BBH1980 wrote:I think your right. Many guys put to much stock in cameras. They are just a tool that has an application in certain situations.
I look at it like this, everything we do is just a tool or a process. This even includes putting an arrow through the vitals.
Some tools will work better in some situations. Trail cameras can be abused or can be the best tool for a particular situation or process. I do a lot of out of state hunts. In those situations, cameras give me a lot more info than I can get through observation or even scouting. I typically let them soak all year - setting them out during post scouting and checking them late summer to confirm some things. Also, for taking inventory on certain properties, you cannot beat a camera over a well place mineral lick as long as you don't bugger it too much.
Then there are places where human intrusion is seldom encountered that yes putting a camera right there and checking it frequently is probably doing far more harm than good. And then there is the buck - some mature bucks are surprising tolerant of human activity and learn to adapt to it. Other bucks, say in a wilderness situation, may not tolerate any human intrusion.
We have to be smart in all aspects..... anything we do to tip off to a mature animal that we are hunting them is going to be counter productive. We have to balance that with the opposite of not doing anything and being complacent because that also can be counter productive. Just like moving in close to bedding, if we are not aggressive to some degree and even spooking some bucks - then like Andrea and Dan say - we are NOT even in the game. Experience comes from when we make that mistake of pushing too hard, or not pushing enough, and then adjust accordingly. And over the years, if we learn, we pick up on what tool will work where and how to go about using it.