Trail cameras or nah?

[BenG]

This is a great thread. I've never run cell cams but seriously thinking about it this year to better maximize the times to hunt. Ethically however, I'm not sure this is a fair deal for the buck. Or is it? I know guys that get cell cam pics and go in and shoot their target buck. Others never have luck. What are all your thoughts on this? For those that are running cell cams... have they improved your mature buck take markedly from say before without them? How much more compared to just regular trail cams and having to check them manually?

I know several guys that have capitalized on the real time info provided by cell cams. I’m starting to see it become pretty popular on some channels. One year I killed a different buck from the one that I got pictures of the day before but it definitely put me on a hot stand that I otherwise wouldn’t have been at. They are without question an incredible advantage. Should they be allowed, that’s hard to say, but I’d be perfectly okay with it if the line was drawn. I’ve started using mine for intel in farther away places more so I don’t have to drive several hours to check them. I feel a little better about using them in this manner.

 

[philsanchez76]

This is a great thread. I've never run cell cams but seriously thinking about it this year to better maximize the times to hunt. Ethically however, I'm not sure this is a fair deal for the buck. Or is it? I know guys that get cell cam pics and go in and shoot their target buck. Others never have luck. What are all your thoughts on this? For those that are running cell cams... have they improved your mature buck take markedly from say before without them? How much more compared to just regular trail cams and having to check them manually?

The answer to this for me is a resounding no! All my cell cams are on public and by the time I would get out to that spot after i'd get a pic that deer is miles away. The only time this almost worked is this November I kept getting pics of a buck and doe in the morning and then more in the early afternoon. I knew he was pushing her into this spot right up against a lake so he could keep her there and have only a small portion of land to watch and fend off other bucks. I figured they'd be there for a while. I snuck in late that afternoon, honestly not expecting much, set up and 10 minutes later he and the doe pop out. I took a shot and missed what would've been my best buck to date. So the answer to your question is still no sadly. I don't see this type of scenario playing out multiple times for me here on public. I could see it really helping on private though.

 

[tarafrost]

I have 3 cellular trail cams.....I get just as much enjoyment out of seeing what animals are going by all year as I do from any hunting benefit that accrues. Seeing moose/bear at one of our watch sites, which is a 2 hour drive and 1 hour hike into the bush away, from the comfort of my home, is great fun and very motivating to get out and hunt.

During the moose hunt last year, we got a calf down the first morning....as the week wore on, some of the older camp members started to lose their enthusiasm for going out, especially as it got rainy, given that we had meat on the pole even though we still had a cow tag. My cellular cam captured a pic of a huge cow at one of our spots overnight, and when I showed the photo to the guys over breakfast, it sure rekindled their desire to go out and hunt hard despite the poor weather. We never did connect on that cow.....maybe next year....but the beneficial effect on some of our hunters was very much welcomed.

YMMV.....I like them, though they haven't really improved my success in dropping an animal this year.

I am interested in the new Spypoint Flex that was just announced....it's got some really nice new features:

SPYPOINT FLEX series | Cellular solar trail camera

The SPYPOINT FLEX-S delivers the same performance and flexibility as the FLEX, with the added benefit of an integrated solar panel charging an internal lithium battery to keep your camera working longer than you ever imagined.

www.spypoint.com

 

[Weldabeast]

I used to use them when I was still new to hunting and learning...as I've learned more about animals behavior I gradually stopped using all together....it turned into more of a hassle....the cell cams are getting outta hand IMO....maybe it's time for a game of how many cell cams can I urinate in front of..or maybe walk in front of 50 times in 5-10 minutes...hahaha
99% of the time when I see cell cams they are in the dumbest locations....I guess peeps like seeing animals walk the roads at night

 

[michigandrake]

I run a dozen or so from Memorial Day to Labor Day based on my spring scouting. All on public land just for an inventory of available bucks. I rarely run them at my hunting site but place them to catch summer movement. Bucks are more predictable in the summer and I think it is easier to get them on camera. Helps narrow down spots that have the most potential.

 

[woodsdog2]

I run a dozen or so from Memorial Day to Labor Day based on my spring scouting. All on public land just for an inventory of available bucks. I rarely run them at my hunting site but place them to catch summer movement. Bucks are more predictable in the summer and I think it is easier to get them on camera. Helps narrow down spots that have the most potential.

Do you run a dozen cameras total or a dozen cell cams?

 

[michigandrake]

Do you run a dozen cameras total or a dozen cell cams?

Just a hodgepodge of camera's. I have not graduated to cell cams yet. Maybe as my cameras die out that will be the next step.

 

[1simplemann]

This is a great thread. I've never run cell cams but seriously thinking about it this year to better maximize the times to hunt. Ethically however, I'm not sure this is a fair deal for the buck. Or is it? I know guys that get cell cam pics and go in and shoot their target buck. Others never have luck. What are all your thoughts on this? For those that are running cell cams... have they improved your mature buck take markedly from say before without them? How much more compared to just regular trail cams and having to check them manually?

I have never run a cam in my life. I actually even own 2 but I never even put them out. I left them in a previous friend's truck year's ago and never got them back. We no longer talk so I'll probably will never get them back. Anyway, I used to think cam's gave an unfair advantage to a hunter and I kinda looked down at guys that were using them. IMO Lazy hunters. My thinking was that A hunter should get off their butt, go out, find some deer, read and interpret their sign, and put in the time to learn their habits and then go hunt them accordingly. That's what I did for years and I've been reasonably successful w/ more that couple nice bucks to look at on my wall. With that being said, I now think I've been a hypocrite. I HATE hypocrites so I had to look at myself. You see I absolutely love to SMB fish. I finally bought my dream boat several years back. A 21' Ranger 620VS 250HP Yamaha w/ lot's of bells and whistles including 6-8K of electronics that let me see a school of smallies 30' deep and drop down and catch them. Those electronics are cool but you still have invest a certain amount of time and money in learning how to use them. It never once crossed my mind that it was unfair to use technology to drop down and catch a 5 or 6lb smallie. I've spent many hours and gallons of gas learning how use it to my advantage to hopefully catch that 7 or 8 lb SMB that I KNOW swims there. They catch them in that lake every year. I have yet to do it. Then one day it dawned on me that if I'm willing to use two 12" Lowrance's that have 2D sonar, side scan, down scan and now 360 imaging then why should I look down at guys using trail cameras? I'm hunting w/ a bow that is so far advanced from what I started with. My 1st buck was killed with a 47lb Bear Cat recurve. It had an eraser taped to the riser and pin shoved into it for a sight. All of my accessories are top notch. I can hit a ping pong ball at 30 yds. I even have Scent Lok. The list goes on and on. Where does a guy draw the line? For me, at this point in my life, I say if it's legal then go for it and don't judge other's who may drawn a different line. BTW I'm now thinking I might even get me some cell cams so I can keep track of the bucks on my property!

 

[tarafrost]

I have three cellular Spypoint trailcams, and really enjoy seeing all the wildlife on my property and in the county forest where I have two of them set out. The ones on public have cable locks on them, but I've never had any issues so far.

Waiting for the new Flex units to come out this summer.....will probably get one or two of those to add to the arsenal.

SPYPOINT FLEX series | Cellular solar trail camera

The SPYPOINT FLEX-S delivers the same performance and flexibility as the FLEX, with the added benefit of an integrated solar panel charging an internal lithium battery to keep your camera working longer than you ever imagined.

www.spypoint.com

 

[slonstdy]

I will only run cell cameras. I started using them two seasons ago along with a handful of cheap trail cams to compare them to and I can honestly say they are well worth it. Picture quality is great and not having to allot time to go in and retrieve cards to see if there is a worthwhile target animal is a luxury. I hunt multiple areas over three states and don't have enough time to scout each of them thoroughly or often enough to be able to hunt them efficiently so I use the cell cams to help me locate and pattern game.

 

[John 35]

I’ve never used them. Another guy on some private I hunt does and it sort of feels like I’m under surveillance when I have to walk by them. I’ll pass by them on public often, it’s weird that strangers have pictures of me. I’ll avoid them if I see them ahead of time. They are kind of annoying.

 

[Noonespecial]

Hey guys, been thinking about trail cameras a lot this year. Really starting to not like the idea of them, or see the point for my hunting style I guess. I’m not bashing them, or anyone who uses them. I personally just like pictures of deer. I don’t use them for dialing in on a deer or anything.

Anyone else considered dropping them from your setups?

My main reason is I hunt mostly public and it seems several times they either arnt there when I check them or like this year someone took my sd card, left my camera open and fried my camera. Also I think if I put in the time scouting and exchange it for the time I put in checking cameras I’d be better off anyways. Also I know the type of bucks I wanna shoot are there because I see them with my eyes not just a camera. So what are they really doing for me?

Again I’m not trying to stir up anything against them. I guess I’m just interested in seeing if anyone else shares my thoughts on them? Any opinion either way would be welcome, thanks!

Boone and Crockett just made a rule, can’t enter a buck if a cell camera was used. I like it!

 

[woodsdog2]

Boone and Crockett just made a rule, can’t enter a buck if a cell camera was used. I like it!

I definitely see both sides. I have never owned a cell cam but I do own a few regular game trail cameras. They certainly have just made me better understand the number of potential bucks on properties that I never shoot!!! I'm still considering if I want to implement them into my arsenal. On the one hand, in the early season seeing a target buck go back to its bed at around 7:41am and you take off the afternoon to get in and watch for him to come back out to feed..... is that an unfair advantage? Probably under some conditions and circumstances it is, others I'm not sure. Depending on the wind and pressure and other deer, coyotes, etc., there' s noting guaranteeing that deer come back oiut on the same path at all and in fact, most of realized deer have more of a circular pattern or route rather than a strait hourglass pattern of movement every day for the most part.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I have three of various lineage, all fairly cheap, non-cellular.... until recently my phone was barely cellular, lol. Most of the time they spend their lives on trees in my yard. I run a couple each season out on public. I use them about 10% of the time and if I run them, I run them on new spots and either put them 12 feet up or hide them at ground level under a log so they can't be seen. I will usually run them a week or more and check them during the first hunt in the new spot. I have a card adapter for the phone and can check the pictures. This lets me know to hold out for the buck or take a doe if one comes by. This way I have only been there once before the actual hunt. Unlike private ground, here you can't put feed out in front of the cameras so you have far fewer spots that deer will congregate anyway. Creek crossing, funnels, saddles, and hot acorn sign are best bets. Hot acorn sign usually just gets hunted immediately.

I have a friend who is obsessed with cameras. He has been ever since I have known him. He always has a good buck or two to hunt each season and he throws everything into those bucks. These are 130 inch or better. He is a member of a high dollar club and can bait to his heart's content. He puts up a permanent ladder stand and a spin cast feeder and a cellular camera when he locates a buck. He still has some regular cameras too. He has not gotten a big boy doing this in the past 6 years at least. He usually takes a subordinate buck in the 110 class in late gun season out of frustration. I think he is educating the mature bucks by going in to put corn out and check the non-cellular cameras. He gets a lot of nocturnal pictures of the big boys and that keeps him in the game. He also has a bad habit of showing off the pictures of the bucks to other people and the other club members eventually close in on his spots, severely hurting his chances. He freely admits that he loves to see pictures of good bucks and that that is as big a part of the thrill as anything. That's cool.

I personally limit their use since I think by using them, I am contaminating the spot a little each time I go in there, for any reason. I see it like any intrusion is equivalent to a hunt. And I think that after a few hunts (or visits), I have hurt my chances at getting a good buck in daylight.

 

[Bowtie747]

I used to use them when I was still new to hunting and learning...as I've learned more about animals behavior I gradually stopped using all together....it turned into more of a hassle....the cell cams are getting outta hand IMO....maybe it's time for a game of how many cell cams can I urinate in front of..or maybe walk in front of 50 times in 5-10 minutes...hahaha
99% of the time when I see cell cams they are in the dumbest locations....I guess peeps like seeing animals walk the roads at night

Still going cameraless this year?

 

[Weldabeast]

Still going cameraless this year?

Hehe...I just set 3 yesterday.
This year be the test I guess. If this set is problematic I gonna give up on them.

I am able to hunt the same wma 2 times so I figured since I was given this rare opportunity I should gather as much info as possible...3 days in archery and 3 days in muzzleloader

 

[Bowtie747]

Hehe...I just set 3 yesterday.
This year be the test I guess. If this set is problematic I gonna give up on them.

I am able to hunt the same wma 2 times so I figured since I was given this rare opportunity I should gather as much info as possible...3 days in archery and 3 days in muzzleloader

I really needed some emotional support here,,,dang it. Hahaha jkjk I hope they work out for you bud! Ahh I just need to make my dang mind up. Their is something appealing about not using them. Also I can’t act like they arnt fun even if all I do is use them for pictures.

 

[thedutchtouch]

Glad this thread got bumped. I set out two cameras earlier this summer, ones in a spot that I now know I can go to for doe meat with pretty good chances of a shot, the other is in a spot that I know not to waste a sit unless I want to birdwatch only. Last year it would have taken me a few hints to figure this out. I don't think cameras will magically put me on big bucks, and am not using them that way, though it was fun getting a 6 pt on the "doe cam" a bit ago.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I have just about decided they are much more trouble than they are worth for me. I have two out right now. I forgot where I put the second one, lol. I ran these two for 6 weeks and pulled them about two weeks ago and reset them and got fewer pictures of deer than I saw on the hoof going out to check the dang things. When I hunted on a lease they worked better. For public I am about to stop using them.

 

[thedutchtouch]

I've been debating moving one of my cameras to the parking/walk in to try to start patterning the hunters that use this same area, but that's only a halfway serious idea