Reinventing the wheel

[Bullfrog]

You can click on a waypoint and hit "hide on map" if you want to clean it up a little

 

[Huntaholic]

I say if you know how to hunt, you don't need cameras. Kind of like forward facing sonar for fishing, that is for people who don't know how to fish. IMO, the cameras are doing the work and leave much of what it is actually hunting behind. I have a couple I will set when needed for trespassers, luckily that rarely happens, but I have never used cameras for seeing what deer are where I hunt or trying to determine a place to hunt. So glad the guy that controls where I hunt in KY agrees with that. Those cameras are pretty good at hunting but also they miss more deer than most realize.

You do you brother! I will say this: The best deer Ive ever killed, gross score 153 1/8, I had pics of him all summer and knew his habits and habitat VERY well. I run cameras year round, and if I cant get pics of one I want to kill, Im not going hunting. I dont need the meat and Im not near as mad at them as I used to be.

 

[deerhunter10]

I say if you know how to hunt, you don't need cameras. Kind of like forward facing sonar for fishing, that is for people who don't know how to fish.

It's a tool nothing more nothing less. The vast majority of people killed them without and can easily again. But saying bassmasters pros and the bass pro tour guys can't fish because they use ffs is wild.

You do you but thinking everyone can't hunt because they use cameras is a very naive statement.

 

[Nsghunter]

Youre gonna have to clean that up some! I see 3 potential stand sites, but I cant give you directions or locations with all those markers everywhere! The 3 spots I see DO NOT have any icons on them btw.

Ok here are some better (maybe) photos…

 

[Headhunter]

It's a tool nothing more nothing less. The vast majority of people killed them without and can easily again. But saying bassmasters pros and the bass pro tour guys can't fish because they use ffs is wild.

You do you but thinking everyone can't hunt because they use cameras is a very naive statement.

Never said they can't hunt, but they for sure either don't have or lose skills at JUST hunting.

Most all I know that run cameras base there hunting time on what they see on camera. Ask them, been hunting, I get 1 of 2 possible answers. Either nope we haven't been, not seeing deer or the deer we want to kill on camera. Or yes we have been, deer or deer we want to kill have been showing up on camera. I hear that way more often than not.

I am not going to depend on or use cameras for hunting deer or any game animal.

 

[Huntaholic]

Ok, Im gonna try, that top left short diagonal line, come half way past the bottom end of it and that straight up line. Thats where I would want to put a stand. I THINK from there you can cover pretty much everything from the top of the ridge on the right to the top of the ridge on the left, PLUS se whatever circles the head of that draw!

 

[Snake]

Thing is brother you need to know deer movement !! Yes some can tell you where they think you should put a stand but without knowing the lay of the land they are just guessing . Good places we think are good according to the map may not be according to real life ! You still have to see and there maybe obstructions we don't see on a map . Is that field on the property you hunt ? If so I'd set a couple stands around it according to wind direction. Look for flats with oak trees white and red oaks . Being mostly wooded oaks should be good early on especially white oaks, red for later in the year . @Huntaholic gives you a good spot to check out .

 

[Snake]

Never said they can't hunt, but they for sure either don't have or lose skills at JUST hunting.

Most all I know that run cameras base there hunting time on what they see on camera. Ask them, been hunting, I get 1 of 2 possible answers. Either nope we haven't been, not seeing deer or the deer we want to kill on camera. Or yes we have been, deer or deer we want to kill have been showing up on camera. I hear that way more often than not.

I am not going to depend on or use cameras for hunting deer or any game animal.

This member mentioned may need to run them to check movement and deer density . I don't use them either because they had me concentrating on just one buck and I'm just not used to hunting that way. But those that have cell cameras that send pics to their phones could be very helpful if they are targeting a certain buck but it's useless on my property because of poor reception . Bought two new cell trail cameras but sold them for a deal because of no service. Those that run cameras kudos to them because it saves alot of leg work to those that don't have the time to scout. If you don't then kudos to you for going old school , everyone is not the same nor hunt the same . I know of some that have killed some monsters that break all the things we don't do like scent control heck a couple I know even smoke while hunting. One smokes pot and swears he had deer coming to him on a string smelling the scent from the pot. Do what works for you and those that have success doing other things leave them alone . This OP is asking for help so lets try to help him without arguing who's best just give your advice and carry on.

 

[Nsghunter]

Thing is brother you need to know deer movement !! Yes some can tell you where they think you should put a stand but without knowing the lay of the land they are just guessing . Good places we think are good according to the map may not be according to real life ! You still have to see and there maybe obstructions we don't see on a map . Is that field on the property you hunt ? If so I'd set a couple stands around it according to wind direction. Look for flats with oak trees white and red oaks . Being mostly wooded oaks should be good early on especially white oaks, red for later in the year . @Huntaholic gives you a good spot to check out .

Thanks for the input, its good encouragement, you're exactly right, Escouting can only get you so far. Then you need boots on the ground.

I do like His spot except, the trees are stubby and dense ( hard to do a stand there) and another hunter has a stand near that area and I don't really know him well so I don't know how often he is in there and how he accesses the area.

 

[Headhunter]

This member mentioned may need to run them to check movement and deer density . I don't use them either because they had me concentrating on just one buck and I'm just not used to hunting that way. But those that have cell cameras that send pics to their phones could be very helpful if they are targeting a certain buck but it's useless on my property because of poor reception . Bought two new cell trail cameras but sold them for a deal because of no service. Those that run cameras kudos to them because it saves alot of leg work to those that don't have the time to scout. If you don't then kudos to you for going old school , everyone is not the same nor hunt the same . I know of some that have killed some monsters that break all the things we don't do like scent control heck a couple I know even smoke while hunting. One smokes pot and swears he had deer coming to him on a string smelling the scent from the pot. Do what works for you and those that have success doing other things leave them alone . This OP is asking for help so lets try to help him without arguing who's best just give your advice and carry on.

I agree, but to me spending time in the woods and just HUNTING is where you learn. Cameras, to me, don't teach much of anything about hunting since the camera is "doing the hunting".

 

[Huntaholic]

If the woods there are scrubby and dense, I will all but guarantee you there will be a rubline there come October. Folks put all kinds of interest into scrapes, but Ive had way better success hunting rublines than I ever have hunting scrapes. ESPECIALLY in October!

 

[Ski]

Escouting can only get you so far. Then you need boots on the ground.

That's the nuts & bolts of it. The maps only show terrain contour. They don't show lateral view of vegetation at ground level. Only being there in person does that.

My recommendation doesn't necessarily help much for this coming season but will help next season and every season thereafter. Go in as soon as the season ends and scout the entire property. You'll easily be able to see trail systems, which ones are heavily traveled and which are not. You'll be able to see areas where deer like laying down. Look for beds, rubs, scrapes, browse lines, acorn trees, etc. And look at it all from a detective's point of view trying to figure out how it all fits together. Your goal is to understand how deer use the property so you can predictably set up to ambush them. Even this season while hunting pay close attention to where deer are coming from, where they're heading, what time, and then try to understand why. If you know the "why" then you'll know how to be there before they get there, and that translates into killing more deer.

As far as cameras go, I'm all for them. I use the heck out of cameras. But they are nothing but tools. They don't change a thing about how you hunt or how good a hunter you are or what you know about hunting. At their very best they will confirm or deny your scouting. For instance if you find what you think is a really busy trail then hang a camera to watch it. If it's as busy as you think then you'll get lots of pictures. Furthermore the time stamp on those pictures will give you a good idea of when the trail is being used. If every picture you get of deer is between 7am and 9am then why would you waste time hunting it at 2pm? Deer use certain areas at certain times. There absolutely are morning spots and evening spots. Often times a spot will be both, but just as often it'll trend/lean one or the other. That's something a camera can help you decipher. Not necessary but a helpful tool if you so choose. I can unequivocally say I've learned more about deer behavior & habits since I began running cams than I did in a lifetime of hunting before cams.

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

I would bet there's a pretty good chance with 100 acre's and hunting around you there's some hunting going on that you're not aware of. Deer could be using escape routes on to your property and using it for a sanctuary. You can definitely wear a spot out. Are your children able to get out and do some scouting in places you can't access ??
Are there any White Oaks on the Property. Try to find them . Don't set up on them but look for a good spot to watch them.

 

[BSK]

As far as cameras go, I'm all for them. I use the heck out of cameras. But they are nothing but tools. They don't change a thing about how you hunt or how good a hunter you are or what you know about hunting. At their very best they will confirm or deny your scouting. For instance if you find what you think is a really busy trail then hang a camera to watch it. If it's as busy as you think then you'll get lots of pictures. Furthermore the time stamp on those pictures will give you a good idea of when the trail is being used. If every picture you get of deer is between 7am and 9am then why would you waste time hunting it at 2pm? Deer use certain areas at certain times. There absolutely are morning spots and evening spots. Often times a spot will be both, but just as often it'll trend/lean one or the other. That's something a camera can help you decipher. Not necessary but a helpful tool if you so choose. I can unequivocally say I've learned more about deer behavior & habits since I began running cams than I did in a lifetime of hunting before cams.

These statements in bold. Well said Ski.

I primarily use cameras to confirm or deny observations I made from scouting. I see an area that looks good and so I set a camera to confirm or deny, or see the timing of movement. I can show you traditional scrapes on my property that if seen, would blow any hunters mind they are so torn up. Yet camera monitoring shows 95% of the activity at those scrapes is at night. Not worth hunting. But without camera data, most hunter would burn a bunch of hunts watching those scrapes.

 

[Ski]

These statements in bold. Well said Ski.

I primarily use cameras to confirm or deny observations I made from scouting. I see an area that looks good and so I set a camera to confirm or deny, or see the timing of movement. I can show you traditional scrapes on my property that if seen, would blow any hunters mind they are so torn up. Yet camera monitoring shows 95% of the activity at those scrapes is at night. Not worth hunting. But without camera data, most hunter would burn a bunch of hunts watching those scrapes.

Not only would they burn a bunch of hunts, they'd also burn the area out by over pressuring it, never realizing their chances of seeing anything in the first place was very low odds. That's a fantastic example of where a camera is handy to have.

 

[Snake]

If the woods there are scrubby and dense, I will all but guarantee you there will be a rubline there come October. Folks put all kinds of interest into scrapes, but Ive had way better success hunting rublines than I ever have hunting scrapes. ESPECIALLY in October!

I rarely hunt a scrape . I did last year but it was because I was hunting a trail that it happen to be on.

 

[Snake]

Thanks for the input, its good encouragement, you're exactly right, Escouting can only get you so far. Then you need boots on the ground.

I do like His spot except, the trees are stubby and dense ( hard to do a stand there) and another hunter has a stand near that area and I don't really know him well so I don't know how often he is in there and how he accesses the area.

A hunter placing a stand in an area tells you something

 

[Headhunter]

Not only would they burn a bunch of hunts, they'd also burn the area out by over pressuring it, never realizing their chances of seeing anything in the first place was very low odds. That's a fantastic example of where a camera is handy to have.

Also, burning a spot, overpressuting it, etc., that is a part of actual hunting. Being in the woods and learning. I don't need a camera to tell me to not hunt scrapes, no matter how great they look or the sign around them. I have hunted them enough and have killed a few nice bucks near them, using them or just happened to be in the area, but in my hunting experience, bucks don't frequent them in the daylight. I still say having the camera there (yes much is learned from them) but to me the camera is doing the hunting, the hunter is just following what the camera tells him. I will say another reason I don't care for them is because it is a large number of great bucks I see that people get pics of, but not only do they not kill them, they never see them. I am sure cameras have saved many bucks lives and I do my best to stay out of where I hunt unless I am actually hunting.

And there are 2 sides to the following, you get a great buck (a giant, a record class animal, the best you have ever seen, etc.) on camera, so you pass up everything but that buck and you never see "the buck". Possibly passing up what would be great bucks to kill. And then you kill a buck but you get a bigger deer on camera after killing him and then you feel bad because you did not kill the biggest one (yes I have heard this many times).

I like to hunt and to me that means actually spending time in the woods, whether the time is small or I get tons of time, but I prefer what is NOT known and trying to figure the deer out, rather than depending on a camera. I will say the "cameras" can be incredible "hunters".

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

A hunter placing a stand in an area tells you something

I had permission to hunt a piece of land. I knew one of the neighbors had permission also. For 2 years we never crossed paths. I knew where a stand was and put a note with my name and # in a zip lock bag on the ladder. After 2 years he hunted the stand and called.

If you're only hunting one spot all the time and accessing it the same route, the deer have you patterned. Gotta change things up

You can try that stand Mid day and very likely see deer that avoid in the mornings

 

[Ski]

Also, burning a spot, overpressuting it, etc., that is a part of actual hunting. Being in the woods and learning. I don't need a camera to tell me to not hunt scrapes, no matter how great they look or the sign around them. I have hunted them enough and have killed a few nice bucks near them, using them or just happened to be in the area, but in my hunting experience, bucks don't frequent them in the daylight. I still say having the camera there (yes much is learned from them) but to me the camera is doing the hunting, the hunter is just following what the camera tells him. I will say another reason I don't care for them is because it is a large number of great bucks I see that people get pics of, but not only do they not kill them, they never see them. I am sure cameras have saved many bucks lives and I do my best to stay out of where I hunt unless I am actually hunting.

And there are 2 sides to the following, you get a great buck (a giant, a record class animal, the best you have ever seen, etc.) on camera, so you pass up everything but that buck and you never see "the buck". Possibly passing up what would be great bucks to kill. And then you kill a buck but you get a bigger deer on camera after killing him and then you feel bad because you did not kill the biggest one (yes I have heard this many times).

I like to hunt and to me that means actually spending time in the woods, whether the time is small or I get tons of time, but I prefer what is NOT known and trying to figure the deer out, rather than depending on a camera. I will say the "cameras" can be incredible "hunters".