After a few years of these type of expierience I have learned a few things. When cams first cam out and I started using them I put way to much stock in what was on the cam and deciding what kind of action was at that location. Everyone's done it, put a can out, let it soak, check it see limited action or just does and have a hard time getting excited about that spot. Well last week I checked a swamp spot I got that has some oaks in the middle of the swamp which with the bumper acorn crop this year helps me isolate the movement. I checked cam a few days before and there were plenty of does and some small bucks, nothing to exciting. I decided to hunt the stand anyway. Steady movement all night as cam had showed BUT around 645 heard a twig snap and here comes a real nice 8 point , very tall nice long tines, nice deer. He comes in from a trail behind the camera and spends about 25 minutes right under neath me eating acorns before he walks off, never walking in front of the camera. As soon as he walks off I see a deer out in the timber, it's getting dark but looks like a big body, I hit the grunt tube and he's coming. He was a def shooter in my book, very wide AND tall, could see his rack from a ways off, he worked towards me and was at 20 yards and under for the remainder of the hunt but no clear shot so let him be on his way. He never walked in front of the cam either. I have seen this at several different spots as well. Just a heads up for new hunters ( or veterans who heavily rely on cam). Just cause he's not on your camera doesn't mean he's not there, you never know till you hunt the spot and pay attention. Just a lil advice to take or leave but I check cams now and use it strictly for reference. Good luck and safe hunting. Remember wear your harness , even if you don't do it for you there are people waiting at home for your safe return .
Trail Cams- What are you missing?
OneShot1kill
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Agree with this and have seen it first hand for years. Last year guiding in Iowa, we ran about 40 cameras on 6 farms, getting some nice bucks. Biggest buck we had, a big 10, scored in the 182-184 range, we had one picture of. He came by the camera middle of the night. When the camera flashed, he was looking right at the camera. Next frame showed him backed out of the frame. Never had that buck on film again although we had 8 cameras at various spots on that 480 acres. During the season, several bowhunters saw him from stands, as close as 45 yards, always tending a doe. One of those guys owns a deer farm in Indiana, where he grows giants for breeding purposes, so he knows rack scores. Found one of his sheds this spring so he did survive the Amish outlaws.
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1,097 Posts
Exactly, that's why you HAVE to make good on the first encounter.
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