If you were going to put your cameras out specifically to catch and track bucks as they develop their antlers, what would be your Top 5 tactics (ie, locations, cam placement, scent control, etc)? 1- 2- 3- 4- 5-
1 - Stay on the fringe. 2 - Have enough cameras on the fringe. 3 - Check cameras right before a rain or with good wind. 4 - Stay on the fringe. 5 - Stay on the fringe.
In the early stages of antler development, I try to find the groups of bucks. I have pretty much found that once the antlers start developing those groups will stay together all summer. I usually place my cameras along known travel routes until I see a pattern begin to develop. Then I concentrate on those areas for most of the summer just to watch their growth. Problem is, they're never there when the season starts. Blessings.........Pastorjim
Pretty good list. Add cameras to minerals/food stations/foodplots. Deer tend to be more tolerant of human interaction at these locations.
1. Concentrate on travel routes. 2. Place a salt/ mineral site that lasts. 3. Use a spray attractant/ coverscent on boots (don't spray your cam). 4. In and out quick.. 5. Use a cam you don't have to constantly add batteries too.
1 - Mineral/feed sites - several that are placed around in case doe groups take over to allow bucks access to one or more. 2 - Travel routes/bottlenecks 3 - Check cameras about once per month when we go in to freshen minerals, etc.. 4 - Use floating cameras, have a couple that we will move around to different locations periodically through the summer. 5 - Cameras over food plots.
I think having to mess with changing batteries is one of the weakest points using cams. You spend the time at the site popping in a new set (that probably smell like a combination of hairspray, wet dog and man-smell by the time you put them in), spreading your own stink on the camera and the site. Sure, you could spray the cam, then the bears will eat it. I like to just run in, pull card, put in new card and leave.
Put them places where I can almost drive right up to on atv or truck, switch cards and go. Place on heavily traveled trails to and from food There's 100+ beef cows on the farm I hunt so when they get moved from they're winter pasture to spring/summer pasture I put cams near where they've been gettin fed grain, minerals, and salt all winter. All the feeder and blocks of whatever are moved to new pasture but the deer still hit those spots. Once summer rolls around and crops are up mainly put them on tavel routes to field facing out into field and set cams to takes pics every so often until can narrow down when deer are feeding then set that time to take a lot of pics.
Great post this will also help me because im trying to pattern a few bucks myself great info Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
My addition to the list (good suggestions from everyone so far) is let the deer move to you. What I mean is you can get velvet pics of bucks on major trails with 50 yards of bedding in deep cover. But all you are doing is getting sweaty, exposing your self to ticks, wasting energy/batteries, and leaving your scent everywhere. My view - mineral station as close to the road as possible and let the "bucks come to you" ... my goal is to see what I have and be done. Pics are fun - killing is better.
Lots of nice suggestions, I'd add water sources to the list. The warmer it gets the more they have to drink.
Im just getting into the mix as one has mentioned here but thus far it has been my mentality to find the most ideal locations with hardwoods. The timber where i am going to be primarily bowhunting is composed of about 85% pines maybe more. The hardwoods are normally found in small clusters with a few decent oaks together. I am trying to locate these oaks and set up there When they produce acorns i am hoping it will help me get a little more intel on the deer that are there. Along with any attractants, minerals, or feed i put there hopefully it will help keep them there. There is also a lot of water on the property, so all of my cameras are set up close to water source and at these clusters of oaks. I am about an hour away from my hunting lands but i try and check my cameras every 3-4 weeks. The paths are all over the land so i am able to drive the truck/atv within a 100 yards or so of the camera.
1- Mineral Sites (Very high traffic throughout the summer) 2- Water holes ( also very high traffic during summer months) 3- Preferred food sources (this will change as the summer goes on) 4- Travel corridors 5- I drive a 4-wheeler to all my cameras and check them mid-day once a week. I choose to let the deer know me by name and smell.
I put my camera's over where i pour out my Buck Jam....the another where the food plot is...then one more up on their travel route. I do spray my camera's though with Dead Down Wind. I check mine every 4 weeks...give or take a week. After July maybe only twice before season starts. I will check all 5 of my camera's and pull the one's down that are closer to my stands about 3 weeks before Bow season and freshen up the Buck Jam one last time.
Lots of good responses. I run 4 main cameras on our 90 acres currently, and all of them are in low impact areas. I'm usually no farther than 50 or 75 yes off a main logging road or field. Like Pat, I check mid day, and while I will wear rubber boots, that's about all the scent control I use. I'm usually placing cameras on the outermost fringe area of a major bedding area. As a result, I get very few mid morning/late afternoon pics, but I get pics...lots of them. It's primarily an inventory tool for me than anything. My scent control and location strategy would surely change if I was trying to pattern a specific buck.
One other thing i've done in the past... Check and place cams while it's raining... No chance of leaving scent!
Last year was my first w/ cameras. I already know what I am going to change. 1. Water source, last year was a drought and pond was dry, this year has been wet and pond is full. 2. Facing a field from high vantage point, last year I kept cameras in the timber 3. Along the creek line from timber to water. I have a small thick ditch area that is a great travel corridor 4. Set up a mineral site, I have never done this before. 5. Check cameras less, last year I was excited and stumbled through the timber every 10 days to check. Keep cam checks to every 3 weeks and more accessible areas. It is a never ending learning experience.
