Trail Cam Scouting Question
- hunterstoots34
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Trail Cam Scouting Question
I live in PA and we are a little over three weeks out from opening day. I located a nice 140 class buck while shining a field about a month ago and immediately set a camera up 50 yards inside the woods where I found two intersecting trails that led to the field. I checked it after two weeks and sure enough the buck was on there. I’m thinking about hunting this spot the first day on an evening sit but I need some more intel before I plan where I’m going to sit. I’m not sure exactly where this buck beds and am hoping by getting some more pictures I can pattern his direction of travel. So my question is, do I go in and check the camera knowing the season isn’t too far or do I hold back and try and glass the field instead and just let the camera soak. This is a semi pressured piece of private and there are other people that know about the buck but I’m not sure anyone else has pictures of him. So should I go in and check the camera? Maybe right before a rain? Or should I just stay out?
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Re: Trail Cam Scouting Question
I'm about convinced more bucks survive because of cameras than are killed because of them. Most guys like to check them, move them etc. I get it. I do too. But you absolutely have to be smart about camera tactics.
Going in there this close to the season or during the season messing with cameras is pressuring deer.
Good example of the rainy day theory. I am a subscriber. I do believe it helps with scent if you go out RIGHT before or during a SIGNIFICANT rainfall. I did that Sunday. I spooked a deer within sight of my camera.
If the rain isn't significant, it'll actually HELP deer smell you. I've been running coon dogs dang near my entire life. Dogs noses are wet for a reason. If I had a choice between a wet rainy night and a DRY DRY DRY night to run, I'd take the rainy night hands down. If you're out there when the ground is damp or in a might rain that ends quick, I think your scent is going to be stronger. Dry ground and air makes for VERY difficult scenting conditions.
You already have more intel than going in blind. You have pics 50yds from the field? What time??? What direction was he heading?? One event or regularly occurring?? You aughta be able to get the jump on him from that I'd think? Heck, you can even go back on Wunderground and figure out if there's a specific wind he's using.
Going in there this close to the season or during the season messing with cameras is pressuring deer.
Good example of the rainy day theory. I am a subscriber. I do believe it helps with scent if you go out RIGHT before or during a SIGNIFICANT rainfall. I did that Sunday. I spooked a deer within sight of my camera.
If the rain isn't significant, it'll actually HELP deer smell you. I've been running coon dogs dang near my entire life. Dogs noses are wet for a reason. If I had a choice between a wet rainy night and a DRY DRY DRY night to run, I'd take the rainy night hands down. If you're out there when the ground is damp or in a might rain that ends quick, I think your scent is going to be stronger. Dry ground and air makes for VERY difficult scenting conditions.
You already have more intel than going in blind. You have pics 50yds from the field? What time??? What direction was he heading?? One event or regularly occurring?? You aughta be able to get the jump on him from that I'd think? Heck, you can even go back on Wunderground and figure out if there's a specific wind he's using.
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Re: Trail Cam Scouting Question
Here’s what you have to ask yourself. If the buck isn’t on cam are you abandoning that spot? Or are you hunting it anyway? If you know you want to hunt there you gain nothing by checking it.
The biggest issue I see is you’re talking 3 weeks until season and you had pics of him weeks ago. Chances are he’s not going to hold pattern that long.
I would be trying to learn everything I can about him. Whether it’s by observing more or placing more cams. And especially checking strategic areas for tracks and his sign. Use this situation as a learning tool. Be aggressive. Make your best guesses at bedding and see if you can figure him out. IMHO being too aggressive is better than not aggressive enough.
The biggest issue I see is you’re talking 3 weeks until season and you had pics of him weeks ago. Chances are he’s not going to hold pattern that long.
I would be trying to learn everything I can about him. Whether it’s by observing more or placing more cams. And especially checking strategic areas for tracks and his sign. Use this situation as a learning tool. Be aggressive. Make your best guesses at bedding and see if you can figure him out. IMHO being too aggressive is better than not aggressive enough.
- brancher147
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Re: Trail Cam Scouting Question
When was the buck on camera? I hunt WV and all the bucks I had on summer feeding patterns on cameras are gone since acorns started falling. They have been gone about 2 weeks at this point. I would watch the field or check the cam on a very dry low humidity preferably windy day with right wind or before a big rainstorm. But be prepared to find the buck again if he’s gone. Don’t be afraid to scout around either. Better to be in the game than sit back in the wrong spot.
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- HuntingParadise
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Re: Trail Cam Scouting Question
mauser06 wrote:I'm about convinced more bucks survive because of cameras than are killed because of them. Most guys like to check them, move them etc. I get it. I do too. But you absolutely have to be smart about camera tactics.
Going in there this close to the season or during the season messing with cameras is pressuring deer.
Good example of the rainy day theory. I am a subscriber. I do believe it helps with scent if you go out RIGHT before or during a SIGNIFICANT rainfall. I did that Sunday. I spooked a deer within sight of my camera.
If the rain isn't significant, it'll actually HELP deer smell you. I've been running coon dogs dang near my entire life. Dogs noses are wet for a reason. If I had a choice between a wet rainy night and a DRY DRY DRY night to run, I'd take the rainy night hands down. If you're out there when the ground is damp or in a might rain that ends quick, I think your scent is going to be stronger. Dry ground and air makes for VERY difficult scenting conditions.
You already have more intel than going in blind. You have pics 50yds from the field? What time??? What direction was he heading?? One event or regularly occurring?? You aughta be able to get the jump on him from that I'd think? Heck, you can even go back on Wunderground and figure out if there's a specific wind he's using.
I agree with your first part a lot. My dad used to run the cameras by us and Ive taken over that role and have had to constantly stress that we need to not check them so often. Everytime you check them you are putting sent and pressure in that area which means you are adding an even higher chance a buck leaves or goes nocturnal. Its another reason why I like our cameras to be near stands but easily accessible and where you arent going into bedding areas. In the case of the OP here, you know he is there so now let the camera sit and go hunt it but dont keep checking the camera when you have 3 weeks until hunting.
- Thesouthpaw
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Re: Trail Cam Scouting Question
Unless he is still there consistently when the season opens, I wouldn't even think about hunting that area. The best thing to do is keep tabs on the general aea, and find where he is moving consistently come October. I like to do this by putting a bunch of cameras out in every location that I think he could go, then let them sit until the weather gets good in October. If I find him using a specific area in the daylight, I'll target him there. If not, I move on to the next buck.
I rarely kill bucks that I see in fields this time of year around that particular food source. it's typically a quarter mile or so away, if I ever pick them back up.
I rarely kill bucks that I see in fields this time of year around that particular food source. it's typically a quarter mile or so away, if I ever pick them back up.
Anything worth doing, is worth over doing.
- hunterstoots34
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Re: Trail Cam Scouting Question
So I think for the most part you guys are agreeing on not going in there to check the camera which is what I thought but I thought I’d ask anyways. For those saying that he probably won’t be there come season I agree with that too considering I only got pics of him 2 days of the 2 weeks it was out there and that was already a few weeks ago. So if I were to try to relocate him how would I scout without going in there? You guys are saying I shouldn’t go in to check the trail camera but are saying I should go in, set up more cameras, scout and find tracks? Like if I can’t check this camera what good is it doing me to set more and getting my scent all over the place just to not be able to check them? Should my scouting now just consist of evening glassing? I’m sorry if I’m sounding brash I’m just a pretty new to all this and I want to hear your guys opinions on what I should do or what you would do.
- brancher147
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Re: Trail Cam Scouting Question
hunterstoots34 wrote:So I think for the most part you guys are agreeing on not going in there to check the camera which is what I thought but I thought I’d ask anyways. For those saying that he probably won’t be there come season I agree with that too considering I only got pics of him 2 days of the 2 weeks it was out there and that was already a few weeks ago. So if I were to try to relocate him how would I scout without going in there? You guys are saying I shouldn’t go in to check the trail camera but are saying I should go in, set up more cameras, scout and find tracks? Like if I can’t check this camera what good is it doing me to set more and getting my scent all over the place just to not be able to check them? Should my scouting now just consist of evening glassing? I’m sorry if I’m sounding brash I’m just a pretty new to all this and I want to hear your guys opinions on what I should do or what you would do.
If it was me I would check the camera IF I thought I could get away with it depending on the variables. Then with or without the info from the camera I would figure the closest food like acorns and closest potential bedding. I would then hunt my way in while scouting on opening day and setup on fresh sign.
Unless you keep seeing him in the field and have him on a pattern then just jump in opening day where he is traveling.
If he has really disappeared I would do some scouting boots on the ground before season but I would be very careful of my access and my wind and my scent. But I would rather take a chance at spooking him a little bit and being in the game rather than sitting back and playing it safe hunting somewhere he isn’t using. That’s just me though.
Some do. Some don't. I just might...
- hunterstoots34
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Re: Trail Cam Scouting Question
brancher147 wrote:hunterstoots34 wrote:So I think for the most part you guys are agreeing on not going in there to check the camera which is what I thought but I thought I’d ask anyways. For those saying that he probably won’t be there come season I agree with that too considering I only got pics of him 2 days of the 2 weeks it was out there and that was already a few weeks ago. So if I were to try to relocate him how would I scout without going in there? You guys are saying I shouldn’t go in to check the trail camera but are saying I should go in, set up more cameras, scout and find tracks? Like if I can’t check this camera what good is it doing me to set more and getting my scent all over the place just to not be able to check them? Should my scouting now just consist of evening glassing? I’m sorry if I’m sounding brash I’m just a pretty new to all this and I want to hear your guys opinions on what I should do or what you would do.
If it was me I would check the camera IF I thought I could get away with it depending on the variables. Then with or without the info from the camera I would figure the closest food like acorns and closest potential bedding. I would then hunt my way in while scouting on opening day and setup on fresh sign.
Unless you keep seeing him in the field and have him on a pattern then just jump in opening day where he is traveling.
If he has really disappeared I would do some scouting boots on the ground before season but I would be very careful of my access and my wind and my scent. But I would rather take a chance at spooking him a little bit and being in the game rather than sitting back and playing it safe hunting somewhere he isn’t using. That’s just me though.
Yea this makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the info. As of right now I’m probably just going to hold off on the camera and try to do some glassing from a distance. If I see him or not I think I’m still going to jump in and just take a chance. At least I can get some type of intel if I hunt there whether that’s seeing fresh sign or seeing the buck from a distance.
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Re: Trail Cam Scouting Question
Look at all the details. What time was he on cam. What way was he traveling, why (bedding or feeding) What way was the wind blowing. Go back and check past weather I use timeanddate.com. Lots of my photos shown they prefer to travel WITH the wind. Smelling any potential danger that might cross there track. Be smart about your scent (play the wind) and check the cam. Look for his track. Make your final adjustments.
My season opens the 1st of October. I’m goin to check my cameras this weekend and probably once more before opening day. Two weeks is pretty standard for me. It’s the most frustrating thing waiting to check a camera to find it with dead batteries or some other malfunction.
4/6 of my previous bucks were taken with the aid of trail camera. They helped me build a history with most of them for multiple seasons. I hunt a small private lot (30acre) in a heavily pressured county in lower Michigan. The property is pines/marsh/ and overgrown field. Surrounded by lots of corn, soybeans and hunters.
My season opens the 1st of October. I’m goin to check my cameras this weekend and probably once more before opening day. Two weeks is pretty standard for me. It’s the most frustrating thing waiting to check a camera to find it with dead batteries or some other malfunction.
4/6 of my previous bucks were taken with the aid of trail camera. They helped me build a history with most of them for multiple seasons. I hunt a small private lot (30acre) in a heavily pressured county in lower Michigan. The property is pines/marsh/ and overgrown field. Surrounded by lots of corn, soybeans and hunters.
- thepennsylvanian
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Re: Trail Cam Scouting Question
I would not go in until the season opened, period. Like it was said you already have more info than going in blind. You dont really need to know where hes bedding, you know the destination. Cameras are dangerous to your season if your depending on the info for this season. That's my opinion. I run a bunch of cameras but I run them to get intel for next year and beyond.
By this point hes smelled you already, and it could very well be the reason he hasn't been on camera much. Now that doesn't mean hes gone. Hes just not in front of the camera. I've seen buck move to a different trail that took it just 25 yards behind the camera I placed before.
I'd throw a hunt at it, if I can get the wind, maybe 60-70ish yards away to where I could see him if he came out and then make moves from there. You know hes in there or atleast was, why risk more pressure in telling him your intentions.
By this point hes smelled you already, and it could very well be the reason he hasn't been on camera much. Now that doesn't mean hes gone. Hes just not in front of the camera. I've seen buck move to a different trail that took it just 25 yards behind the camera I placed before.
I'd throw a hunt at it, if I can get the wind, maybe 60-70ish yards away to where I could see him if he came out and then make moves from there. You know hes in there or atleast was, why risk more pressure in telling him your intentions.
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