I want to share some tips on how to use trail cameras. First off for me trail cameras are fun! And it should be for you as well. I like to think of setting up trail cameras is like setting up a trap for a fox or a coyote. You don't want to leave clues for every animal to see and smell. I wear rubber boots as much as possible. Wearing rubber gloves is also good idea. Everytime you go and check a camera I believe you leave scent behind. Alot of the does and fawns won't be alarmed at the scent but if it's a big buck you are after you must pay attention to detail. Last year it took 5-7 days after I checked any given camera before a mature buck would pass by. And I don't think that is a coincidence.

  I have learned to make sure I have my rubber boots on when going to check my trail cameras. I also started using atleast 1GB or higher SD cards and lithium batteries that way I don't have to check them as often. I rarely check my cameras less than every 2 weeks. It really helps out to have a newer camera that take less draw on the batteries. The Browning Trail Cameras can go months with lithium batteries depending on temperature and how many deer are in the area. Late June is a good time to hang your cameras and start taking an inventory of the deer you have availible. To get a good inventory report I put cameras on mostly food plots and above mineral licks. I let my cameras take inventory until Mid Aug. Once you have your inventory then you can decide which bucks and how many does you need to try and harvest.

  From then on I check all of batteries. Replace them if need be and I leave some of my cameras on my food plots, put some on known buck trails fence lines and few in low impact areas etc. Basically I spread them out more. I don't worry about checking them as often. So from about the middle of Aug on I only check them when I walk past one to go hunting or if it's on a open field where deer are used to seeing people, farmers etc. What I don't like to do is eduacate the deer by checking a camera. Remember the deer can pattern you just as well as you can. It's really common sense that the closer hunting season gets the more careful you have to be about the when, where, and why you are running your trail cams.

Thanks, David