Contributors to this thread:
This is my first time ever using cameras. How long do you guys keep them in one spot before moving? I have been keeping them out for three weeks at a whack, then moving them. I have yet to see anything on them. Very interesting learning experience so far.
I found a great location today. Signs of bedding and droppings everywhere. Problem is that it is bordered by water on two sides and the approach does not favor a westerly wind. Sneaky bastards. No way for me to set up there unless I get an odd easterly day.
we had a dozen or so east winds last year always good to have one
My cams have been on the same trees for 5+ years. They do t tell the whole story. I'll check my cams a week or so before the opener. Very little action. Hunt the stand opening day and see a bunch of deer that wouldn't have passed the camera. Love hate relationship with cameras.
I made a pie wind chart last year of my sites,.. made sure I had a site for any wind. I have limited days to hunt so nice to have wind able spots, no matter the wind direction.
I found that right before and after a storm I often saw odd wind directions,... and those are nice times to hunt.
Note last year was my first time even paying attention to wind,.. LOL Thanks to the advice I got on these forums.
Peter, I think it depends on how many cams you have or how you plan to hunt an area.
My approach when using them, is to leave them 2-4 weeks. I focus on areas that force movement too. Like a wall crossing, beaver dam crossing etc. Cam's seem harder to get on deer than hunting - the field of view is just much lower comparatively.
I think if you have a lot of cam's out, then I'd leave em longer. I only run 2 max - this year I barely used em, just wasnt feeling it. But I know some guys who use 15-50 all over the place and those dudes really figure when deer go where and if that seems to relate to X wind direction. I'm just not that committed :)
They are super fun. A part of me would love to leave a dead animal of some sort (road kill or something) with a cam on it to see what comes to feed. That would be really cool
Put the cam right on the edge of a funneling feature, like a beaver pond. The deer going around an obstacle will parade in front of it.
I just started using cams regularly this past season. I dabbled in trying to use them for daily or weekly info for a couple years, but I think I did more harm than good. I own 4 cameras. I scouted out 4 areas that seem like they could be primary bedding areas and have had those cameras soaking on main trails entering and/or exiting bedding since before last season began. I've only checked them once since then. I'm hoping to get a huge stock of uninterrupted deer movement. I've back dated the first round camera check with weather and wind direction and there are some definite patterns forming with how deer are bedding in these particular areas in regards to wind direction. I might move them to new areas before next season or continue to let them soak for another year, not really sure yet. Still playing around with it, but long periods without interruption has yielded a lot more information than I was getting checking them every few weeks.
Yes I totally buy the “more harm than good” risk, if you’re checking too often. I have learned this the hard way. There was some super-effective MA hunter (Jake Bennett?) who I think I heard him say in a video or something that he runs something like 50 cameras. Pretty amazing.
Actually one remarkable thing about this Bennett fellow is that he apparently knows where all these cameras are. I have three, and can’t find them half the time.
Jeb, They are where you put them last........... Let's Go
