Discussion on bucks detecting and avoiding trail cameras

What is the largest factor for determining the likelihood a mature buck will avoid a trail camera?

  • Trail camera brand

  • Recording mode (photo vs. video)

  • Flash type

  • Camera position (height on a tree or post)

  • Camera location (game trail vs. food plot, etc.)

  • Deer personality

  • Hunting pressure

  • Bucks don't avoid trail cameras


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I have two mature bucks at my farm this summer. They avoid cameras and a feeder like the plague. I have caught them heading to bean field multiple times about 50 yards away from camera that is triggered by a doe or small buck and they are in background. It won't hurt me to put cameras up 8 feet and try. The only camera I have that seems not to bother game is a moultrie that is in video mode. I have had more different bucks on that camera then any others combined.
 
Erich long talked about a camera studdy he did several years ago. It was hundreds of cameras over a pretty long time period. The couple things I remembered he said one cams got over 6 feet in the air deer didn’t pick them up near as much. And the reaction to cams was a lot about personality. He had deer get spooked by dummy cameras that has been on the tree for weeks. He also said that deer seemed to pick up cameras much more frequently during season than before.

I try to have most of my cams up by July and don’t visit many of them until after deer season and have went to majority cell cams. I think they miss more pics but you also get many fewer false images.


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I have two mature bucks at my farm this summer. They avoid cameras and a feeder like the plague. I have caught them heading to bean field multiple times about 50 yards away from camera that is triggered by a doe or small buck and they are in background. It won't hurt me to put cameras up 8 feet and try. The only camera I have that seems not to bother game is a moultrie that is in video mode. I have had more different bucks on that camera then any others combined.
I have often wondered if what some people are observing and thinking deer are avoiding cameras is that they are actually just avoiding spots that other deer frequent. We have an old mineral site with a camera that does still visit pretty much every time they pass. Bucks only ever show up on that camera around the rut, despite also being in the area.
 
Erich long talked about a camera studdy he did several years ago. It was hundreds of cameras over a pretty long time period. The couple things I remembered he said one cams got over 6 feet in the air deer didn’t pick them up near as much. And the reaction to cams was a lot about personality. He had deer get spooked by dummy cameras that has been on the tree for weeks. He also said that deer seemed to pick up cameras much more frequently during season than before.

I try to have most of my cams up by July and don’t visit many of them until after deer season and have went to majority cell cams. I think they miss more pics but you also get many fewer false images.


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Thanks for pointing out that article. Here it is for anyone curious:

I tend to agree with the author and many of the people here - that personality of the deer and height placement of the cameras are two of the larger factors. I also think some cameras, especially the older ones, must emit some high frequency sound in video mode. I've had some deer whip their heads up to and directly at a camera 10 feet up in a tree during daylight on video mode.

I appreciate the discussion from everyone. Maybe later this year after the season I'll try and set up a few experiments to see if there is anything to some bucks actively avoiding some cameras.
 
Hoyt… that’s a good article, and interesting observations. So much of the reaction is based on location, type of farm, trail, food plot, bedding area etc…
 
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