Scouting Cameras: Have They led to any change in you as a hunter?

[Adam S. Daugherty]

I love fooling with scouting cameras.  I enjoy the thrill of pulling cards and the excitement my 2 and 6 year old sons display when looking at the pictures.  I enjoy using them as a strategic scouting tool and I have to admit they have become an intricate tool when it comes to decisions I make concerning deer hunting.  I don’t feel that they have weakened my skills but rather reasserted and confirmed or denied notions that I already had.  However, one thing that I have noticed is I think they have taken away from the overall experience I receive when in the woods.  And I now harvest many less deer since using them.  I used to get excited with every deer that I saw while on stand, especially if it was a buck.  Now I expect to see deer at a certain time and when I see that 1.5 or 2.5 year old buck I don’t pay near the attention to him as I once would have, because he is quickly recognized from a picture that I have already studied and embedded in a journal in my mind.   I have two farms that I have not even hunted this year because I have not got a picture of a mature buck from them yet.  I have passed shots on nearly every outing this early season on deer that I would have taken a couple of years ago just because I knew a good deer was in the area and I knew there was a slim chance he could be on his feet during daylight that day or I didn’t shoot in fear of knowing the stink and commotion that would result from the harvest of the doe, and how that could possibly effect one of the “picture” deer I was after.   In addition, several of the spots I hunt need a few does harvested; I haven’t done it this year.  I know that it will be a month and a half here in TN before I should even expect to get to see one of the “picture” deer in one of the funnels I am hunting in, but yet I have had a hard time loosing the arrow this year.  I do not consider myself a trophy hunter, one because if I was I wouldn’t be hunting the areas I do in TN, I key in on mature deer but to many folks around the country the size of the horns would not be considered trophies.   Some of the problem lies in that I only hunt funnels, if I got a stand hung it is in some kind of funnel, if I were hanging on a food source or sitting on the edge of an evening field where I knew my likelihood of seeing a mature deer this time of the year would be low, I probably wouldn’t be as hesitant, but I hunt deer in funnels.  So has anyone else noticed that since you have started using trail cameras you have gotten a little picky, started passing on early season shots that in the past you would have just hoped for, kinda unwillingly and unaware started keying in on certain deer when you know the time is not right to key in on them.  It has snuck up on me and I didn’t even realize it until my 6 year old asked me after an outing, “Dad did you see anything”, yep bud I saw 5 does and a small buck.  He said, “Well why didn’t you kill anything?”  It kind of got me to thinking.  Now at 35 with over 15 years with a stickbow under my belt, I do not have the urge to kill as when I first started, first 10 years with a stickbow, if it had ears and hair and didn’t have spots I was readying for the shot.  Now over the last few years even before I started using cameras I have not shot young bucks and have started hunting mature deer, but up until the rut was starting, any slickhead was fair game.  So I don’t know if it is the cameras that have led me to this quicker, maybe I am becoming a “trophy” hunter, heck I don't know.  I know I don’t head to the woods just to hunt a mature deer, that is just icing on the cake if it happens.  I hunted yesterday evening with no shots and had about a cool of outing as I can remember, had a flock of birds bust up, reassemble, and take to limb to roost 30 yards in front of me and I had a hawk fly into my leg while on stand and scare the dickens out of me.  Instances like that are why I hunt, sure I like to kill something every once in a while.  Anyone else seen this evolution in them and think that using scouting cameras has had an influence on them?  I hope this doesn’t jinx me, because I done got my mind made up, next mature doe is getting a brand new VPA 3 blade, if I don’t get another shot I will be blaming it on some kind of cyber forum jinx.  Happy hunting fellow tradgangers.

[SheltonCreeker]

I think your probably just maturing as a hunter. The reason I made the switch from wheels to a longbow was the challenge of the weapon. I had taken a couple nice mature bucks with my wheels and decided I wanted to try something different. I'm still in the shooting whatever walks by phase of my traditional journey. I don't shoot small bucks and try and even pass on buttons when I can tell they visable. As far as the cameras are concerned. Ive been using them for about 2 years now and I have done what your talking about if I have pics of a mature buck pass on deer for fear of spooking him. I mainly use the cameras just to see what game are in the area. Any pics of mature bucks is a bonus. The cameras are just another excuse to get me out in the woods during the off season. I enjoy them alot but I really haven't found myself being anymore pickey as far as early season shooting. Ive always tried to let young bucks walk. Happy Hunting to you as well!

[TooManyHobbies]

I don't even know what I expect from my cameras. I find it interesting to see what's leaving the scat piles and hoof prints, and if it's showing during the day instead of at night. If a big buck gets his pic taken, I can more easily pass on the smaller bucks, just knowing he's in the area, but I don't think I've ever seen a big buck that had his pic taken, yet I've shot bucks that I didn't know were there.
I think we're more mature hunters now and more knowledgeable about finding them, that we don't have to shoot every slickhead or spike that comes along. Although a mature doe is almost always a target.
It is fun checking the cards though, like a birthday or Christmas present that you may get a shot at if you're lucky.

[Overspined]

Asbell wrote an article not long ago "Avoiding Easier" I think.  I am in agreement for the most part. Other than a GPS, it's fun to use skill and have surprises.  I think the pics are cool, yet I don't use cams, and think they are cheating, and I've seen them lead to more closed hunting properties as folks "protect" those antlered beasts that they keep for themselves, yet may never see.  I wouldn't be opposed to rules that prohibit use during season.  I don't have strong opinions about them, those are just my thoughts.  I'm not a fan.

[woodchucker]

Nope! Don't use them... nuff said.

[Rob W.]

I like to look at the pics my buddies get. Cameras just aren't for me. I like not knowing what is in the area. Takes me back to when I was a kid and we didn't have everything on this planet figured out.


Rob

No change for me! I got so darned frustrated dealing with $150+ cameras that only lasted a year or two that I just quit using them.

Bisch

[Mike Bolin]

Use and enjoy them quite bit. I have hunting priveledges on a property owned by my wife's family. I have planted a couple of small food plots with late fall and winter forage and have cameras set up on them. I don't hunt the plots so the cameras only tell me what is using them. It is interesting to see the number of deer that travel thru the property. I've never seen, let alone killed a deer that I've caught on camera. I will admit that catching a big buck on camera doesn't fire me up to get on out there on the occasional morning that I don't feel like getting out of bed!!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I love using mine however it doesn't affect the way I hunt.  I still sit in the places I would otherwise sit. I even sit in spots sometimes where I dont get pictures cause I know they change over the year.  

I just love seeing if I can get pictures. Its fun

[Rick Perry]

I think it takes something away from the hunt . To me there is no greater thrill in a deer stand than to see a big buck approaching for the very first time ........... if you have 432 pictures of the buck in advance that thrill just isnt there.

[dan d]

I have one, but I am conflicted on using it myself. I went traditional because I like low tech, it reminds me of when life was so much simpler. I am currently reading Fred Bears field notes book & I just love that type of camping / hunting. It's what I think of when I hear the word traditional archery.

Using cameras, cell phones, high tech blinds/ stands & camo just does not give me that "traditional" feel I seek.

Dan

[Stumpkiller]

Originally posted by woodchucker:
Nope! Don't use them... nuff said.

What he said.  Gotta draw a line somewhere.

[kbetts]

I love my cameras.  If anything, it just lets me know what's out there.  Killing a deer is never a sure thing but this one tool allows me to evaluate the herd to a certain degree and maybe, just maybe, kill that big buck or whistle blowin doe I've been after.

[SELFBOW19953]

I just like looking at the pictures.  My cameras are set in areas I don't have stands, but where the critters (deer, fox, turkey, squirrel, hawk) like to be.

[ChuckC]

Well, I swore I didn't need them.  But I put two over a couple tiny fields I carved out of the woods, that, just couldn't seem to grow anything over 2" tall.  Now I know why.

Now I am having fun seeing the deer.  Saw turkeys, coon, bear, porkies, coyotes, and deer (of course). Keep hoping for a bobcat or cougar (kinda) Got a couple of younger bucks in velvet reared up boxing (that was cool).

I guess I am having fun and I am not relying on them for much of anythng else.  I agree though,  if I see a big one in the pix,  it would sure make it easier for me to hold out and dream of him.
ChuckC

[Doug Young]

I like them, or rather I like that other hunters are using them. I think they are a big reason why there are more mature bucks in CT as they are changing the habits of many of the hunters I know. First, I'm seeing more people pass on younger bucks because they've seen pictures of some big boys, whereas before they'd whack the first buck they see because they didn't believe there were big deer around.

There are big deer here, I've seen many pictures of many 150-170 class deer, but they're largely nocturnal due to hunting pressure and human activity. As far as I can tell, the cameras haven't really given the hunters I know the ability to actually kill these bucks, and in many cases I think misuse has actually reduced their chances, what with tromping into the woods all the time to check/reposition the cameras, leaving scent etc. and pushing those paranoid big bucks out.

So if they're allowing more bucks to live to maturity and moving them away from other hunters, I'm all for 'em. ;-)

[Bill Carlsen]

Laura and I have decided to forego the use of cameras this year. We often get one good pic of the big bucks that show up. It seems like it's "one and done" with them. Small bucks, does and fawns seem to be unaffected. I've actually seen more deer this year, and finally laid eyes on a bruiser of a buck, without the cameras. About all they have done is given us a pretty good look at the individual deer on our property if we set them up in the spring over mineral licks I prepare. They have not helped us harvest anything and in fact, we think that they make the deer wary...even the infrared cameras.

[KentuckyTJ]

I really enjoy taking any deer, but my ultimate goal of each season is one nice buck. I am lucky enough to have more than one farm to hunt and with a 13 y.o. daughter into everything I don't have the time I used to and more important to me than where to hunt the cameras let me know where not to hunt, or waste my valuable hunting time.

Once she is up and gone I will most likely cut back on my camera use and go back to old school scouting.

[gringol]

cameras are great for guys that don't have a lot of time to scout, or whose hunting areas are far from home.  They haven't really changed how I hunt, but they help me avoid the trails that look active but are actually rarely used.

[jonsimoneau]

They do not replace actual scouting. I use them sparingly as I only own two. I enjoy the pics I get from them. Having said that I really believe due to technological advances that they will reach a point where many of the types of hunters that frequent this site will not want to use them.
    As an example, I have heard of a guy in my area who hunts a parcel around 100 acres. He has twenty some cameras that send pics directly to his computer. So he literally waits till he gets a pic of a buck he wants and then slips into whatever stand is close by at the drop of a hat.   It's legal but not something I would ever be interested in doing.