I guess my strategies would be as follows... I place trail cameras in locations where I wish to observe WHAT is utilizing said location. For example, if I find a secluded cluster of oak trees, not only will I look for "sign" and trails, I'll place a trail camera in the area in hopes of gaining a handle on what's eating, there. Same goes for a bedding area, watering location or trail intersection. There's the obvious locations; fence crossings, stream crossings, narrow pinch points, field corners, belly trails through briars, scrapes and large rub lines etc, etc. I have locations where I'll leave a trail camera out all season, changing batteries as needed and pulling the memory cards every so often. These areas are generally feeding areas, or, major transition areas used by ALL of the deer living on the property). On the properties my brother hunts, I keep an area baited, consistently. I'll broadcast the corn out very thin, over a very large area, making a "false" feed field. This is generally done in a field with no crops, grassy field or open area within the woods. I compliment the area with some mineral licks. These areas have cameras all season long. This year, I did the most trail cam movement I've ever done. I was attempting to key in on 3 deer on 1 property. I'd have them on camera in a few fields(and glassed them), and, I had a "decent" idea where they were traveling(how they traversed the property). With that said, I wanted to know more, and, given the fact that I acquired this property in the middle of the season, I elected to use cameras in order to key in on travel areas, trying to limit "pressure". By the end of the season, I knew EXACTLY how 1 of the bucks(happens to be the smallest) is utilizing the property. I basically followed observed movement, sign and obvious areas a deer "should" travel. Using the cameras, and some hunters intuition, I was able to identify this deers bedding "area", his travel routes to both food sources, the average times at which he would enter said sources, and, how he traveled back to his bed. He basically makes one large circle, of the property. There was no way to identify this by glassing only. Glassing got me pretty far, but, wise trail cam placement did the rest.
During the summer and early fall, I use them to inventory bucks in the area and monitor mock scrapes. I pull them right before season. Public and even the private or mine would get stolen.
I use them for inventory only. I use Home Brew cameras, I run them from mid July to mid Oct and only check them once a month. Dan
I feel that trail cameras can be extremely effective if used properly. I begin my scouting as soon as soon as the season ends. My first step is to identify what I call 'human appealing locations', basically spots that look as if they would attract deer. I identify these spots by signs of travel and mostly, natural feeding sources (forage). I place my cameras in these locations and return in 2 weeks. I pull the cards and then do one of two things...if there are deer on the cameras then I identify which direction they are coming from and move the camera in that direction, in essence trying to identify the main bedding area on the property. If there are no deer on the camera then I obviously move it to a different location. I do not believe in intruding completely into a bedding area, rather hunting the skirts of it. I believe that hunting bedding areas is more effective that hunting intersections or feeding areas. This is just my strategy and I know everyone has a different strategy and I'm not saying that mine is the only way. I'm just saying that it has been extremely effective for me in the past. If you have any specific questions about this post I'll be happy to answer!
Kind of makes sense though Willy. The 500 has the red Infrared lights I think. They can see them too.
Yeah, I know that. But it's much more suble than the white flashes I've used before, and never got this type of picture. BUT, I think it was because the white flashes weren't capable of taking pictures so quickly. I'm sure it happened with the white flash...just didn't catch it!
Go to http://cuddeback.com/indexb.html and click on "game plan" at the top. Download it and I think you'll be satisfied with that read. They break it down as to where you should put your game cameras and when, according to when and where the deer are in the season, and what they're doing, etc. They also suggest white flash cameras in certain spots, and infrared in others. It's very detailed.
I personally only use Infrared cams these days. I've had quite a few deer spook from standard flash. Still, I doubt its enough to keep them out of the area all together. I have yet to have a deer on cam that were bothered by the infrared flash models I have. Not saying they aren't, but at least on film they don't appear bothered by it. Cams are fun, and are almost like hunting for me. Getting that big buck on camera is almost like putting a tag in his ear. But as said, be really, really careful about when you place them, check them and move them. Stay as scent free as possible and do everything you would do while you're hunting in terms of stealth. I'd be willing to bet that more deer are spooked by careless commotion placing or checking the cams than there is by the cam itself. Just because you don't see the deer you spook, doesn't mean it didn't happen.
Right after the season closes I use them to find out which bucks survived. In the summer I use them to find out which ones are still around. I use them sparingly during the season.
