2012 Trail Cam Thread

[Crappie Rage]

Fishin, I think that buck is older than you think. Short looking legs and a belly. Neck to chest looks smooth. Minimum of 3.5 possibly 4.5. He will look completely different in another 5 or 6 weeks.

[bigbucks]

I agree he's not all that young. They look a lot younger with summer hair & no rut.

[slimngrizzly]

Ya hes a chub! I agree hes an older mature deer. Sticker off the 2 as well!

Id be trying to put an end to that aging process!

[fishinfey8]

Thanks guys, that is good to know! I have been hunting for quite a few years, but my dad (and out hunting party) is just starting practicing QDM on his land. This has included growing plots, cameras, and the whole nine yards. I shot a dandy off the property in 2010- and we know there are good genetics around, but I am having a hard time judging old vs young, and the "hit" list from ones that we should let live. It's tough since I live 6hrs away, but it sure is fun getting pictures via email or texts! Without any prior knowledge, would you say take him, or give him another year? Is there any science when you haven't watched him grow up?

[leech~~]

Anyone else run into this same issue? The last few years that I have put out cams over a mineral block everything starts out really well with hundreds of pictures of nice bucks, does, bear and as the weeks get colder and the leafs start to drop I get less and less shots until it tappers off to all most nothing by the time rifle season hits. I'm thinking that after it cools down the Deer just don't seem to need the salt and minerals to retain water as much? Is this happening to anyone else and what do you think is happening?

[surewood]

That's typical. They start dispersing, develop a hierarchy. Salt isn't on their mind so much. Once the rut starts I usually get some mature bucks again.

[slimngrizzly]

Leech, I would assure you that happens to EVERYBODY who leaves their cams on the mineral. The deer are dispersing, their hormones are changing, and their bodies have less of a need for protein and more demand for carbohydrates. Acorns and corn are better to focus on now, thats what they will be fattening up on!

[sticknstring]

True dat. Move your cams to travel corridors, food sources, & mock scrapes!

[Finlander]

It's like a new ballgame once the velvet drops! Move the camera's to new locations for sure!

[leech~~]

Leech, I would assure you that happens to EVERYBODY who leaves their cams on the mineral. The deer are dispersing, their hormones are changing, and their bodies have less of a need for protein and more demand for carbohydrates. Acorns and corn are better to focus on now, thats what they will be fattening up on!

I do have it setup right smack in the middle of all oaks so there are acorns all over. It maybe that the acorns go away and so do the deer later in the season?

[pointerdog]

[leech~~]

Nice shots! I really like that they have added Date & Time to these cameras, but it would be so helpfull if they would add GPS to them so we um, a guy could remember where he took them the next year!

[Sheephead Slayer]

Wonder what you all think,is this a six,seven or eight?

[sticknstring]

Looks like a 7 to me, possibly an 8.

Pointer - that's a big friggin 8pt. The others aren't too shabby either.

[Baitchaser]

pointer - great pictures. Looks like that doe is wearing a sock on her back right leg, kinda cool. beautiful 8 too!

[reelguy]

Hear are a couple bucks, the first has an interesting rack.

[certified jumbo]

what a cool buck that first one is, nice!!

[goblueM]

A spike and a fork sparring in the background while the big guy doesn't care haha

[Finlander]

Reelguy, that first buck will be a real dandy giving him another three years!

[irishbasketball]

First time poster and pretty new to deer hunting in general. I am really bad at guessing how old bucks are so I would appreciate if you guys could help me on these deer. The first two are is from this summer. The third was from last October and we are pretty sure he made it through last season. They aren't anything special but hopefully in a couple years we will have some nice bucks running around!

Thanks!

[Bear55]

The first two might depend on your area and how much food/genetics going for you. My gut said 3.5 and 2.5 but you might have a couple of stud 2.5 and 1.5 year old deer on your hands.

The last one is clearly a mature old buck. Hard to say for sure but he could be as young as 4.5 or as old as 10, you just never know.

[bassnbucks]

I had this doe on camera and she walked under my stand last night, so I got a better look at her. Does anybody know what happened. Her hair is starting to grow back now.

[mabr]

Without a pic of the first one sideways I couldn't guess age but I think he is an older deer based on the mass I can see, second one to me at least isn't mature yet, 3rd one Is for sure mature.

Had you asked which one I would shoot based on antler, 1st pic would be my choice He has some TALL height on him and I'm partial to 10++ points. The 3rd pic would be making the ride home as well

[mabr]

She's shedding her summer coat and growing her winter. All deer look like that when that happens

[bassnbucks]

This is the dude I am after. I think that he is a ghost now. I haven't had any pics of him since this one. With the beans coming off now and the corn right behind it, I am hoping that more deer move into the trees/river bottom that I hunt.

[ozzie]

he's a 3 legged ghost!!

[bigbucks]

He's a brute. I'd be after him too.

[archerystud]

I've been amazed at how many times I catch a nice one on camera late in Aug/early Sept. and I never see them again.

Probably due to hormones rising and some of the buck groups breaking up. However, even if he might not be living in your hunting area he is probably close enough to venture back during the rut.

If he were on my camera I'd have my sights set on him as well.

[schmoe147]

I like the pictures with the deer next to a pile of apples and corn. . Hopefully its all picked up 10 days before opener if your hunting MN.

[96trigger]

Great reminder! Surprisingly, after 20 pages, only 2 people have obvious bate piles, another looks like he has apples, but can't be sure. The rest all appear to look like mineral.