trail cam de-scent

[Robhuntandfish]

just put all my trailcams in my hunting gear shed - gotta to get them ready to go for deployment Aug 1.  And need the inside house stink off em.  Figure a month outside ought to help get some smell off them and gonna be more careful placing them this year.  Hate the pics of deer running away from them once in a while like they were an alien riding a bigfoot.

[Jeremy K]

I try to place my cameras as if I was hunting the area and stay down wind . Doesn't always work out the way It supposed to. I have watched deer walk up to my trail camera and sniff it ,only to just walk away. 

[turkeyfeathers]

Wouldn’t overthink it. Spray them with scent killer and wear gloves while handling 

[Robhuntandfish]

gonna try to place them higher and pointing down, instead of eye level as well.    

[Buckstopshere]

I have a different take. I don't descent my cameras. My thinking is that they get used to my scent. Besides, with battery changes and checking the cams...my ambient scent gets on them with card changes, etc. The older deer in my hunting areas know my scent. They teach each other that I'm okay. Big mistake. 

[Robhuntandfish]

i only change my cards once a month so im only in there once Aug 1, then Sept 1, - then when i am hunting the area i pull them during season.  but i hate pics like this and then next pic is a fleeing tail up! 

[virgil]

3 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

i only change my cards once a month so im only in there once Aug 1, then Sept 1, - then when i am hunting the area i pull them during season.  but i hate pics like this and then next pic is a fleeing tail up! 

is the camera noisy when taking pictures?  maybe they're reacting to the sound more than the scent.  the camera is plastic- I can't imagine that your scent stays with it for too long when out it the elements.

[kpkot]

4 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

i only change my cards once a month so im only in there once Aug 1, then Sept 1, - then when i am hunting the area i pull them during season.  but i hate pics like this and then next pic is a fleeing tail up! 

The fleeing tail I would think would be trigger sound or some type of flash. Why would he even get that close if scent was an issue? 

[Robhuntandfish]

Just now, virgil said:

is the camera noisy when taking pictures?  maybe they're reacting to the sound more than the scent.  the camera is plastic- I can't imagine that your scent stays with it for too long when out it the elements.

i have 9 cameras and i think i have 2 that are the same.  Usually xmas gifts.  They are plastic but also have straps.  Just figured i would try an extra level of stealth this year.  And i think they see the little red light come on and it draws their attention.  I guess if something new is in your living room you tend to notice it.  So thinking i will try to hang them out of eye level.  Something i have been thinking about from last season. 

[Robhuntandfish]

2 minutes ago, kpkot said:

The fleeing tail I would think would be trigger sound or some type of flash. Why would he even get that close if scent was an issue? 

prob right but i think deer are also curious..... what is that .... Bears are known for tearing cameras apart or off trees prob for the same reason.  And lots of people get pics of the deer sniffing the camera.  MAybe if they are checking it out and it makes any noise or flash they are out of there.  Just thinking out of eye level this year to try and avoid that.  Also this has happened with many different cameras and not the same one.  And i cant hear any noise to them but def see the flash.  

[WNYBuckHunter]

All I do is spray them when I hang them. I also spray the tree where I touched it and spray down any weeds or grass that is around the tree. I also never ever use the fabric straps to hang them. I also tend to put my cams up around 6-7 feet and angle them down a bit.

Between the sun and just being outside, they dont really hold scent for that long. If you are having deer spook after a couple of days, its probably not scent doing it.

[Robhuntandfish]

2 minutes ago, WNYBuckHunter said:

All I do is spray them when I hang them. I also spray the tree where I touched it and spray down any weeds or grass that is around the tree. I also never ever use the fabric straps to hang them. I also tend to put my cams up around 6-7 feet and angle them down a bit.

Between the sun and just being outside, they dont really hold scent for that long. If you are having deer spook after a couple of days, its probably not scent doing it.

you use screws into the trees?  was thinking of that but the land i lease has hardly any trees and always have to try to rig them up by tying them tight to groups of brush or something.  Think i am gonna try that with them higher and angled 

[G-Man]

The photo is like that because they see the glow from infrared light.  The only way you avoid that is to place cameras high and face downward. Those of us that grew up with old white flash film cameras learned this fast. Surprisingly the good bucks learn to avoid the front of a camera fast ,placing a second cam at 90 or 180 degrees from 1st one is an eye opening experiance or if you buck disappears try turning

The 1st camera 90 or 180 degrees . how many game animals learn to walk behind an existing camera is amazing. I have gotten some of my best bucks using this method.

Not much concerned with scent as plastic doesn't hold it and with the rain this year every day scent is washed off quickly

[BizCT]

I leave my cams out year round. Even after a battery change I never see any adverse reactions. Deer walk right up to Cam and come back the next day anyway.

 

 

 

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[ny hunter]

I always wear rubber gloves when ever I touch s camera....Rub some dirt and leaves on them .... 

[sbuff]

I leave them out all year. No house stink on them !!

[phade]

I don’t visit here as often as I used to but I ran across this and figured I would put in my two cents.

 

#1 Get rid of the straps and use screw in mounts. Straps will carry more scent, longer. Use ground post stakes if no trees.

 

#2 Cam shells can and do hold scent but mostly from the manufacturing process. Most cams are hit with a release agent from the casting mold. That agent is made of fish oil. This is one of the reasons why bears destroy cams.

 

#3 Cam noise and sight cause way more issues than human scent on the camera in my opinion. You see a lot of deer sniffing cams but it’s often a secondary confirmation as to whether the cam is a threat or just plain old curiosity. It’s already been seen and or heard by the deer and they walk up to sniff.

 

#4 High mounting can help. It reduces cam efficiency in my experience (the trigger zones are made for horizontal setting).

 

#5 Spend more time thinking about and setting the cam in the right spot than scent control. Your intrusion is what it is. Setting the cam in the right spot likely minimizes the impact of the intrusion - if you really think about it. See picture for one example.

 

 

 

 

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[Five Seasons]

we miss you phade

[Robhuntandfish]

ive also not been putting any by my stands.  I put them on trials or treelines or areas around it but at least 100 yards away.  At this point my stands are set other than some tweaking here and there usually due to crop rotations.  But i just like to see what might be out there wandering around.  and when i do check them i dont have to go to where my stand is to do it . 

[dbHunterNY]

6 hours ago, Buckstopshere said:

I have a different take. I don't descent my cameras. My thinking is that they get used to my scent. Besides, with battery changes and checking the cams...my ambient scent gets on them with card changes, etc. The older deer in my hunting areas know my scent. They teach each other that I'm okay. Big mistake. 

that's a different take... i'd even go so far to agree when it comes to doe family groups that get less pressure.  bucks i'm not so sure i'd agree with, despite it's hard to quantify any results.  I've always felt i've had better luck keep them away from where i want less pressure on older bucks. seems they don't mind it while in velvet but once hard antler happens they get finicky with checked cameras.  I tend to place them with a physical barrier so they can't get their sniffer right too them, put them up higher out of site and mind, or use field scan mode way off the beaten path (staging areas, open areas with scrapes, or fields typically). i never really use video mode but know of others that had bucks check out a cam off the side of a trail heading toward their stand.  both bucks and doe acted bothered, pulled a 180, and headed back the way they came.

[G-Man]

2 hours ago, dbHunterNY said:

that's a different take... i'd even go so far to agree when it comes to doe family groups that get less pressure.  bucks i'm not so sure i'd agree with, despite it's hard to quantify any results.  I've always felt i've had better luck keep them away from where i want less pressure on older bucks. seems they don't mind it while in velvet but once hard antler happens they get finicky with checked cameras.  I tend to place them with a physical barrier so they can't get their sniffer right too them, put them up higher out of site and mind, or use field scan mode way off the beaten path (staging areas, open areas with scrapes, or fields typically). i never really use video mode but know of others that had bucks check out a cam off the side of a trail heading toward their stand.  both bucks and doe acted bothered, pulled a 180, and headed back the way they came.

Fear of Scent is learned response. My friend hates that I have a cat. Hes worried its scent will get on him and his stuff scare the deer. I looked at him and said that cat goes out from dawn to dusk every day and wanders everywhere if a deer smells it it thinks oh it's just the cat.. probably the best cover scent you dont have to buy!  My friends also believe that the deer are use to my scent as I am usually tr trying to improve or repair things on the property all the time and this is reason I get my game every year.. idk. But I know deer get use to dogs on a chain in yard and will bed close by. 

I agree with phade, cameras should be placed for easy access not back in the brush where you leave scent for 50 yards on everything that touches you every time you check camera. I guess that's where a cell cam would work sending photos to your phone.. mine arson edge of fields/ logging roads, and other easy access points, drive golf cartup to them swap cards and leave

[Buckstopshere]

12 hours ago, Robhuntandfish said:

i only change my cards once a month so im only in there once Aug 1, then Sept 1, - then when i am hunting the area i pull them during season.  but i hate pics like this and then next pic is a fleeing tail up! 

 

3 hours ago, G-Man said:

Fear of Scent is learned response. My friend hates that I have a cat. Hes worried its scent will get on him and his stuff scare the deer. I looked at him and said that cat goes out from dawn to dusk every day and wanders everywhere if a deer smells it it thinks oh it's just the cat.. probably the best cover scent you dont have to buy!  My friends also believe that the deer are use to my scent as I am usually tr trying to improve or repair things on the property all the time and this is reason I get my game every year.. idk. But I know deer get use to dogs on a chain in yard and will bed close by. 

I agree with phade, cameras should be placed for easy access not back in the brush where you leave scent for 50 yards on everything that touches you every time you check camera. I guess that's where a cell cam would work sending photos to your phone.. mine arson edge of fields/ logging roads, and other easy access points, drive golf cartup to them swap cards and leave

My experience is that we are really talking about two categories of deer. There are the local deer that get used to our cameras and then there are the strangers from other home ranges...outliers. I think those (the outliers) are the ones that are spooked by our cams. Like snapping a safety off a rifle. They better jump. 

 

Edited June 26, 2019 by Buckstopshere

[G-Man]

30 minutes ago, Buckstopshere said:

 

Yes probably true but if a traveling deer smell the same scent everywhere and observes local deer they probably wont spook. And I'm not really interested in 1.5 year old displaced ,but am in the local bullies I protect and let grow. Even if I am.on edge of home range they grow accustomed to that presence there. 

[Bionic]

12 hours ago, G-Man said:

The photo is like that because they see the glow from infrared light.  The only way you avoid that is to place cameras high and face downward. Those of us that grew up with old white flash film cameras learned this fast. Surprisingly the good bucks learn to avoid the front of a camera fast ,placing a second cam at 90 or 180 degrees from 1st one is an eye opening experiance or if you buck disappears try turning

The 1st camera 90 or 180 degrees . how many game animals learn to walk behind an existing camera is amazing. I have gotten some of my best bucks using this method.

Not much concerned with scent as plastic doesn't hold it and with the rain this year every day scent is washed off quickly

I am going to try this, I remember you mentioning this to me before...I just had another bear come through my yard about a half hour ago, and it really makes me wonder what I miss.  I will try 2, or 3 cams on one tree facing out for a lot of coverage.  

[Jeremy K]

They make a camera that takes a picture 360 degrees , yes it made by WG but mine is a few years old and still going strong.