Discussion on bucks detecting and avoiding trail cameras

[armadillophil]

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.

 

[Booner21]

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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[Hoytvectrix]

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.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

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:

Trail Cameras - Are We Spooking Deer - The Management Advantage

Do trail cameras spook deer and hinder your success as a hunter? We take a look at deer reactions and how we can minimize trial camera impact on them.

themanagementadvantage.com

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.

 

[bwoods11]

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…

 

[Prairie Acres]

Bringing this three year old thread back to the top... I've been a little discouraged by the lack of buck pictures on my three cell cameras. It difficult to motivate myself to sit in the cold during muzzleloader when I'm not seeing any bucks on camera during shooting hours. Then I remember watching this MeatEater video a couple years ago where they are hunting Bluff Country Outfitters in Buffalo County WI. Well known guide/owner Tom Indrebo discusses bucks avoiding cameras and how he will place another camera behind a camera as bucks skirt the first camera. It's starts at the 5:13 mark of the video. Point being I'll keep hunting and hope the bucks are avoiding my cameras.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

This is a cool thread. I’m in the “a deer will absolutely not avoid cameras” camp. I have yet to see a deer from a fawn to the oldest buck not get his pictures taken and usually on multiple cameras. With as many cams that are in the woods I think it’s almost physically impossible on most landscapes. I have a neighbor who runs like 18 on less than 500 acres. It’s gross
I think a camera can and will spook a deer at first, but eventually with bait or time they all get their mugshot

 

[Electrodigical]

Points / questions I would make:

Are deer avoiding cameras, or are they avoiding strange objects they encounter?

I chuckled at him saying he got three big bucks behind the camera... which means they were in front of the other camera.
Can't prove it right while proving it wrong.


Like most people probably, I have evidence of cameras scaring deer and evidence of them coming up and touching them. Only getting spooked I think when/if they see their reflection in the lens. I can't say one way or the other about cell cams, mine just aren't where there's much of anything. I don't get deer or much else. Few deer, turkey twice, raccoon once, in 5 months. My other non cell cameras get more deer and frequent fox, coyote, fisher, raccoons, possum, proccupine, turkey, grouse, woodchuck, rabbit... man can I pick a good spot for a tree stand and a cell camera.

Right now I have one camera a few feet off the ground, near my water tank. I usually don't do that. All my other cameras are 8-12 feet in the air.

 

[BenAllgood]

The bucks coming on my property just laugh at cameras.

 

[gjs4]

wish you had cell and SD separated....Im eluding to my second biggest factor theory

 

[omicron1792]

I’m with dawg. I think old bucks are spooky and like to hide, but don’t avoid cameras. They avoid the areas we set up (corn, minerals, water) that have cameras.

I still have my feeders but I’ll pour some corn out deep in the woods and put a cell camera. I’ll almost always get pics of bucks that never frequent my regular feeders.

I also get way way way more buck pics at my free choice feeders than my spin feeders. I’ll see them near it during rut, but not near spinners any other time. I’m not sure they are afraid of it, they just don’t pattern it like does. The does come like someone ringing a dinner bell. There is no corn left after 15 min or so, and the bucks just aren’t going to beat the does out for that.

 

[omicron1792]

Of strange note, elk literally molest cameras. They lick and push on them like they are a mineral lick.

 

[Electrodigical]

 

[gjs4]

Back in the day I dug into why certain animals sense, if not are attracted (bears and racoons) to cams. What i found is there are basically only a few factories in china and they were using a fish oil (like?) product for mold release. There is your "the more you know" moment of the day. ha

 

[hillrunner]

Back in the day I dug into why certain animals sense, if not are attracted (bears and racoons) to cams. What i found is there are basically only a few factories in china and they were using a fish oil (like?) product for mold release. There is your "the more you know" moment of the day. ha

Interesting, I had a relentless squirrel do significant damage to a reconyx this year. He even opened the door 2 different times. I'd like to put his pelt on my wall.