Trail Camera's - Do they change deer patterns

Ok, here is a question that may become a friendly debate. I have pulled my camera's out of the woods until hunting season. I do so as to not disturb or leave scent around the areas I will be hunting.

So the question is, does checking your camera's, in your opinion, change deer patterns to become more noctural and harder to take ??

 

Pattern? Sure they can, but it's not the camera, it's the indian.

 

I also believe that the flash type spook deer at least big bucks will become more shy untill they just don't go through there any more.Walt

 

The following is a true story.......

I had my camera, which at the time was an old 35mm deal, along a trail the deer use heavily. I had a roll of 24 exposure film in the camera and didn't check it for 3 weeks. When I did, there were 22 of the 24 pictures used, so I went ahead and pulled the film.

I had deer in each of the exposures, which I was thrilled about. So in 2 more weeks I went out to check the camera, and out of 24 exposures only a handful had been used. Upon investigation I discovered that the trail they've been using had been altered..........To go directly around the tree with the camera on it. Amazing critters.......So I backed it up against the creek bank so they couldn't get behind and once again got pictures of them.

I am fairly certain it was the flash or the sound of the film winding, or a combination of the 2, but they moved around the backside of the tree. I was just amazed.

 

There is no answer to this question as it is up to the individual deer.

I have set cameras up and checked them daily (drove right up to it on my ATV) everytime, sometimes with deer in the field watching me and captured atleast 5 bucks that were between 3.5-4.5 coming in on a daily basis.

Maybe it's just the deer in my area, but I don't buy into the theory that deer cameras are a "bucks best friend". If the deer were going to change their patterns everytime they "felt human pressure" they would grow gills and be swimming in the local lake.

 

I have killed several bucks from my game cameras... none of the monsters, though my best-friend has put down 3 mature bucks over the past 3 seasons that we have captured on camera.

The big bucks that I capture are typically from a piece of property that I don't archery hunt, not the game cameras fault at all, rather I just decide not to hunt it.

 

Nyah, nyah, nyah None of them monsters, so your experience is null and void. Nyah, Nyah.

J/k BM J/k:D

 

Well.... they would be huge for Florida.... does that count?:p

 

Florida? Yeah, that would be Trophy Status, Hardcorish, Trail Cam Bucks right there.:D:D

 

Did I mention that I shot them from a Harley while doing 95 through the middle of the woods.... all the while eatting a bean burrito.... yea, I am truly that hardcore:D:D

 

I love bean burritos.

 

I don't see any evidence with my cameras that they are spooking deer. Not even my flash camera. I have consistently been getting pics of the same bucks since May. There was a bit of an interuption in thier movements when the land owner decided to let the bomb squad blow up 3 big bombs on his property, but everything was back to normal in about 10 days.

The scent we leave behind is the real problem. I carry scent killer with me when I check my cams and try not to touch anything but the cameras. I spray my boots/shoes before I head in and wipe down with scent killer towels.

Seems to work for me. I voted no, because it isn't the camera but the indian as stated above in another post.

 

I like to use to camera's myself, I prefer to check them just before a rain to help wash away any scent that I may (and will) leave behind. I am not 100% that cameras spook the deer, but it does amaze me how many pics I have of the deer looking right into the camera. Is it something they heard ?? Something they see ?? Either way I believe every deer has a tolerance to everything.

My belief is that the more you check em, the more scent you leave behind..indian or not (lol)..to me the less they feel intruded on the better.

 

Rob, I just picked up my cam yesterday. I put it out 2 weeks and 2 days ago, along with a 50# pile of corn. I have pics of over 15 different deer. Five different bucks visited virtually every night and day, and not a single deer ever spooked (cheap wild view w/ flash). One buck was 8 points and about 120-125", so we're not talking monsters, here. He's a decent buck though. And like most deer on the cam, he visited both night and day, until the corn was gone.. You want to know what will really drive people crazy..... I put the corn and cam about 12 yards away from my stand . I'm such a rebel