Just thought it would be interesting to see some opinions on this. The last 5 years I have been nuts about scouting with a camera. The last couple years I have captured pics of record book bucks only to have my neighbors harvest them. It's like the season goes down the tubes after that. I'm now thinking of getting rid of the trail cameras just for the excitement of the unknown. Just wonder if anyone else has thought about this?
Trail Cameras?
- Thread starter tchunter
- Start date
Double Naught Spy
New member
You mean that you would rather not know that there were ever any record bucks and that way you would not feel bad knowing that while they had crossed your property, that they were killed elsewhere as once you know, you don't have a reason to hunt?
Interesting. So you would rather hunt the season not ever knowing you had a chance rather than knowing when to stop.
Interesting. So you would rather hunt the season not ever knowing you had a chance rather than knowing when to stop.
No it's just that there used to be something special about the unknown and the possibilities of what might be out there. The cameras have helped a ton. I'm not taking anything away from them. Mine are out 365 days a year. I just wonder if anyone misses that thrill of the unknown. As far as stopping hunting that will never happen. Way too many deer around here for that. I just feel a little let down when I have a pile of pics of a monster and the neighbor gets him. Of course none of my neighbors have cameras so I always donate pics for their game rooms.
ohiomossyoak
New member
Trail cams can be a pain in the but...Not seeing things while hunting that you see on cam can be mentally taxing for some.....I didn't run any cams this year(yet),and I kind of regret it..
Haven't used one in years. I've been hunting the same stand for 8 yrs on a 1000 acre lease with 5 others. We all see pretty much the same deer as the season progresses. Since I will spend 90 percent of my time in my blind I don't bother with the camera anymore. I have found that the less you prowl around the more deer you will see.
Back when I was younger and liked to still hunt I used cameras to help locate bucks, not that they were really any great help. I had more luck looking for sign.
Back when I was younger and liked to still hunt I used cameras to help locate bucks, not that they were really any great help. I had more luck looking for sign.
12GaugeShuggoth
New member
I tried using them for a couple years, with somewhat less than stellar results. Bad picture quality and washed out images, moisture issues, etc. Decided they were more trouble than good so abandoned the idea.
Honestly I don't feel like I'm missing anything by not having them. People have hunted just fine for thousands of years without digital trail cameras, I think I can manage to do the same.
Honestly I don't feel like I'm missing anything by not having them. People have hunted just fine for thousands of years without digital trail cameras, I think I can manage to do the same.
Double Naught Spy
New member
They hunted without guns, too, and before that without bows and arrows, LOL.
Like any other technology, if you buy garbage, you have to expect poor results. Not all are quality cameras, even by name brands, and so you have to shop wisely. You also have to use the technology wisely or you fail to use it to its capabilities.
12GaugeShuggoth
New member
^^^ Cute. Different strokes for different folks.
ChasingWhitetail91
New member
I think they take the thrill out of hunting a bit. I'd rather sit in anticipation of what might be in the woods with me. It's not the same seeing that big buck for the first time if you've been taking pictures all year.
i'd set your camera where the creek meets the river or larger body of water to get a good otter picture woody55
i'd set your camera where the creek meets the river or larger body of water to get a good otter picture woody55
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
A lot of guys seem to have what I would consider an odd way of using Trail Cams. I never much cared to get pictures of deer I already know are there.
The whole purpose, I thought, was to scout times, places and areas that you can't otherwise be.
I never thought of setting one up just to get pictures of a deer under my stand. If I have a stand there, I assume that I already know or suspect that the spot is a good one.
I can't possibly be everywhere. I can go scouting and find a trail that looks like a cow path. So what? Do they use the trail at 7am, 2am, 12pm, 4pm? Only in the spring, the fall, or all year? Do bucks use the trail or mostly doe? Big bucks or just yearlings?
Maybe you've got access to 500, 1,000, even 10,000 acres. Do you have the time to scout it all? 4 or 5 cameras will tell you in a few weeks a whole lot that you'd not know in 10 years of wandering that much land.
Yeah, I can find a trail and sit there for a few hours on a few mornings and a few afternoons and find out for myself.... which in my case, and many others, would pretty much use up all my time for the whole season. Why waste time scouting from the stand? I only have so many hours to hunt. I need all the help I can get to be where the deer are WHEN the deer are there.
The whole purpose, I thought, was to scout times, places and areas that you can't otherwise be.
I never thought of setting one up just to get pictures of a deer under my stand. If I have a stand there, I assume that I already know or suspect that the spot is a good one.
I can't possibly be everywhere. I can go scouting and find a trail that looks like a cow path. So what? Do they use the trail at 7am, 2am, 12pm, 4pm? Only in the spring, the fall, or all year? Do bucks use the trail or mostly doe? Big bucks or just yearlings?
Maybe you've got access to 500, 1,000, even 10,000 acres. Do you have the time to scout it all? 4 or 5 cameras will tell you in a few weeks a whole lot that you'd not know in 10 years of wandering that much land.
Yeah, I can find a trail and sit there for a few hours on a few mornings and a few afternoons and find out for myself.... which in my case, and many others, would pretty much use up all my time for the whole season. Why waste time scouting from the stand? I only have so many hours to hunt. I need all the help I can get to be where the deer are WHEN the deer are there.
@chasingwhitetail91,
I wish I could. That would be a good ways off my property. I was surprised that there was a river otter that far upstream. The creek is only about eight feet deep (water is usually knee high) and ten feet wide. I hope he comes back. It's several miles to anything bigger.
I wish I could. That would be a good ways off my property. I was surprised that there was a river otter that far upstream. The creek is only about eight feet deep (water is usually knee high) and ten feet wide. I hope he comes back. It's several miles to anything bigger.
Wild Bill Bucks
New member
Trail Cameras are great, but where I hunt, camera theft has gotten so bad, that the pawn shops won't even let you pawn them anymore.
I have 15 people that work for me, and we all hunt. Most all of the guys have had at least 1 camera stolen over the last 2 or 3 years. I had 3 stolen 2 years ago off of my lease, and decided enough was enough. My hunting partners and I, decided to put a camera up facing another camera, and it wasn't more than a week, that we got a picture of the culprit. After passing the picture around to some of the locals bordering our lease, we had a name and address. We presented it to the local law, and even though we did not get any of our cameras back, we haven't missed another one the last 2 years.
I got the idea from a lease we had several years ago where we had people driving in all the time during season, and road hunting.
We simply put a game camera up across from the entrance, and had a license plate for every vehicle coming onto the property. We then sent a nice letter to the owner along with the picture, explaining to him that he was trespassing, and that if he was caught again, he would be prosecuted. After about 5 or 6 of these letters, we had absolutely no problems with anyone on our lease for as long as we were there.
I have 15 people that work for me, and we all hunt. Most all of the guys have had at least 1 camera stolen over the last 2 or 3 years. I had 3 stolen 2 years ago off of my lease, and decided enough was enough. My hunting partners and I, decided to put a camera up facing another camera, and it wasn't more than a week, that we got a picture of the culprit. After passing the picture around to some of the locals bordering our lease, we had a name and address. We presented it to the local law, and even though we did not get any of our cameras back, we haven't missed another one the last 2 years.
I got the idea from a lease we had several years ago where we had people driving in all the time during season, and road hunting.
We simply put a game camera up across from the entrance, and had a license plate for every vehicle coming onto the property. We then sent a nice letter to the owner along with the picture, explaining to him that he was trespassing, and that if he was caught again, he would be prosecuted. After about 5 or 6 of these letters, we had absolutely no problems with anyone on our lease for as long as we were there.
We too have the camera theft issue. After I caught a few people on camera the theft of our stands and cameras seems to have stopped, knock on wood. I live in a very rural small town so opposed to turning in the culprits we just pass the pic around town and occasionally post one at the local big buck contest. Seems as though the shame of getting caught red handed works well. The only problem I've had is one of the trespassers is a local resturaunt owner. Funny thing is I was told I'm not welcome in his place anymore. Works for me!
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Relatively simple solution for theft...
Take a ladder with you and mount the camera 10 or 12 feet up on a piece of angled board. It won't care, most people would never see it and most won't bring a ladder if they do.
Take a ladder with you and mount the camera 10 or 12 feet up on a piece of angled board. It won't care, most people would never see it and most won't bring a ladder if they do.