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Checking trail cameras worry

W

Wilgabeast

Active Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2021
Messages
155
Hey guys I live and hunt in Massachusetts , our season doesn’t open untill October 17. But around now is when I start to get stressed when going in to check cameras . I went into a spot I found this winter where the number and size of rubs lead me to believe a good buck called this place home in the rut phases … well I went in today to check two cams and put two cell cams up. 2 hours before I was there at 1:30 pm a stud 8 for Massachusetts was there . I am worried he might high tail it and never come back . What do you guys think . He just showed up this week and I think he is probably one of the bucks making all the sign last year. So do you guys think I’ll be fine ?
 
I seriously doubt your single intrusion will push him out but most bucks shift from summer to fall ranges. It might be a small shift but it could be significant as well. If you had good sign in there last year there’s a good chance that area will produce at some point this fall. The buck you have August pictures of may or may not be the deer that’s laying down sign in November. Best of luck.


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If one bump sends that deer for country out of your area you probably had no chance at killing him anyways…I hate bumping deer too and totally get it, but it happens, don’t lose sleep over it and on to the next one is my mentality, if it’s meant to be he will return eventually, this is what I hate about cameras the most and yes I still use them.
 
I’m not even sure I bumped him I just know he was in the are . And he showed up this week for the first time since mid January so I think this is his fall range
 
Don't sweat it. You should be fine. He may know someone was in there, but it could just have easily been a hiker or a timber cruiser or anybody. I wouldn't make a habit of going back though. It's almost 2 months until the opener. I've had pictures of bucks two hours after I hung a camera.
 
Wilgabeast said:
Hey guys I live and hunt in Massachusetts , our season doesn’t open untill October 17. But around now is when I start to get stressed when going in to check cameras . I went into a spot I found this winter where the number and size of rubs lead me to believe a good buck called this place home in the rut phases … well I went in today to check two cams and put two cell cams up. 2 hours before I was there at 1:30 pm a stud 8 for Massachusetts was there . I am worried he might high tail it and never come back . What do you guys think . He just showed up this week and I think he is probably one of the bucks making all the sign last year. So do you guys think I’ll be fine ?
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I wouldn’t worry too much at this time. Here in Wisconsin I get nice bucks touching up over head scrap branches in August ( mid) and even early Sept. only to disappear and show up again to the same scrapes in early Nov.
They are putting out pre orbital scent for all the does and lesser bucks to let them know they will return. Be patient and good luck!!
 
Once no biggie but if u go back again and Again To check cams I’d say yes you could. Can u back out away from that area maybe on food and look for tracks or post a cam there for inventory?
I’d feel confident in that u have his core area nailed down and it may be year round bedding or staging (depending food and other factors) That buck sighting could confirm it so I’d play it cool for now wait till October to pull a card and go from there let the camera do the work and u just have to wear patient pants
 
I wouldnt stress it, but I’d stay away now if you can and be confident in your scouting, etc…. And when the time is right, go in for the kill.
 
Mschmeiske said:
I wouldnt stress it, but I’d stay away now if you can and be confident in your scouting, etc…. And when the time is right, go in for the kill.
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I agree guys. I’ve killed most of my bucks after a setup and stayed out till the time is right. First time in. His worry that he bumped him forever is possible but the rut should bring him back if he doesn’t over check his cameras. That’s the beauty of cell cams.. set them and stay away till it’s time to kill him. That’s my observation for what it’s worth. It’s what makes our sport so great and fun. It’s always a challenge.
 
Fgirtyman said:
I wouldn’t worry too much at this time. Here in Wisconsin I get nice bucks touching up over head scrap branches in August ( mid) and even early Sept. only to disappear and show up again to the same scrapes in early Nov.
They are putting out pre orbital scent for all the does and lesser bucks to let them know they will return. Be patient and good luck!!
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Maybe I'm all wet but what I do is make a fair bit of noise when I enter an area that I'm scouting or if I'm near a bedding area. My thinking is if a buck hears you coming he can decide whether to slip on out of the area or stay put, but he knows you're coming. Which ever option he chooses, it's usually the correct choice and he wins because you didn't jump him so his confidence in his bedding location remains high.
If you sneak in and almost step on him and bump him out of his bed, in my opinion, his confidence in his bedding area will be shaken and he may choose to not visit that area again.
 
ricky racer said:
Maybe I'm all wet but what I do is make a fair bit of noise when I enter an area that I'm scouting or if I'm near a bedding area. My thinking is if a buck hears you coming he can decide whether to slip on out of the area or stay put, but he knows you're coming. Which ever option he chooses, it's usually the correct choice and he wins because you didn't jump him so his confidence in his bedding location remains high.
If you sneak in and almost step on him and bump him out of his bed, in my opinion, his confidence in his bedding area will be shaken and he may choose to not visit that area again.
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Ive often pondered the thought myself. I feel like it wouldn’t spook them as much as if they didn’t know you were coming!
 
ricky racer said:
Maybe I'm all wet but what I do is make a fair bit of noise when I enter an area that I'm scouting or if I'm near a bedding area. My thinking is if a buck hears you coming he can decide whether to slip on out of the area or stay put, but he knows you're coming. Which ever option he chooses, it's usually the correct choice and he wins because you didn't jump him so his confidence in his bedding location remains high.
If you sneak in and almost step on him and bump him out of his bed, in my opinion, his confidence in his bedding area will be shaken and he may choose to not visit that area again.
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I agree with this completely. The private I hunt is a 134 acre parcel and I'm the only one who bow hunts on it. My buddy is the owner and he doesn't bow hunt but he does enjoy his property a lot and he's always walking around on it. The neighboring properties are somewhat pressured as well and our logic is basically now, if we can keep the pressure off the most compared to the other adjacent property owners we will keep the bucks. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. I can't really be telling the owner not to use his property and usually he's pretty aware of my concerns but I agree, if you're always skulking around your going to be more of a threat than just the lumbering bumbling passerby that does just that. I do think they can tell the difference.
 
A buck won’t leave because of one intrusion. From my experience deer pattern us better than we pattern them. So if you are in there once or twice a year off season.. he will think that it’s safe but once or twice in the off season. but if you check that camera all the time and over hunt that spot near/during the season.. he won’t think it’s safe during the season. This is my problem with cameras.. in most scenarios they only hurt you. , you saw sign and needed the camera to prove to you there was a buck there… but you didn’t need the camera, because you saw the sign.. that’s your proof... that being said, if you use a camera, use a cell cam.. and if not, put it up in the spring/summer and check it only when you go back to hunt that spot, or wait until after the season is over and switch the cards and use the intel for the following season.. touching that camera all the time and standing around it everytine you’re there will leave more scent than just walking in, looking around or climbing your tree.
 
Reading these comments I didn’t mention I always bring my two dogs in with me . They are well trained duck dogs . But walking in a few times I was loudly recalling them . I always bring my dogs with me because around here in the busy state of Massachusetts I think deer encounter dog walkers and bikers far more then we give credit . So I think that buck definitely heard me coming calling them if he was in the area
 
I honestly dont think one bump is gonna send an old educated buck packing.
The single intrusion could but i doubt it.
Now if you do it again he probably gonna react in some sort of way.
Me and my buddy do a trail camera strategy using 2 kinds of placement.
1 placement is deep within know areas close to bedding where that camera will soak all season and only get checked after the season.
The 2nd location is easily accessible and we check them probably during rut then after season around mid February.
These cameras are usually on high traffic trails, logging roads, ditches, etc.
Our trail cameras are placed around mid to late July depending on of course life allows time to do lol
Public land high pressured bucks are very slick and they pretty much bed in areas that they can still monitor somehow open areas, examples would be parking lots, known human trails, cutovers, etc.
I know a few big deer hunting YT guys say its hard to chase an old buck from an area but, why even take that chance.
Ask yourself this , “you were being hunted and kept getting disturbed in areas you know humans should not be would you stick around?”
I know i wouldnt lol
Just my opinion
 
The big thing I’ve learned about cameras is that putting them out in august and expecting to kill them right there in October is very misguided. If that deer stayed in the same spot all year he never would have made it to where he is now. He’s leaving anyways. You’ll have to find him again anyways.
 
You are totally screwed. Might as well abandon the area completely, just let me know where you were. :)

When his testosterone starts to rise and he spends more time on his feet, I seriously doubt he will remember that a guy walked by an area one time.
 
I think in terms of the deer's logic (we can argue if there is such a thing another day) it would go something like this. "I'm the smartest, oldest buck in the woods and my hidey hole is so good that I was able to detect that stinky two legged beast before it killed me, I'm def coming back here again".

Now if stinky two legged beasts keep intruding or start hanging around the area for hours really stinking up the place, he's going to start avoiding the area.
 
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