picture of some Turkey Poults on it and that is the 1st time I have ever gotten a picture of any poults . They came across the log right after the hen did . 

[Iluvracks1359]

9 hours ago, nyslowhand said:

Trail cams are great for entertainment & inventory purposes. Nice to know they are around, gets my pre-season enthusiasm pumped up!!!! Anyone that has used them long enough realizes there's no predicting what BB will show up where/when by strictly using months or even weeks old cam shots. Huge changes in a BB's summertime patterns and behavior begin when the velvet starts to come off. More so when their hormones intensify. Don't we all know there are some bucks that seem to hang around into bow season, others may disappear or then magically a never before seen BB strolls past your stand.

When do I get serious about trail cam photos/vids - never serious, but enthusiastic yes! Maybe if using a cam with a cellular transmitted photo of a BB and you can get to that area within hours.

This happened to me last year!!! I was watching this decent wide 10 pointer all summer/early fall, had him on camera on September 30th, and then he came within 15 yards of me in the second week of October, I couldn't get a shot, and then I never saw him again! until I got a picture from a friend, whos cousin killed him about a mile away on the other side of the road, on the first day of rifle season :(:(. So it seems that was his pre rut spot, and once the rut kicked in, he shimmied over to the bigger woods to chase the hot does, and got himself killed by someone else!

Edited July 24, 2018 by Iluvracks1359

[phade]

I've seen enough correlation with cam use and mature bucks that you can increase your odds by paying attention to ranges and when particular doe groups go into estrous and drag in the bucks. I also believe some bucks show up or leave at very specific timeframes.

[WNYBuckHunter]

You can absolutely pattern a buck with a trail cam. A couple of seasons ago, I had a mature buck that was always hanging around a certain spot in the late afternoons when there was a specific wind direction. I had him on cam for a month doing the same thing. The first day that we had that wind, my daughter and I were in the stand at this spot, and sure enough, he showed up like clockwork. I was not able to get a shot at him, but I knew he would be there, called it the day before when we looked at the forecast. The following year I had him at a different spot during a specific wind at a certain hour of the day. As soon as conditions were right, I was in a stand in that area, and sure enough, he showed up. Again I was unable to get a shot at him. His regularity ended up being his demise. Will that happen with every buck? No, but some are more patternable than others, it can be done.

[landtracdeerhunter]

I may set a few cams out after school is back in session.

[Jeremy K]

Any of you guys ever consider not using cameras anymore ? Hunting just felt different to me before cameras came around.

[Lawdwaz]

28 minutes ago, Jeremy K said:

Any of you guys ever consider not using cameras anymore ? Hunting just felt different to me before cameras came around.

I don't think it gives me an edge.  The best part about cams in my opinion is seeing all the game you DON'T see while in the woods.  Heck, for all the coyote I get on camera I'll see one MAYBE a season while archery or gun hunting deer.  When's the last time I saw a fisher or bobcat while hunting? How about NEVER.  Oh and bear......I've seen one while hunting and that was two years ago.  All of these things I've gotten multiple times on the trail cams.

As posted in earlier threads, I've killed multiple bucks that I've had on camera but the cams didn't help me "pattern" them.  Stumblin' bumblin' is my SOP........

Popping the SD card into the 'puter is like Christmas day for me when I was 12.

[moog5050]

1 hour ago, Jeremy K said:

Any of you guys ever consider not using cameras anymore ? Hunting just felt different to me before cameras came around.

I have debated on this.  I know sometimes I think too much about what is on cam at various properties and feel compelled to hunt a property with best bucks on cam only to learn later by other cams that I missed opportunities at a different property.  They do feel like a curse at times.  But I also enjoy seeing what is around at various locations.  If I only hunted one property, I would be less inclined to want to use them at all.  They can give reasonably reliable info, but history with a given property can do the same.

[G-Man]

1 hour ago, Jeremy K said:

Any of you guys ever consider not using cameras anymore ? Hunting just felt different to me before cameras came around.

i just find photos amusing .. ive had cameras since late 80s. you get to see things you never would. i kind of think as photos the same as spotlighting you get to see deer but you never see them in daylight..but at least with camera you have proof it exists

[sodfather]

I just put mine out last week and will only check once a month. I get more excited to see animals I don’t usually see than deer. 3 years ago 1 deer I had on camera ruined my entire season cause I was so consumed over one deer. Turns out I probably bumped him cause of my obsession