2017 camera scouting
Virginia
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I've been keeping my cameras out all year to get a better feel for what is happening on my property. I was happy to see some of the big 2016 bucks survived as per pictures and videos from January through March. As of June 15, I have videos of (3) mature bucks 18-20" already, and appearing 4x4, 4x5, and 6x6 (split G2s) with bases as big as the bases of their ears( and 2 months to grow!). There is another 20-22" that doesn't have as much mass or height, and lots of young bucks. Actually, I have more bucks than does, and only a single doe with a fawn. Last year's fawns were all, or almost all, button bucks. Oh, there is a sow bear with cub that I ran into while servicing cameras, and no coyote photos since May.
I need to replace a couple of older cameras, and hope to get those replacements soon.
Sounds like your in for a good season! I'll be glad to come hunt with you just let me know when haha. Good luck this year and post some pics!
Good to hear some of your big bucks survived, cannot wait for the season to start. Best of luck and definitely post up some of those pics.
I would post up a couple of videos if I had a place to host them. I did post a picture of a big bobcat in the mountain lion thread.
edit: OK, lets try this. If this hosting site is problematic, let me know and I'll not use it.
4x4 6/15/17
6x6 6/15/17 2 months to grow!!!
5x6 12/2/16 now most likely the 6x6 in the video above. I don't think he liked the glow from the camera.
That split G2 buck is a dandy!
There must be something in the local genetics with the split G2s. I took an 8pt several years back and it had a split G2. There is another 4x5 that is almost the twin to the 4x4 above.
The buck on the left side is pretty wide, has decent mass, but not real tall. The others need another year or two. https://vimeo.com/232407910
Nonrespropowner's Link
I would REALLY like to see one or all of these walk by while I'm hunting.
OMG from Eric Stevens on Vimeo.
Getting to be too many bears. Had a camera crunched by one the other day. Didn't even give me a decent picture....just fuzz.
I hear ya about the bears. I have a sow bear with triplets on camera several times, and one of the cubs broke a camera off its 1/4-20 mount. That camera survived. Another camera mounted low to the ground was discovered by a cub that spun that camera upside down and it filled with water....Moultrie M80 to the trash! I think this is a single cub to another sow. I may have purchased my last infrared flash camera. The replacements I've purchased are all of the no-glow variety.
I managed to get out last weekend. The deer weren't moving at all where I was, but the squirrels sure were busy. The cards in the cameras showed some of the same, and a few different bucks over the past month. The 3 big ones running together now seems like a pair. I saw some rubs in a line complete with a couple of scrapes, but it didn't pay dividends for the time I had available.
At least one of the cubs seemed to be attracted to my cameras on a regular basis. It didn't damage anything, but most definitely tried to claw them off the trees. I've since moved a couple of them because of the annoyance.
Look who showed up in the turnip patch on Halloween night. Wish he'd been about 10 yards closer to get a good look at the tines, especially on the right side.
Pulled cards this weekend. Chasing was going full blast last week. Photos of numerous bucks past a single camera with almost all in daylight hours. Most have their mouths open as if they were chasing. Now I just have to set up on the spot without stinking it up.
They sure knew when season ended. Two days after close, 10 deer in my turnip patch. The patch looks like a cattle feed lot. Well, nice population base to go into the new year with.