Check Your Trail Cams Carefully
Unfortunately, the best scouting tool you may have in your arsenal, can quickly become a double edged sword. Believe it or not, when and how you access your trail cameras can directly affect the number of mature bucks on your property. Practicing when to check your trail cams can pay huge rewards when it comes to attracting and holding a unpressured deer herd.
Checking trail cameras and swapping SD cards is often compared to Christmas morning, by die hard deer hunters. However, what most hunters don't take into consideration is how their trail camera management affects their hunting success. Sure, it's great to get photos of bucks, but if you spook your target bucks when collecting their photos, whats the point? I assure you, it is worth being patient, and strategically checking your trail cameras when the most opportune time arises.
Low Impact Trail Cam Managemen
The best method for checking your trail cams is when you can do so, without any risk of spooking deer. There are three important trail cam management concepts to follow, in order for you to maintain the integrity of your deer hunting parcel:
1. Avoid doubling your intrusions
Are you already on your land to hunt or retrieve a deer? Then make sure to check your trail cams on the way to or from.
2. Weather Rules!
Nasty weather in the form of heavy rain, wind or snow can often provide the perfect amount of cover to access your trail cams without spooking deer.
3. Weeks of trail cam forgiveness
Are you leaving your hunting grounds and not returning for 2-3 weeks or more? Then finish your evening hunt and use the time to pull your cards or change your batteries under the cover of darkness. By the time you return, the deer will have forgiven your intrusions.
Conclusion
Trail cameras have undoubtedly changed the game of scouting whitetails. Knowing the what, where, and when's of mature buck movement plays large roles in the way I hunt. However, trail cam use can lead to major obstacles in your pursuits if you neglect to check them properly. Sometimes it only takes one careless intrusion to spook a mature buck that you may be after. So be smart, plan ahead and learn when to check your trail cameras wisely.
