Trail cam intel

[tree_ghost]

I know it's trail cam season again, and while there may be a few of us who are on the front end of the herd so to speak, in watching our perspective deer for the coming season, there is a question that I have pondered over the last week. At what point during your trail cam survey do you determine whether a deer is going to be a large buck or not? Is there a certain characteristic in deer that you look for, or have noticed over the years, that is a common trait in big bucks when it comes to antler development? Just curious honestly...


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[TheLBLman]

At what point during your trail cam survey do you determine whether a deer is going to be a large buck or not?

Define "large"
Opinions vary greatly.

It's usually sometime in July before I see enough of what's growing to start sorting them out.
Most "shooter" vs. "non-shooter" decisions are made after velvet shedding (usually late August/early Sept.)
But the larger the antlers, the easier and the quicker a particular buck might make the list.

What "turns you on" most in making one set of antlers more a trophy than another?

For me, it is MASS.
It is also great tine length on top of that mass, and non-typical points, lots of them.
But first and foremost, it is MASS.
It is not width (unless it's massive antlers that are also wide).

It is also not some arbitrary "score".

A tall-tined 10-pointer with little mass is not what I'm looking for; but a very "heavy" MASSIVE set of antlers, don't care if he only has 6 points, that's excites me. Basically, I'm looking for MASSIVE and UNIQUE.

But then, what makes a deer a "trophy" isn't just the antlers; for me, age is a big component; and it's typically a greater hunting "challenge" to take a mature doe than a young P&Y class buck.

As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[TheLBLman]

Is there a certain characteristic in deer that you look for, or have noticed over the years, that is a common trait in big bucks when it comes to antler development?

MASS (Circumference of antlers, primarily the main beams, but including the tines).

"Mass" can be identified earlier than most other antler traits, although width (or spread) ideas are pretty quick, as are the tine lengths of the G-2's.

I'm basically initially looking for antlers that appear to have (in velvet) a diameter approaching or surpassing twice the diameter of that buck's eyeball. This kind of mass can show up as early as April, it's just that until more antler develops, for all one knows, that buck might just be a huge spike. Usually know a lot by sometime in July.

But, define "big".
For some, it's just some arbitrary "score" via P&Y or B&C.
For some, it's just wider than most, or having more points than most.

What's "bigger"?
A 130-class 10-pointer with tall tines, or a 120-class 6-pointer with average tines?
In "my" book, this 6-pointer is "bigger".

 

[tree_ghost]

I am with you LBL I love a buck with mass. I would define a large deer as anything breaking the mid 130 barrier. Granted if I ever ran across a 120's class 6 point his butt is toast. But honestly what gets me going is character! I love to watch a unique rack develop on top of a deers head. I kind of have a bucketlist so to speak with my goals in killing deer.

I have shot a droptine buck already (would kill for a double drop[emoji38])
I want a split brow tine buck
I want a split g2 buck
I want a mass monster
I want a chocolate horn
I want a chocolate rack with white tips
And a nasty nontypical

The likely hood I'll ever accomplish this is slim to none but I'm working on it...I haven't pulled my cameras since turkey season but usually right now is when I can begin to determine if there are any bucks that get my attention...I'll know in 2 more weeks when I pull cards!


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[BSK]

Can't answer that since I don't run cameras until antlers are nearly fully formed (early August).

 

[Andy S.]

Can't answer that since I don't run cameras until antlers are nearly fully formed (early August).

Same here, although I have been conditioning rechargeable batteries and updating firmware on my cameras to prepare for my August deployment.

 

[TheLBLman]

Some of us just can't wait to open our gifts earlier! :tu:
And it's very "cool" to see the antler growth progression of a particular buck.

With the black-flash cams, year-long battery life, large-capacity SD cards, etc., there has become less need to wait until August, although I can appreciate those more interested in maintaining a certain year-to-year consistency for scientific data collection. Geez, I really do not miss having to use 24-picture rolls of 35mm film. That limitation and more costly use once necessitated my waiting until August.

THESE are the good ole days of deer hunting, and trail cammin' in Tennessee.
And I believe it's going to become even better.

 

[tree_ghost]

We should do a trail cam contest...might be fun?


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[BSK]

Some of us just can't wait to open our gifts earlier! :tu:
And it's very "cool" to see the antler growth progression of a particular buck.

But there in lies the problem. If you have 15 8-point bucks, how are you sure one picture to the next is the same buck? Antlers are growing so fast at this time of year (up to a half inch per day) that an individual buck can look VERY different in pictures a week apart.

Of course, most people aren't trying to track individual bucks. They're just using cameras for fun.

 

[TheLBLman]

Some of us just can't wait to open our gifts earlier! :tu:
And it's very "cool" to see the antler growth progression of a particular buck.

But there in lies the problem. If you have 15 8-point bucks, how are you sure one picture to the next is the same buck? Antlers are growing so fast at this time of year (up to a half inch per day) that an individual buck can look VERY different in pictures a week apart.

You often cannot tell one buck from another prior to some time in July.
But when you get pics of what I'm really after most, it's usually no problem to differentiate him from the others, often even in April. And when it is, it's a very nice problem to have!

I do this more for fun than meticulous scientific record keeping. But am still "tracking" individual bucks.

 

[tree_ghost]

Well one buck that is on the top of my hit list is easily identifiable year round since he is blind in one eye. As long as it's a night picture his left eye doesn't reflect the IR flash. It's pretty cool to know what buck I'm watching year round. As far as the rest of them...id say it's simply a guess at best but I still can't bring myself to not put out cameras and check them once a month. I have a problem lol [emoji1]


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