Cameras for Patterning vs Inventory

[NBK438]

I'm caught in a struggle between keeping my cameras over mocks to see whose in the area and then relying on my post season scouting and in season scouting to hunt them down or deploying my cameras in a way to help "pattern" and hunt them down. I've always been and still am for going the inventory route and using more in season scouting because of my fear of bumping a buck because of scent and/or malfunctioning camera. Thoughts?

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[vermonthunter16]

I would think this early to opener you wanna leave those areas alone, I don't run cams personally, but I do know I don't want my scent anywhere near bedding right now.

With not running cams in that way though, I am also chancing on not being anywhere near a good buck when season starts, there are pro's and con's, lay out your pro's and con's and decide

[DaveT1963]

I leave certain cameras out where I hunt, but I only check them when I hunt that particular stand or area. In other areas I have cameras all throughout the season because I want info for next year.

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[ODH]

Same for me my cameras are for insight into the following year. Patterns repeat. I put them out early and leave them alone. I'll only pull a card if my entry/exit takes me near one, or if I'm just not seeing anything where I think I should be and I need the intel. I also try to get a couple into different spots each year to see if I'm missing anything.

[tgreeno]

So are you guys leaving out your cameras throughout the year, on public land?

[DaveT1963]

Some areas yes, others no.... depends

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[kripp53]

this is my first year of using cameras on public land. I set out my cameras early and will only check them when I go to and from a set (so rarely). My cameras on public land are more for inventory. When I use cameras on private land this is for inventory and patterns. I set cameras up on field edges and travel corridors on private land to see when they are coming though. I check these cameras more regularly (every two weeks-ish). That way when I start to see bucks near the fields in late October I know when to go out and hunt.

[MN Slick]

I like cams over scrapes and "planted" scrape trees in food plots but right before the rut I move a few cams to travel areas, funnels, or bedding areas I think will be productive. I don't check them unless I'm hunting close by but generally don't pull them until after the rut and use the info for the following year.

[Stanley]

My philosophy has always been low impact. I hunt some small parcels is one reason. I use my cameras for collateral intel and for intel that can be used in the future. This means I don't check my cameras very often. Example I had cameras deployed on April 1st and checked them August 1st. I deployed more cameras on August 1st and will check them around October 1st and December 1st.

I also set one camera up in a buck travel area and hope to travel past the camera while hunting to see what the bucks reactions are. I believe my testing serves me better than white coat testing.

[Rich M]

I use my cameras for patterning more than inventory. If the buck comes in around 9 in the morning, I want to know it. My cameras soak for 6-8-10 weeks at a time.

[JoeRE]

Every year I find myself using cams less and less for "direct" patterning. I just don't see it working with mature bucks. It doesn't work for me and I don't see many stories about anyone else pulling it off either. Its high impact and I think it gets people trapped in the "day late" mentality where they are always one step behind a buck and don't try to anticipate what he will be doing tomorrow or next week.

I use cams heavily for inventory and what patterning I still do is mainly through long term deployments (4-8 weeks) to identify annual patterns in an area - that I might hunt the following year. I like to do this with individual bucks - so when a "shooter" shows up in an area, hopefully I have intel on him from past years. I have had a lot of success with that.

So I still use cameras for patterning, just very low impact, for future years intel or just to see what is showing up at a particular food source or the like, then hunting based on scouting knowledge - do not recommend constantly checking cameras and trying to hunt what happened one or two or three days ago. The proof is in the pudding so to speak. Tons of hunters trying to do that and very few succeeding. Cams are a great support for scouting & knowledge of the land but are a lousy substitute for it.

[sunset samurai]

I normally leave quite a few cams out n check and/or move them every couple weeks or months depending. I try to do it in the rain and some sensitive areas Ill set them to daytime only so no light. Its all a big bag of educated guesses really.

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[mainebowhunter]

Every year I find myself using cams less and less for "direct" patterning. I just don't see it working with mature bucks. It doesn't work for me and I don't see many stories about anyone else pulling it off either. Its high impact and I think it gets people trapped in the "day late" mentality where they are always one step behind a buck and don't try to anticipate what he will be doing tomorrow or next week.

I use cams heavily for inventory and what patterning I still do is mainly through long term deployments (4-8 weeks) to identify annual patterns in an area - that I might hunt the following year. I like to do this with individual bucks - so when a "shooter" shows up in an area, hopefully I have intel on him from past years. I have had a lot of success with that.

So I still use cameras for patterning, just very low impact, for future years intel or just to see what is showing up at a particular food source or the like, then hunting based on scouting knowledge - do not recommend constantly checking cameras and trying to hunt what happened one or two or three days ago. The proof is in the pudding so to speak. Tons of hunters trying to do that and very few succeeding. Cams are a great support for scouting & knowledge of the land but are a lousy substitute for it.

Joe exactly what I was going to type but did not take the time to type it. Just had this conversation today with a buddy. It has been my findings as well. Because a lot of my buddies keep trying to pattern and kill like that. Fails every year. 99% of the time it does not work. Even on 2.5yr olds.

It's really why I spend most of my time focused on beds. Daylight activity around beds gets me excited. Because I know why they are there.

Again...we come back to time on a piece of ground. Just no substitute for it.

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[Rich M]

I'm not trying to pattern a specific deer as many on here are. I have not reached that level. I am also not hunting bedding areas as many do either. My goal is to identify the most likely time for deer to move through the area, that's all.

I've got a hardwood drain where some bucks and does appear to bed. One buck is a dandy. The other area is out-of-bounds, but the deer funnel through a corner pretty well.

The deer use that corner at various times during the day, mostly during daylight. I'm about 50/50 on early, vs noon and evening vs noon. Half the pics are at noon. Multiple pictures show deer "fleeing" something off camera. It is not tail up running, but perhaps, avoiding a dominant buck. That's my hope.

[hunter10]

I can admit that early on I was running the few cameras I had like a mad man. Checking them every 2 weeks and moving locations every 2 weeks did nothing but damage and I can clearly see it now. It was nice to have some big deer on cam but I never once saw them and never saw them again on camera. Now a days I am much like joeRE, most Intel is for future years and for a learning tool to see how well I can judge movement and use cameras to determine where a buck may be bedded if he's showing up just before or after dark

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