Everyone knows I just put out my first cam two days ago. Now how long do I leave them out. I mean as in do I leave them out all season or collect them before season opener then put them out only if I need to durring season? I have read you don't want to put them on a spot you want to hunt. Thats kind of backwards to me because I thought you put them out so that you know when and where to hunt and hang your stands.
I run mine all year and have them on all my kill plots I pull cards when I walk in to hunt. You can't beat MRI (most recent information) I check mine more often during season If a buck hits a plot during shooting hours a couple nights in a row I need to take advantage of it :D
The biggest mistake people make is putting them in sensitive areas and checking them too often. The deer will pattern you and it will be counterproductive.
I love breaking these "rules" and killing bucks. Just shows there is no right or wrong and the only way to learn what works for you is to do it :D If you want to run cameras all year do it. If you want to go check them do it. I enjoy everything about hunting season too much to let someone else dictate when I can go into my woods and when I can't. My deer know me by name ! When I get there it's like when Norm walks into Cheers OK rant over :D
It depends a lot on the property, if the deer are used to having humans around you are probably ok to check them a little more often. If it is sucluded and they are going to know you are there, do it sparingly if you want to keep the big boys around. During the season I use them to try to pinpoint areas I need to concentrate on. I have one property that the farmer is out there daily to check cows, I keep my cameras on the edges of the timber and check them whenever I feel like it. The other property I'm probably the only one that walks that property 99% of the year to those cameras I usually let soak for 3 or 4 weeks at a time.
Good advise here. This question is kind of like a "how high should I hang my stand" thread. There are some guidelines, but so much depends on your individual property, pressure and deer. I usually try not to check until one week or so. but some cameras are in areas that I'm comfortable checking almost daily... so there's my non-answer answer
I usually leave mine out from late July until late February or March. As for checking them. The above advice is spot on. Do not check them often unless A. you're in an area where there are always people around (farms, hiking, etc.) B. Its on a field edge or nearby trail leading to the fields and you can get to it quickly and easily. Most of my cams are on trails deep in the woods and I can't afford to get in there too often without running the risk of bumping deer or allowing them to pattern me. I check those about once a month. During season, I will check a cam only if I am in the area, going to or from a stand. Take extra batteries and cards and swap things out as you go.
It is about 40yd or so off of an ATV trail that I travel a few times a week checking the property. I'm still going to try to stay out for a week at a time now. I have to go out to set up some more cameras and move a stand tomorrow and I will be right at the camera anyways so I will check it tomorrow then Im out of it for a while. It is hard though living on the property. I was the same way when I put in my mineral station.
I'd say you're pretty safe checking it when you ride honestly. I'd still keep my scent to a minumum, wear rubber boots in and out of the cam location, etc. Just to be on the safe side. Sometimes, I think we give these deer too much credit on their smarts.
Any time I go out in the woods for any reason, I take scent eliminating spray and use it religiousely now checking the cam or most any other activity that has to do with scouting or trimming lanes.
Where should I put my camera in relation to my mineral lick and stand, and lick in relation to my stand, etc.
Im going to just tell you how mine is set up but, not suggestion you do the same as I have. Not sure yet how its going to work out. It seems it will work great though. I have my mineral station in the woods (of course) right outside of the corner of a neighoring bean field. It is in a spot that stays shaded and moist year round. It is also in an area with decent cover. I will not hunt over my mineral station ever. I have heard that dried blood can cause deer to stay away. How true this is, I am not sure but, I don't want to risk it considering dried blood in the form of a disk with a spike on it is used by some people to keep deer out of their gardens. Not something I want to end up in the mineral station. I positioned it about 15-20 feet off of a highly traveled trail. It has been tore up since May when I put it out. My camera is about 15 feet off of the mineral staion to the north, facing south 7feet off the ground and angled down toward the mineral station. As for my stand, it is set 15yd off of the same trail about 50yd to the south of my mineral station. It is currently about 12 feet off the ground. It is currently facing south but, I will be turning it or moving it to a different tree facing to the east (thats whee the trail is). I will also be positioning it around 16-20 feet high then.
