Trail Camera Strategies for Big Buck Success

Trail Camera Strategies for Big Buck Success

By Nathan Graham

Placing trail cameras strategically during the summer can provide valuable insights into deer movements and behavior leading up to hunting season. It’s only July, but by getting your cameras out now, you can learn more about how deer move through your property, which trails they frequent, and where the enter and exit fields.

Regularly Check and Maintain Cameras
Before you set out your cameras, make sure they work, that they take pictures and that the time and settings are working correctly. If not, you’re in for a headache when trying to analyze data. Periodically check trail cameras to ensure they are functioning properly and have an adequate battery life. Replace memory cards and batteries as needed, and adjust camera positions or settings based on observed deer behavior. This seems pretty simple, but it can be a big deal, especially if your hunting area is a way from your house.

Identify Food Sources
Before placing trail cameras, scout the area, think about how and where you will be hunting the first part of October, or September if you’re going to hunt the youth season. In the first few days of the season, the key is to identify key food sources such as ag fields, alfalfa, clover, and soybean fields. Look for signs of deer activity such as tracks, droppings, and browse lines. Ag fields are popular feeding areas for deer during the summer months. Place trail cameras along field edges or near natural funnels and pinch points where deer are likely to travel to and from the fields. Pay attention to areas with well-defined trails or staging areas where deer congregate before entering the fields to feed. If you have open fields, like radish, brassica, or clover fields, set up trail cameras overlooking these fields. You can utilize some of the newer 360 cameras so you will never miss a deer walking behind your camera. These cameras have lenses and sensors all around the camera and have capability to capture photos from all directions.

I’m sure your scouting is showing you the same thing I am finding, a green soybean field attract the deer right before dusk. During the youth season and early bow season, deer often feed heavily on soybean fields before the leaves turn yellow and defoliate. Place trail cameras near the edges of soybean fields, focusing on travel corridors and transition zones between bedding areas and feeding areas. You might put a few up right now to figure out where the deer are entering and leaving the fields. This will help you pinpoint the best location for you to set up. Use multiple trail cameras to cover different angles and perspectives around food sources. This allows you to gather more comprehensive data on deer movements and patterns.

By strategically placing trail cameras near food sources such as ag fields, alfalfa, clover, and soybean fields during the summer months, hunters can gather valuable information to inform their hunting strategies and increase their chances of success during the upcoming hunting season.

Position Cameras Strategically
Place trail cameras at a height and angle that captures the entire field or area of interest. Mount cameras on trees or posts overlooking the food sources, ensuring they are concealed and positioned to avoid direct sunlight or glare. Set trail cameras to capture high-resolution images or videos with fast trigger speeds to ensure clear and accurate recordings of deer activity, especially in low-light conditions. Remember to cut or trim grass or vegetation that will trip off your camera and cause you to have a bunch of useless pictures.

Another option to get a good view are T-posts with 360-degree mounting elements. These, when paired with a camera capable of 360-degree photos will ensure you don’t miss a deer walking by your camera. These mounts allow you to attach cameras securely to T-posts, offering a stable platform for capturing images or videos while minimizing disturbance to the surrounding vegetation.

Scent Control
Implementing scent control measures around trail cameras can help reduce human odor and minimize the risk of alerting deer to your presence. Scent control accessories such as scent-eliminating sprays, scent-free gloves, and scent-absorbing clothing can help mask human scent and increase your chances of remaining undetected while checking or adjusting trail cameras. Spray down and wear rubber boots before you check your cameras. I know it’s July and it’s hot, but you don’t want to stink up the area and push deer away.

Wearing scent-free gloves when handling trail cameras helps minimize the transfer of human scent onto camera equipment. This simple precaution can prevent deer from detecting your presence and reduce the risk of spooking them when accessing or maintaining trail cameras in the field. Wearing clothing made from scent-eliminating fabrics and avoiding strong-smelling detergents or perfumes can further help you remain undetected while scouting with trail cameras.

Be mindful of wind direction when placing trail cameras near food sources. Position cameras downwind of deer travel routes to minimize the risk of spooking deer with human scent. We often overlook the wind direction when it comes to cameras. However, we know we leave our scent behind when handling (even careful handling) cameras. This can add pressure and put a cautious old buck on alert. Don’t blow your opportunity before the season begins.

Practicing scent control while checking cameras will minimize disturbance and reduce pressure on deer, particularly mature deer. This allows you to gather valuable insights into deer movements and behavior while maintaining the element of surprise for a successful hunting season.

Analyze Data
Remember, just because you’ve got pictures of a buck in a specific area doesn’t necessarily mean it’s his core territory. Begin by scouting the hunting area well in advance of the hunting season. Bucks will often bed close to reliable food sources. The first couple of weeks of bow season, you have a good chance of patterning a buck before the mast crops start to drop, the combines start to roll, and deer change up their patterns. Oftentimes, you can catch a buck traveling on a heavily used path heading to or from food during the first part of October. Using trail cameras can help you figure out where a buck is coming from and the direction he is headed. Ridges, saddles, and funnels are natural features that can concentrate deer movement.

If a cold front moves in during youth season or in early October, deer will be up on their feet a little earlier in the evening. Do the work now with your trail cameras, and when the first cold front moves in, get set up in your stand and ready!