Tagged out and using cameras for intel

[CHMJ0914]

I know cameras hurt more than help near bedding areas. Has anyone ever tagged out early and hung cameras near their kill trees in other bedding areas they haven't hunted for Intel for the following year to get an idea when bucks are using certain bedding areas? Do you think this would help or hurt?

[Jonny]

JoeRE puts cameras out all season for intel. He has a journal in the all time best threads that is absolutely amazing for how to record and analyze data for hunting.

[tgreeno]

I'll tell you this right now. If I tagged out early (which has rarely ever happened to me), I'd be scouting every bedding area I could find during the season, to see who's home and when! Could you imagine the great intel you could gain for following season, by busting bucks out of beds during the season! I would have no fear of messing anything up! they would have a whole year to re-acclimate to there areas.

[elk yinzer]

Cameras are as much entertainment as they are intel. I really enjoy running them during summer and after I tag out. I find them somewhat distracting during the season.

[mheichelbech]

Cameras can be a great aid....especially if tagged out early. A couple different guys on here placed cams over beds and left them there and got some really good intel about the size of the Bucks using the beds and in determining if certain beds are used in certain winds, etc.

[tbunao]

I placed mine in those areas before season and will let them run until after. Doubt I'll tag out early and when I do hunt those areas if it doesn't produce then after the season I can better hone in the time frame when they should. I've really become big one historical intel.

[Dewey]

I'll tell you this right now. If I tagged out early (which has rarely ever happened to me), I'd be scouting every bedding area I could find during the season, to see who's home and when! Could you imagine the great intel you could gain for following season, by busting bucks out of beds during the season! I would have no fear of messing anything up! they would have a whole year to re-acclimate to there areas.

Might upset a whole lot of guys still hunting though. I got yelled here for doing that later in the season back in 2013 when I killed an opening night buck.

My favorite tactic was driving around every night before closing and see where all the hunting pressure was especially during the rut. I was really surprised how much pressure there was in areas I hunt since I am normally the last one out. Really helped to pinpoint the overlooked areas where other guys didn't hunt. This intel payed off for me with a kill in 2014.

As far as cameras go I never killed a buck I got a picture of on public land. Seems I always kill the camera shy ones.

[brancher147]

I have cameras in bedding areas I plan to hunt this year. It doesn't hurt a thing if done right. So far, it hasn't told me much I don't already know, except bucks use certain beds way less than I thought they would. But always cool to get pics of big bucks and gain some intel and this is a good way to do it.

I got this pic last summer after finding 3 beds with rubs, beds wore down to dirt, and all plants browsed around the beds. I thought for sure I had found a primary bed and primary hiding spot as there is no access other than a river. These bucks used the beds for 5 minutes during a 3 month period. I am going to leave the camera up through the season this year and see what happens. Only problem is once the river gets up this winter, I can't get my camera down until next summer...

[hunter10]

Those are some beauties

[northeast beast]

JoeRE puts cameras out all season for intel. He has a journal in the all time best threads that is absolutely amazing for how to record and analyze data for hunting.

Great tip....thanks