I have been messing around with trail cameras for the last 2 yrs now. I am curious to see how many of you that are using trail cameras can say that they have changed the way you hunt some of you areas. Or do some of you just run cameras for pure enjoyment of the wildlife. Just curious on everyones thoughts.
This. I like to see whats out there when I'm not there. Going and checking my camera (especially after it's been out for a few weeks) is like Easter as a kid. Not as good as Christmas, but it still gets you excited. I hunt all my spots the same way I did before I had cameras. If there is a good buck coming by one camera more than the others, then I'm more likely to hunt that spot. So cameras may alter where I hunt, but it doesn't change the way I hunt (entry/exit routes, scent control, wind direction, etc)
I use them just to see what bucks are out there roaming my farm. Since I dont check them daily (usually only once every 3 weeks) They cant really help my hunting strategy, But like Jim said, I get so excited to plug that card into a computer and see what has come by.
Other than in the woods behind the house, I've not run any cams in the areas I hunt. Too worried they'd grow feet.
It changed the way I look at scrapes completely. It also changed the way I hunt scrapes and when I hunt them.
The only thing it has changed the way I hunt is if I don't see any deer after a week or so I assume deer are not using that area during that time of year. That is about all. 95% is about the wildlife enjoyment and the never knowing what you will find feeling when you check your memory card. Edit: I have a camera out there in a hot spot since the middle of May. I really want to check it bad but I know there is no reason at this point. I hope to be able to control myself until middle of July.
I love trail cams and also have been putting them out as much as i can,and yes some grow legs. wich i hate,and some cams are junk and are not worth putting out.and for me some deer dont come back after the flash,so i am not sure there going out anywhere i am going to sit over this year. Maybe this happens to you guys but i get picks of deer i never see while hunting and we killed a few bucks last year i never got on film from the same places i got cams. witch makes me not give up hope on a time proven spot during the rut.
I use them just for fun and don't use them in the areas I hunt. My two cameras have slow trigger speeds so you have to bait them to get decent pictures of deer. One is a flash so I only use it in an area I know is safe from thieves. The new IR one ( gift ) spooks deer at night horrible so you need corn to keep them coming back. It isn't a noise issue as I have bucks standing right in front of it during the day without a care in the world as it snaps a burst of 3 pictures. In some of my more remote areas... I was hoping to set it on trails and face it down the trail ( quartering ) instead of across the trail to offset the slow trigger speed. I don't dare use now since it is spooking the deer. I don't want to bait where I hunt so the camera is pretty useless to me scouting wise. Tim
Just checked 5 cameras on Wednesday for the first time since setting them out on April 11. The anticipation of checking the cameras is exciting during these hot summer days. I think for the most part it's just exciting to see the deer doing their thing but it's also the carrot at the end of the stick, especially if I manage to capture a nice buck image. This will be the second season at some new private property and I'm still trying to figure the place out, so I would say it does affect how I hunt based on sticking to the places that tend to have more traffic. This is especially true for when I take my two boys with me. When alone I will certainly hunt places that my cameras didn't hit.
i think that cams are wonderful for folks who are too busy to be out in the woods and fields to see whats around. i enjoy seeing animals coming into cam range b/c that means you guessed right.
