Thread: Trail cameras

After decades of refusing to use a trail camera, i finally bought a few 25 dollar tasco, ultra cheap, bottom of the line, trail cameras. I've been surprised at how well they work, and even more surprised at the size of some bucks that visit my wide open property when its dark. However, before i get into what i like about them, maybe i should let folks know why I've always (until now) refused to use one.
It seems to me that putting out cameras to pattern deer is taking the easy way out. A guy gets to see what deer habitually use which trails at certain times and can plan his hunting to intercept those deer accordingly. As a kid i learned to do that manually. I'd climb a tree (or sit in the weeds on the downwind side of a trail) and sit with a pair of binoculars (if i could afford them- usually not) and wait for hours in the mornings and evenings keeping track of the deer that came through. Yes it was labor intensive, time consuming, and sometimes itchy thanks to bug bites and nettles. It was also only somewhat effective. I couldn't sit out all the time, or even the majority of the time to scout and monitor deer trails. Thats a part of what made it fun. I would only see a portion of the deer that were regularly on the property, so i knew there was a good chance that I'd see new and unfamiliar bucks during the season. Back then, whether you enjoyed the scouting process or not, it was neccessary if you wanted to learn the habits of your quarry.
Over the past few decades I've watched my neighbors take more larger and older bucks by using trail cameras. Ive still refused to use them but while i would take a 2.5 or 3.5 year old (I rarely see a 4.5 year old buck) they generally end up with the older bigger deer. The neighbors plant huge food plots and run series of cameras, probably 70 or more of them. Its legal, but for me it takes something away from hunting deer and moves it one step closer to "harvesting". If you think about it, they're planting crops to feed deer, and keeping track of where the deer are and when. That's traditionally been something we've done with livestock. I'm not meaning to ruffle any feathers with my opinion here ( though i likely will anyway) because thats all it is- an opinion. Trail cameras are reducing the "hours in the woods and swamps" requirement that made hunting what it used to be. Simply put, trail cameras make it easier. Im not sure that hunting should be easier. True, there have been years when I've had to content myself with a doe or two instead of a big old buck but I don't measure my success that way, i just enjoy my time out doors. I'd like to hear what others have to say on the subject. Trail cameras have long ago become an accepted part of deer hunting in most circles, and I'm aware that I'm behind the times in wanting my hunting to be what it used to be.

I am of 2 minds on technological hunting, from trail cameras to in-line, electronically-fired muzzleloaders shooting so far telescopic sights (another technology) are required. It is no skin off me since I have never seriously hunted deer nor game larger than rabbits. And yet, like driving to the highest point in Alabama yet acting like it was Everest, I wonder if those folks know what they missed? My cousin who drove to Alaska, spent a month camping in the bush, self-guided, arrowed and packed out a caribou had an experience which will be hard to match by someone whose main woods-craft was how far away to park the ATV from the elevated tripod blind.

But I am just as guilty in being willing to fish with GPS instead of navigation, use side-scanning CHIRP enabled sonar, and drag a cart full of tackle capable of far better casting than I am.

And therefore I keep my opinions to myself.

Originally Posted by midwestexile

by someone whose main woods-craft was how far away to park the ATV from the elevated tripod blind.

And therefore I keep my opinions to myself.

That would be me, a meat hunter doing it legal by the states guidelines.....in comfort I might add
And quit using cameras years ago.....take what comes in front of me ....preferably singles .....not to educate others

Oh, I'm definitely a meat hunter, but not every population needs to or even should have does removed. About 5 years ago we had a summer when EHD hit the deer herd really hard in my area. Deer were pretty scarce for the next few years. In fact, even though i saw a few, each season i didnt shoot another deer for the next 3 years. Thats a long drought for a guy who likes venison...the deer population is growing again in that area, but it still isnt what it could or should be.

I actually live in the woods. Lots of woods. I placed a cam out back years ago. Color photos and video. They are great. Down load to computer and watch.

Crazy stuff goes on after dark.

Use your camera and learn, you will love it.

Good luck.

I got them both places, but can only hunt at one

Almost got skunked using cameras seeing 3 big bucks, so I started head hunting thinking come gun season I'll get the freezer meat....well they didn't get the memo(no more cameras for me) finally put a couple in the freezer
I start after a couple hard frost, usually shortly before Rut this year I'll be fishing, it can wait for my return just in time for Rut

A single cheap "X-mart" trail camera let me document who really ate the cat's food, what really lives under the back shed, and so forth. A useful tool. I think folks who have been around for many seasons get to relax while meat hunting. I guess my grouchy is directed at the TV channel "sportsmen" going from one paid hunt to another on an outfitter and sponsor's dime. Best of everything and unsuccessful trips are just out-takes, not learning opportunities that were still enjoyable.

And in the end, all is well.

Fordguy, I agree with your stand on trail cameras. I like for there to be some mystery in the woods. Another point of view is, if I put out cameras and grt pix of a big buck that is frustratingly nocturnal, then I'm PO'ed, and if I put them out and don't get any pix of big deer, I'm PO'ed because of all the work I do on the place to attract them and I'm no longer motivated to hunt. -----Just my point of view. I have used them and it's fun to see what goes on. I used them back when they first came out and used film and would REALLY get upset when I found that I had a whole roll of pix of branches moving in the wind---or maybe it was vampires, I understand that vampires don't show up on film any better than they do in mirrors. Has anybody gotten any good vampire pix with digital? Oops, it's time for my meds again.

I’ve never used a trail camera, but I’m not against them. I’m just too cheap to buy one, haha. But seriously,...most folks who use a camera have all kinds of pictures of HUGE deer,...at night.
I don’t hunt at night.

Yes, I know that just knowing there’s a monster in the area can get the blood pumping, but I assume that guy’s out there ANYway. They always are.

I’ve hunted every year for the past 25. My routine is to take a buck early,...then wait for the rut and take another buck then. Usually the second is a better buck. But this year I’m going to do something different. I’ll take a doe early (single,...like another poster mentioned, as not to educate) and then wait till the rut for a buck. That way I’m not taking a random “ok” buck out early.

Yes, I’m a meat hunter, but also have a quasi desire to nail a decent eight or ten pointer every year, and have been successful so far. We rely on the two deer for our hamburger. I haven’t bought the real stuff in all this time. And whenever I’m in the store I look at it and shake my head,...it looks white with fat, and who knows what else? Have you noticed that every meat recall is for hamburger? No thanks.

The flip side of using 70 cameras is that you spend a lot of time disturbing the woods and leaving a lot of scent around unless you are rich enough to have 70 cellular cameras. Even then you have to replace batteries. The pictures I get in summer are pretty useless in patterning deer once acorns begin to fall since they seem to stop using trails as much. Once the rut kicks in they are all over the place. Most of the better bucks we see don't show up until mid November and we seldom get pictures of them in summer of early fall. Another issue in Alabama is the new baiting law. Pay $10 and you are allowed(on private lands) to kill over a pile of sweet feed, corn, roasted soybeans, powdered molasses, rice bran or even hard rock candy. So now your hunting skills learned over a lifetime get trumped by the guy with the most attractive and strategically located bait pile. I'll pass. Takes about as much skill as shooting a cow munching on a round bale of hay. The cow probably tastes a lot better and costs a lot less than deer. Venison is the second most expensive free meal you can get-behind fish.