How often is too often is check trail cameras in the off season? I've recently moved on to the piece of property that I hunt, and I'm finding it very very hard to stay out of the deer woods. Lol. Second this doe pictured below looks awful scrawny to me. Any ideas what could be up? The rest of the heard looks fine. elite shooter
A hard winter and probably a fawn or two on the ground sucking all her nutrients. Just a guess. What's your location? How bad was the winter?
As to how often is too often? I wouldn't check it more than once a week. I've left one up for three weeks and let the corn run out and found pictures clear up to an hour of our arrival.
I'm located in southeast Kentucky winter wasnt too bad cold temps was the worst of it. I've not had any pictures of fawns yet. One doe that appears to be carrying a fawn. And I'm trying to limit myself to once every other week. I'm still new in this game (only my second year) and was told once a week would push my deer off. These trail cameras are so adictive lol elite shooter
So much for my theory. LOL. How do you get to your cams? I've found that a slow, quiet truck motor, no slamming doors or talking, etc, really doesn't push deer away.
I walk from my house the little 17-18 acre patch of woods I hunt is only 150 yards out my back door, I wear rubber boots and try to spray down with scent control spray every time elite shooter
I understand better now about your friend's recommendation. Less visits to the cam would be better with your situation. Foot traffic, unless done like a classic still hunt, really could spook some deer.
Here’s my experience.... A mature buck won’t put up with too much tinkering around if they’re frequenting the property. They’ll switch up travel routes to avoid yours or just avoid it all together. The does and small bucks don’t seem to care, but a 3+ yo deer doesn’t like to be pushed. Given the size of your patch, to increase your odds at a mature buck, keep out as much as possible. If you don’t care about shooting a mature buck, I would check them no more than once a week. After I put a camera in a new spot, I always go check it after a week to make sure it’s pointed in the right direction and deer are actually traveling through there. The first year I hunted where I do now, I checked them more often because I had no idea of how they were using the property (40 acres) This year, my third year hunting this piece of property, I’m only going to check them once a month (lies )
