Camera check frequency

[kwaldeier]

How often in the summer do you check your mineral or salt lick cameras? Obviously it's just for inventory but still don't want human scent in there as much as possible...

[E72]

I don't think it matters in the summer so much. I check mine about once a month in the summer . I try to avoid checking in the early morning or evening when the deer are most likely there. If your worried about scent, try to time it right before rain moves in .

[rfickes87]

Some of the greats on this site have said on here that your scent can linger for up to 2 weeks. So if you check it once every 2 weeks, its possible that your scent can be there 100% of the time.

If you put the minerals in or near a bedding/staging area your flirting with danger (I know from experience!). If you put it out far away from bedding then I don't think it even matters if your scent is there or not. But if you do that then any intel you get from that is only useful IF you have already pre scouted the bedding areas nearby and you know where those bucks are bedded.

I used to use minerals. I would check it every 2 weeks. Got awesome pics of big bucks at 2am. For every 10-15 bucks I would see on camera I might see 1 or 2 on the hoof during the season. Its a lost cause IMO. I'm sure others can argue this against me, but here in PA, I feel minerals don't do anything, Its all about pre scouting the bedding areas.

[Lockdown]

Unless you’re worried about the card filling up, batteries dying, or running out of bait/mineral, you don’t really gain anything by checking it often. When I first got cameras I was horrible for this. I used to check them every week if not sooner. Two weeks seemed like an eternity. I just wanted to see the pics THAT bad.

For an observation cam once a month is a pretty good number IMHO.

[JAK]

I used to check once a month but I'm at the point I would rather glass and shine for my intel I don't want to leave any scent behind. But say it's a area I can't get Intel from a field I would do it.

[hambone]

I check mine around once a month, preferably right before or during a rain.

[Grizzlyadam]

Yes, just check them during heavy rain.

[Rob loper]

I check Twice a year mid to late august on a rainy day then again in February too see what survived. But my cameras are no where near where i hunt ever.my camera sites are along cruising transitions close to food or water or staging destinations with sign but sign that is NOT associated with bedding at all. If there is sign there from bucks its made well after dark. Most of my pics of bucks are at night. But i know where they bed from post season scouting. You are just setting up for failure setting cameras on sign associated with bedding in bedding or anywhere close to mature buck bedding. Celluar cams are another story but still i think you must really be careful and set them at least 8foot off ground.imo i just wouldnt chance it you do all the hard work finding these spots or bedding areas. I dont want one thing to screw it up. The guys on tv are hunting different animal its just unrealistic. They set cams on Wednesday and check cams Friday morning then go back again the same day and kill a big boy its cool and entertaining but thats it when it comes to tv hunts
even some really cushy public ground out west that has limited pressure have different conditioned animals. Most of us beast hunters on here hunt heavily pressured public property that mature bucks are conditioned through past experiences with humans that one whiff of human scent in the wrong place. That buck is outta there. Its just not worth the risk. I have worked way too hard this past post season to have my odds drop for misplacement or several trips to check. No thnks

[thepennsylvanian]

Unless you’re worried about the card filling up, batteries dying, or running out of bait/mineral, you don’t really gain anything by checking it often. When I first got cameras I was horrible for this. I used to check them every week if not sooner. Two weeks seemed like an eternity. I just wanted to see the pics THAT bad.

For an observation cam once a month is a pretty good number IMHO.

This is a great point, ive come to some conclusions this year. Do I want to see the pictures of deer or do I want to use the information that an undisturbed camera will provide. Meaning the longer you let the cameras, in most cases the better the information you can obtain. If you going in once a week or sooner, the deer are patterning you and will begin avoid your camera so your results will be skewed. Let it be and wait then change your batteries swap or download cards and begin your research. Or place a cellular camera and you only need to go in to change batteries. I ordered two, haven't quite got to hanging them yet but I plan on doing this, of you is lithium batteries it can 6months and you'll have real time live photos.
All that said, I go by less is more. Just my opinion.

[Hawthorne]

Usually I like to let mine soak about 2 months in summer. I just started putting mine out and won’t check them till late August or early September

[Twenty Up]

Ideally? Every day
Realistically.. every 2-3 months.. maybe longer

[<DK>]

I don't think it matters in the summer so much. I check mine about once a month in the summer . I try to avoid checking in the early morning or evening when the deer are most likely there. If your worried about scent, try to time it right before rain moves in .

x2.

I also think its more important to pull them at the right time. Mature bucks shed their velvet sooner than younger bucks. I dont want him to shift patterns bc of intrusion.

After talking w guys from different regions another thing to consider here is pressure per state or area. Deer may tolerate more intrusion in one hunters area vs another.

[creepingdeth]

To me, the question is more like how long do you let them sit.....I only check them when I pull them. Still trying to figure cams out(as far as good set-ups). The problem w/cams is we want to check them too frequently.

[Jdw]

Only when it is necessary to retrieve the information you were trying to get when you set the camera up. Or to freshen the card and batteries / trim undergrowth if it is set up during the growing season.

[Mike32]

Once a month, most of the time.