Trail Cameras and Deer Consistency...

[Abenak89]

I am slowly learning more and more about mature buck habits. I am curious though and your take of just how much they move and there habits for returning to areas?

Example I got nice bucks on camera 2-3 times in a week (2-3 weeks ago) and now i have nothing big showing up.. typical? Wait it out?

Also how often do you go in to check cameras? Once a week?

[BAS4109]

I tend to check my cameras more like once a month. I think checking them once a week now will educate them too much.

Once we get into the rut I check the cams more often because I have seen many times where 1 or 2 big bucks move in for a few days with a hot doe.

I have a tough time finding good patterns with my cams. I use them more to see what is out there. I did make note of a few bucks that moved through an area late last season. I am very curious to see if they move through in the same time period this year.

You can also use them to eliminate spots where the bucks are not traveling and narrowing things down a bit.

[hunter10]

I am slowly learning more and more about mature buck habits. I am curious though and your take of just how much they move and there habits for returning to areas?

Example I got nice bucks on camera 2-3 times in a week (2-3 weeks ago) and now i have nothing big showing up.. typical? Wait it out?

Also how often do you go in to check cameras? Once a week?

Most people leave their cameras for longer periods of time unless you are placing them where it won’t affect your hunting which in turn will give you the opportunity to check them more often without causing damage. As for the bucks there and then gone... happens to everyone. They are getting ready if not already have started to split from bachelor groups and go off into their home areas

[Thesouthpaw]

I check cameras roughly once every six weeks, or if I am hunting close to one. most of my trail camera intel is used for the following season, instead of the current. I have way to many spots to keep up with on a weekly basis, so forwarding the information on how deer use a certain area works out better for me.

In your case, I would guess that the buck's core area switched, as is typical for this time of year. Check for dropping oak trees and water sources. He might be spending his time around those now.

[Hildebrand]

I have learned the hard way about cameras. A mature buck will pick that camera up a lot of times. And if you check them a lot close to their core areas you tip them off like other said. They know them areas well and your ground scent to and from will tip them off. Try hanging the camera up higher and angle down to get it out of the deers face. I use to check mine all the time and always had big deer once or twice. Now I hang them high and more on field edges for inventory. I also only check them once a month if that and try to use rain in my advantage

[LukeTM]

I’ve learned a ton about hunting big bucks and trail camera use in the last year or so.
Last year I was stoked to find a new area with several good bucks on camera. During October-November I was checking them every 7-10 days. The bucks started to show up less frequently as time went on.
Mid November I ran into another hunter in the woods who had a camera hung near mine that he let hang for a much longer period of time. Once we compared data I found that the bucks were still around but had stopped walking in front of my camera. Given how this property is laid out I suspect much of this has to do with the fact that they were smelling human in the same spot on a consistent basis and built a habit of avoiding the area.

[Abenak89]

Wow.. thank you all for this information! I am definitely checking too much then. I will tone it down! Thanks all!

[Rich M]

I suspect much of this has to do with the fact that they were smelling human in the same spot on a consistent basis and built a habit of avoiding the area.

Take it as gospel. Frequently checking cameras is playing with fire.

Lot of posts on this topic these days.

[Perfectionitz]

If you're checking your cameras that often, you may be changing the deer patterns with your intrusion.

I used to check my cams a lot and it was a lot of fun and got me really excited about hunting for the season, but the last two years I have used them for extended soaks only. I bought 32GB cards and lithium ion batteries and most of my cameras stay out for about 12-18 months. That way, I can get a clear and accurate picture of what is moving through that area and not mess it up with my scent. For example, I recovered a camera this past labor day weekend that had been out there for 14 months. I got pics of everything from antlers forming, velvet, hard horned, rut chasing, and then I get to see what survived for this year. Also got to see if there were predators or other animals around. This area I saw only one coyote in over 9000 pictures, but right across the river at my other camera I had hundreds of pictures of coyotes traveling in packs of 2 to 6 and far fewer deer on cam and it was out there for the same amount of time and was located about a half mile away as the crow flies. That shows me where the predators are and where the deer go to avoid them, or at least feel safe. It also shows me what the deer movement does in that area with the flooding that it receives and whether or not they still move through there when there's water on the ground. It was really hard making the decision to do this and not go back and check cameras, but now its like christmas when I do get out and get them

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and the chase is on!

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[cspot]

I check mine at home fairly often and usually at least once a week. However they are all set along typical human travel routes so the human scent doesn't bother them. Basically it is a farm and I have them all set along fencelines where the neighbor farmer drives often to check fence. I really use cameras more for inventory than I do for determining where to hunt.

At camp I have a cuddelink system to that I don't have to go to the remote cameras very often except to change batteries.

[Boogieman1]

Depends on what you are planning to accomplish. My current belief is the farther away u put a camera from there honeycomb hideout the least they care. I've had em on food sources and it didn't bother em one bit. Put that sucker on a entrance to his bedding and more times than not u will get a close up of him starring at it, then a good chance he will change his route. Let him smell u a few times checking it and it's done deal game over. Also appears to me early season is when there most sensitive to them. When rut hit and they got luv on there mind they seem to carry on and not be such a detective.

Early season I put mine on food and typically check midday every 10 days or when I get a rain.

Also put some on open gates or low spots in a fence. I'm expecting pre dawn dark pics. But much like guys using snow and tracks crossing the road these cams tell me if he's home. Can check these everyday if I want.

B4 rut I deploy the majority of my cams in spots I'm curious about. I don't check them until after the season to use info for the next season. I want to see the natural order of things without wondering if my intrusion compromised the spot.