Trail Cameras and Spooking Big Deer

[Czabs]

Hey guys I'm new to this forum and website! Super pumped because I have been reading all this and I'm where I belong! Dan, nice work on the website! As far as Trail Cameras and Spooking Big Deer...my question is how close are you guys willing to get to a big bucks safe zone? I would usually put my trail cameras in food sources. However I'm trying a new approach this year. I've been putting them on the banks of a water source, I'm just trying to get an idea of the caliber of bucks out where I hunt. I'm on public land so I'm putting them where I believe no human will cross, but that's also where the big bucks are gonna be, where there is no human activity. I'm really not disturbing anything (setting the trail camera practically out of the boat with no human scent besides the camera itself), but when the bucks get up from their bed in the summer to come get a drink and see a camera staring them in the eyes will that disrupt anything?

Curtis

[PLB]

I would not put them anywhere near a buck's bedding area. I would keep them near the food sources. Doesn't matter if all the pics are at night. You are just trying to get an inventory of the bucks in the area. Don't educate him and disturb him in his safe zone. Just my .02

[dan]

I would not put them anywhere near a buck's bedding area. I would keep them near the food sources. Doesn't matter if all the pics are at night. You are just trying to get an inventory of the bucks in the area. Don't educate him and disturb him in his safe zone. Just my .02

I agree... I think the camera will not really spook them, but if your near there bedding they will smell your scent around the bank where you set the camera unless your really carefull and may hear you in the water..,. If the crossings are more than 100 yards from the beds you could probably get away with it, or if there is enough boat traffic for them to feel comfortable with scent along the river, but then you risk theft.

[Czabs]

There is little to non human traffic so scent would be a pretty big deal I would think. What other ways can I get an inventory with my trail cameras? All the food sources besides oaks are on private land.

[Bucky]

There is little to non human traffic so scent would be a pretty big deal I would think. What other ways can I get an inventory with my trail cameras? All the food sources besides oaks are on private land.

Salt - liquid (with scent attractants added, AppleJam etc) or stock salt from co-op + small bottle of molasses - put it no where near where you plan to hunt and set camera on it. You will get every deer on the island... on within 0.5-1 mile radius - this practice is illegal in WI I believe