Trail Cam Photo Times and Distance to Bedding Question

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AvidHunter88
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Trail Cam Photo Times and Distance to Bedding Question

Unread postby AvidHunter88 » Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:19 pm

I'm wondering if anyone could comment on their experiences with what time of day/night they get pictures of mature bucks and any correlation it has (if any) to how far their bedding area is from the camera. Reason I'm asking is, last season I had the biggest buck I've ever had on camera around 12:30am a couple of different times on a field edge, and during the off season I walked every bedding spot I know of so far in the area and didn't really see any sign that matched a buck of his caliber. So if a buck is on camera that long after sun down is he bedded a couple miles away? Or could he be closer but really just take that long to get to the field edge? Trying to determine if I'm just overlooking his bedding area, or if I need to expand the area I'm looking at, or if he was just rut cruising or something else I'm not thinking of.


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rfickes87
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Re: Trail Cam Photo Times and Distance to Bedding Question

Unread postby rfickes87 » Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:47 pm

I had this exact situation happen to me. Exactly!

Had a nice shooter bucks at midnight on camera, but often at midnight. Never saw him that season. Next year I found one of his beds only 150 yards away...

Then I put a camera directly over his bed and ruined everything :doh:

But honestly, the fact that he shows up multiple times tells me there is a chance he is bedded close by. It would give me the motivation to keep scouting your nearest bedding. That mature buck I was after left next to no sign. No rubs, just a big bed. My camera proved that other smaller bucks actually came into his bed and made rubs in it. So if you see a bed with rubs and your not impressed by the size of the rub, don't just assume its little bucks actually using the bed.

Here's some more back story on that buck...

viewtopic.php?t=40298
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Jdw
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Re: Trail Cam Photo Times and Distance to Bedding Question

Unread postby Jdw » Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:52 pm

IMO there are to many variables to guess at what distance he is coming from.
It sounds like you need to keep looking for clues.

Depending on how many other bucks are using the area, the area he is spending time might not be torn up with lots of obvious sign
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JRM KY
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Re: Trail Cam Photo Times and Distance to Bedding Question

Unread postby JRM KY » Wed Jul 25, 2018 3:11 pm

To me, if this is a camera watching bait then just try and back track because he isn't close. If it is a random camera on a field edge could be close just not coming through there much. This is the part where most think I'm crazy but if it was during rut then mark your calendar because this coming year around that same time he WILL be in that area. That will be your small window of opportunity if your limited to the area around you can hunt. Just my 2 cents worth.
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Killtree
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Re: Trail Cam Photo Times and Distance to Bedding Question

Unread postby Killtree » Wed Jul 25, 2018 11:07 pm

If its during rut he may just be in the area for a short period of time.
Before rut, you are definitely in the wheelhouse,but field edge pics at midnight don't really give you a direction of travel or a sense of travel time.
If I had a pic of a good buck on a field edge at night I would start moving my cam around to all the different entry points until I got a pic of him entering the field.
That will give you a better idea of what time he is showing up and which direction he is coming from.
He could be getting to the field at dark 30 and not wandering in front of your cam until midnight.
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justdirtyfun
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Re: Trail Cam Photo Times and Distance to Bedding Question

Unread postby justdirtyfun » Thu Jul 26, 2018 1:31 am

Would setting up your cameras on video provide some better intel? Or add more? Or check weather conditions of the nights he was on camera?
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tim
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Re: Trail Cam Photo Times and Distance to Bedding Question

Unread postby tim » Thu Jul 26, 2018 3:19 am

You mentioned the rut in your question. So if it was the rut a buck can cover a lot of ground quick so he could be bedding elsewhere. But a lot of guys will disagree with me on this, but I firmly believe if I get even 1 pic or 1 video of a specific Deer I’m in the game cause he’s been there it’s my job to figure out how to kill him .


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