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Early for trail cams?

slonstdy

slonstdy

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Oct 10, 2018
Messages
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I've got a couple of out of state hunting grounds that I hunted for the first time last year and only put out cameras right before the season in one spot and towards the end of the season at another.
These areas are a touch over an hours drive so I was thinking to do some scouting this upcoming week and hang a few cameras and let them soak for a month or two to see what's in these areas. I'll then pull the cards and move the cams to another area unless they've got something worthwhile on them.
Should I place them over suspected bedding areas, travel routes or feeding areas? Also, feel free to let me know if there are any drawbacks to putting cameras out now other than to take into account the thick growth and leaf cover that can grow in front of the them during the spring and summer.
 
It can't hurt anything to put them out and let them soak. It should give you an idea of deer density in the area but depending on your area the bucks will likely have lost their horns by now. During the spring and summer, if I run cameras, I put them at prominent creek crossings or on heavily used game trails.
 
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Put them out and start your inventory. The only expense is battery replacement. I keep at least 1 out year round. It keeps me informed of movement trends, also coyote, fox populations and trespassers.
 
I left my cell cam up from last October. Still sending pictures. Had a bachelor group of 3 come through a week or two ago that just started having horn growth.

At this point it’s more or less staying up for the kids to see the fawns when they start coming around. Granted I’m hoping to see that bachelor group more frequently as one looked like it had a good body.
 
I keep my cell cameras out year round just for inventory and the strutting gobbler pics this time of year. Keep in mind though that the travel corridors and feeding spots change from spring to summer to fall. Where you are seeing deer in the spring MIGHT not be that good in the fall. Also during this time of year a branch or grass can grow up in a week and block your camera view and destroy your battery life. I wouldn't let a new camera soak longer than a couple weeks without checking the pics and establishing a shooting lane for the motion sensor. That is why I run the cell cameras. They are well worth the less than $10 a month.
It is never to early to run cameras or smartly put boots on the ground. Let the deer get used to your scent in a non-hunting/killing mode.
 
NMSbowhunter said:
It can't hurt anything to put them out and let them soak. It should give you an idea of deer density in the area but depending on your area the bucks will likely have lost their horns by now. During the spring and summer, if I run cameras, I put them at prominent creek crossings or on heavily used game trails.
Click to expand...


You let them "soak", I let them "marinate"....lol.
 
One thing to consider is more time in the elements = faster corrosion/shorter lifespan

As much as I love running them I don’t get mine out till mid summer when I can tell bucks apart
 
I put one out today over a good creek crossing while chasing those crazy birds. I will go check it in a couple of weeks. There were fresh deer tracks all over the place.
 
I pull mine at the beginning of Februay, since historically someone when shed hunting likes to trespass and steal cams....
But then I put them back in April to start with the Turkey season prep. I love getting pictures of strutting turkeys! especially when it is the same location consistently :)
 
Mine are out all year. Post season I get to see what survived and when they shed, then I get lots of turkeys, now I’m seeing antlers starting to grow. Just good to have them out year round for me.
 
2nd year in a location with minimal cam coverage last year, I’d be putting out extras to get an inventory of how many deer are in the area.
 
Took a drive to one of my locations in PA and did some scouting. Found 3 small sheds and hung a few cameras to get an idea of what's in the area. I think this location holds deer year round judging by the numerous piles of droppings I found everywhere.
 
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