I get what you’re saying! I also usually hunt all over the place, also usually not targeting certain bucks. I guess I’m just wondering if any else else thinks it kinda takes away from hunting. Waiting for a certain deer or whatever it may be. Or even I love the surprise of a buck coming in.I don't run cameras because I don't target individual bucks and can't justify the cost of cell cams. I hunt properties all over the state, and I'd need 6-8 cameras (I'd guess) just to cover my local spots to my satisfaction. Only have so much mental bandwidth and for me running cameras comes at the cost of not focusing as much as I should on what's developing in the dynamic deer world. Plans are great, but most of my deer and almost all of my bucks happen kinda spur of the moment. See him or his sign, immediately hunt it, kill him. No use for a camera in that scenario
This is pretty much what I am trying to get back to more and more. Just scout and hunt and scout some more. Use woodsmanship and try to get back to basics. To me it is a lot more fun that way.I get what you’re saying! I also usually hunt all over the place, also usually not targeting certain bucks. I guess I’m just wondering if any else else thinks it kinda takes away from hunting. Waiting for a certain deer or whatever it may be. Or even I love the surprise of a buck coming in.
I guess I’m just wondering if anyone thinks of like how it used to be kind of thing. Before cameras and what not. Just hunt to have fun.
Exactly! I’ve found in life I’m happier when I tend to stay away from the “norm”. If everyone else does it I usually don’t. I know this doesn’t always work but even when it comes to trail cameras it seems like it messes with most people. Not helps. Maybe it’s just me thoughThis is pretty much what I am trying to get back to more and more. Just scout and hunt and scout some more. Use woodsmanship and try to get back to basics. To me it is a lot more fun that way.
I dont run cameras for the main reason of I hunt wind directions to get on the best deer activity. If I knew that there was a “target buck” in a certain location no matter how much i try I know I’ll go againsy my better judgement and hunt it with a hope and a prayer. I do actually run some cameras but not in areas I hunt. I run them for the wife and kiddo to see all the deer around the house. The way I see it is I spend hours and hike miles from January to May doing my post season scouting and tree prep. I already have an Idea of what ls gonna be around so I don’t need photo evidence. The one year I did run cameras I hunted one stand practically all season because of 3 bucks I saw on it. I saw one of them once and rushed a trash shot hitting the knuckle of the shoulder and watching the arrow bounce off. So they’re all personal reasons but they all make sense in my scattery brain lolSecond person I’ve noticed doesn’t run cameras. I’m really leaning towards not myself this year. Any reasoning on why you don’t use them? Thanks?
It depends on what type of hunt and/or deer makes you happy. If you want to take on the challenge of killing a specific deer or type of deer. For me this year, I want to target 4.5 y/o or older and 140" or better on public. In order to have an opportunity for that type of deer you have to be hunting where that type of deer lives. That is where pre-season cams can be beneficial, esp hunting a place where you cant chum one up and monitor his pattern at that location. The 2 areas I mentioned earlier are good examples of using cams to help find the type of deer I want to hunt. It is a 2.5 hour drive to get there and one area is a 2-2.5 mile hike in. The other are is a roughly 7 mile boat ride and then a 1-1.5 miles in. It is not possible for me to routinely scout that stuff between now and season. If I am lucky I will get 2 days before I leave for my CO trip. If I pick the right spots to hang a cam in each area by the time I get back from CO I can check cards and know whether or not there are any deer of the caliber that I want to focus on or not and season opens the weekend we get back. At that point, I can either get serious about picking the right spots to hang or I can move on to other areas and continue the search for the type of buck I want to hunt. I also thoroughly enjoy just scouting until I find smoking hot sign on some type of feed and hunting there. Those hunts are when I am going to shoot does mostly but will gladly take a crack at a good buck if they show. One type of hunt isnt more right than the other, they are just different. I get the question of how much technology should be allowed though and generally agree with the thought process of drawing some hard lines somewhere. If it was decided that cams would not be allowed on any public ground, I am perfectly ok with that. I would not ever support a ban on them on private though and I dont own any ground.I get what you’re saying! I also usually hunt all over the place, also usually not targeting certain bucks. I guess I’m just wondering if any else else thinks it kinda takes away from hunting. Waiting for a certain deer or whatever it may be. Or even I love the surprise of a buck coming in.
I guess I’m just wondering if anyone thinks of like how it used to be kind of thing. Before cameras and what not. Just hunt to have fun.
I stopped using cams but was using them early in my hunting journey and didn't really learn much from them besides who is around. I just don't have the time and money to run a ton of cams to cover all the places I want to hunt. There is never enough time to get to all of them anyway. I do enjoy scouting my way in and picking a spot based of fresh sign and/or terrain.I get what you’re saying! I also usually hunt all over the place, also usually not targeting certain bucks. I guess I’m just wondering if any else else thinks it kinda takes away from hunting. Waiting for a certain deer or whatever it may be. Or even I love the surprise of a buck coming in.
I guess I’m just wondering if anyone thinks of like how it used to be kind of thing. Before cameras and what not. Just hunt to have fun.
Set a couple mock scrapes and pee in them.. if it’s in his territorial range, he will come investigate! That bonehead will look great up on your wall!I’m ready but the deer I’m after is hanging on private but he does come over to public on occasion. Truth is I really don’t target any buck but always wishful thinking!View attachment 68168
That’s it, I’m moving up northThis guy has been hanging out behind the house. View attachment 68178
Said no southerner, EVAR!!!That’s it, I’m moving up north
Yea I’m not cut out for the cold…. but compared to the deer down here, I’ll take those any day lolSaid no southerner, EVAR!!!
Do it the same way we do Florida. Nice place to visit. But don't wanna love there.Yea I’m not cut out for the cold…. but compared to the deer down here, I’ll take those any day lol
Dont know if that was intentional or not but it's accurate lol.Do it the same way we do Florida. Nice place to visit. But don't wanna love there.