Trail Cams Why?

[KodiakBob]

I don't see the purpose of trail cameras. Most of the pictures shown here were taken at night and over unnatural bait. I don't know where you hunt but where I live it is against the law to hunt at night, and against my ethics to hunt at a feeding station. So why, other than nocturnal pictures of game.

[varmint]

I like them because I can actually SEE what kind of deer I have in the area I hunt...........sure don't see many in the daylight,so it's nice to know what they actually look like.

[iacornfed]

I use mine to pattern Deer. I see what walks past my  blind and at what time of day. During daylight hours I normaly see does, during rut I see an big old buck around 9or10 am. I have photos of turkey,deer and racoon. I enjoy seeing what I miss! I dont bait. AS for shooting at night, it is legal to shoot cayotes and racoons at night where I live.

[Dave Lay]

I dont use them. nothing against thier use, and see where it could be helpfull for some, but I think its taking away a part of the hunt for me.

[JL]

I my case, we have a huge buck running around our neck of the woods. A buddy last saw him about three years ago. Might help me pattern that deer. Between family and work, I barely have time these days to scout the woods. You may consider it "cheating" but I see it as another tool. Nothing wrong with seeing whats trolling the woods you hunt.

Granted, I haven't used a trail cam yet but I can see me trying it out in the near future.

JL

[Santiam]

I play with them because they are a whole lotta fun,thats why...Same reason I shoot my bow,look for sheds or ride my horse...

[killinstuff]

I'm with you K-Bob. It feels like cheating to me. What other guys do is their business.

[rybohunter]

I don't use them that much, but they can be fun and neat to see what you get. Mostly I put them just behind the house for curiosity. I think they are a good tool to see what's in the areas a person hunts. As far as thier use to pattern deer, I see no problems if someone wants to employ that tactic, however I choose not to.

[Blackhawk]

They are merely another tool to determine "what" is in your area and "when" they frequent it.

Gosh! we are not going to ban them, are we?

Actually, I only use mine in an attempt to get a picture of a Sasquatch so I can write a book and make millions.  

[varmint]

quote:Originally posted by Blackhawk:
They are merely another tool to determine "what" is in your area and "when" they frequent it.

Gosh! we are not going to ban them, are we?

Actually, I only use mine in an attempt to get a picture of a Sasquatch so I can write a book and make millions.  

[fishmerf]

Hope!! It gives me hope! I use mine after the gun season to see what survived. I know what I have to look forward to next year.

merf

[KodiakBob]

Started this thread as a question not to get people defensive. Restate the question: Aren't most of the photos nocturnal?

[varmint]

Bob,

Yes,in our part of the country at least.I do get some pics of daytime activity,but the majority are at night,be it just after dark or just before dawn sometimes,I would have to say the largest portion in my experience are between 10pm and 4am.But,like I said,I just like to see what type,how many,and how big/healthy the deer herd is where I hunt.

[hickstick]

 

 

 

all of these were taken over mock or natural Scrapes !  all at night, but all showed me there were bucks in the area, what kind of bucks, and what days they came thru.   I ended up seeing 3 of the 4 bucks during the season.  

I think they work.   nuff said!

[hickstick]

I should add....

it gives great info...

a) do I have a mature dominate buck in the area?  
b) should I rattle with large horns or small?
c) do I have  a doe with fawns that I want to pass on?
d) what type of blind calling should I do (aggressive or non-aggressive)?
e)) do I have other hunters passing thru the area (believe it or not I have gotten pics of other hunters walking up cart roads or down deer runs).
and the list goes on.


edited to add.....Plus its just GREAT FUN!  

[cajuntec]

Also handy for getting pics of the local tresspassers!  Someone posted some really cool pics on another site of a guy that had stolen his stand and had been poaching / tresspassing in the area.  The camera was a high dollar one with the little anti-theft steel bar / case, and the last 20 or so pictures were close ups of the guys grunting face as he was trying to pry the camera off the tree to take it away - he was still trying to get it off the tree when the owner showed up with the game warden.  The pictures on the card inside were used when they took the guy to court... and won.

I have a cheap one.  I used it to verify that there were deer in a certain area that we thought was baren of animals.  7 days - 13 pictures.  Unfortunately, most of the 13 were of open woods, or the rear end of a deer that had passed by.  Unfortunately, ones like I have, have slow detector / shutter speeds, so I miss a lot of good shots of deer.  I know they are there though... just not exactly what they are - except for the one doe that looked like she was getting ready to lick the camera.  That was a great shot.     :D  

All the best,
Glenn

[varmint]

I've found putting them on a trail to see the deer coming/going up/down the trail vise catching them crossing takes away the slow shutter/dtector speeds.

I've also gotten pictures of people that were not supposed to be on the land.Found out it had been happening for quite some time.Deer sightings went up dramatically after the people were confronted and made aware that we knew they were trespassing.

On a side note...........I also have pics of a dog peeing in a scrape,and 4 bucks visiting that scrape and working it AFTER the dog did his thing.Just food for thought about the urine posts that pop up from time to time.I've also "freshened" scrapes myself and had bucks visit them and really tear them up afterwards.

[hickstick]

glenn....put something there to slow them down...a film can with cotton balls and vanilla or anise.  a small scrape with ammonia in it....something that would just add a bit of curiosity for them to pause long enough to get a good shot.

also....check the direction you have the camera mounted...some camera's sensors false when the heat of the sun reflects off of a moving leaf or stalk.  i tend to face my northeast or southeast.

[Weekend Warrior]

I bought one last year, great scouting tool..
I found in my hunting area they feed eariler in the evening  and later in the morning.. Don't get me wrong I did get lots of night pics, but I found out when the time were coming in when I wasn't there in the day time. I needed to get in stand eariler in the evenings than I was..

Big Plus on a game cam
Their like a box of chocolates
you never know what you will get   :D

[Jeff Strubberg]

I don't see the purpose of trail cameras. Most of the pictures shown here were taken at night and over unnatural bait. I don't know where you hunt but where I live it is against the law to hunt at night, and against my ethics to hunt at a feeding station. So why, other than nocturnal pictures of game.

Seems you already had your mind made up.  Why ask the question?

Game cameras are first and foremost a scouting tool.  They allow this weekend hunter to see what the deer are up to, when they are up to it and where they are doing it.

I find it offensive in the extreme that you assume game cams are used over bait stations exclusively.