We hunt public only and our main chunk of land is almost 100,000 acres with non motorized access only for a majority of it. We go anywhere from 1/2 mile to 2 miles deep.
We hunt for the thrill and meat. The 5pt I shot last year was 2.5yo. The 9pt the year before was a 3.5yo. The does I shoot are typically aged 3.5+ with many being 5+.
I can't imagine running that many cams on public lol. I just run 2 cheapies and move em around. Never had one stolen but probably just a matter of time. Down here I always just assume there's a couple other people hunting the area and a couple more that will mosey through scouting even though I prioritize getting away from other hunters. Like I just did I put them out Sunday afternoon and will try to grab them Saturday afternoon. I never intend to leave them up over a whole weekend although sometimes life gets in the way of retrieval and reset. Also try not to place the cams in too obvious of a spot or anywhere they can be seen from more then like 10 yards away unless someone gets a lucky glance.
My buddy and I run a dozen cameras on public. We have 8 cell cams and 4 passives.
Only time one got stolen was when loggers cut the tree down the camera was on. Never found the camera and they never turned it into the DNR. We got photos of the loggers cutting the tree down too. Screw those guys.
Ours have been OK. We have four SPYPOINT and four Reveal’s out. About equal service. SPYPOINT’s app can be wonky at times. It’s an evolving technology and they’re all getting better. At the end of the day, we pay for information and we get that info.
I did have one SPYPOINT go from 50% battery to 9% in two days and now it won’t send photos until I can get out there to change batteries. It’s also the furthest one out too. FML.
This synthetic scent system works. Does are hitting this hard, communicating with the “buck” who was there. Hopefully it’ll draw other bucks. This spot is ~150yrads from where I shot a 9pt two years ago.
No sooner say that and a couple hours later, here comes a suitor. Not the big boy we have on camera in the area, but he’s leaving his calling card too.
You referring to Buckfever synthetics? I use them a lot, end up going through quite a bit of it. I put more than half my cameras on scrapes or mock scrapes.
Kinda quiet in here my dudes. Who is hunting Saturday? I will go, not exactly sure what the plan is. I plan to go Sat am, I don't really like AM hunts until Oct 23ish but I feel like hunting and I have a state land spot that's worth a go.
I have obligations for opening weekend, every year, unfortunately.
I’ll be out Columbus weekend for three days.
I’m afraid one of my cell cams might have been stolen. Battery was at 40% and it last checked in on Sunday. Can’t get out there until next weekend. Possible something else happened, but who knows.
I scored last night guys. 6 more for the team. Had a very eventful day. Morning started slow but around 9am a real nice 10 came into the food plot from the right. He was actually eating acorns. Offering no shot.
Went back out about 4. Wasn't very long before I had a spike come in and hit the rye hard. He ate for a long time and bedded down in the plot. Later a small 4, a 3, and another spike came into the plot along with several does. The bucks proceeded to spar with two pairs going at it at once.
I think the sound of sparring brought this buck in to show them who was boss. He came in, put his head down to eat rye broadside and I let him have it.
Just got word from the neighbors, they found my deer sprawled out in front of their deer blind in a wide open clearing....We must've walked by it several times...
I even went back the next day to find it and found more blood nowhere near where the tracker and dog were tracking....turns out it was a solid hit and I should've kept walking North like my gut was telling me Sunday morning when I went back...I would've found her off the two track I was on...
Oh well...this one's going to burn a little for a bit.
Happens to every hunter who’s pulled a trigger on a deer.
4 years ago, I shot a doe during muzzleloader right at dark. I waited an hour and then tried tracking. Lost blood after 100 yards. I grid searched a 200x200 yard area or more. Headed the direction I thought I saw her go at last light. I called off the search after ~2 hours. Came back in the AM. Found her about 75 yards from where I stopped searching. Coyotes had torn her to shreds.
Unfortunately we hunt the hard way with a group of guys in a tent on public land. I’m not giving it them and I doubt I’ll feel like hiking 1-2 miles each way to my stand let alone dragging a deer. This shall pass. Time to focus on my Nebraska trip in November and figure out how to get a couple weekends in before that.
I'm I'm the same boat nitro. I'm going to hunt anyway though. The weather is excellent. I am actually stressing, can't decide where to go! Nothing on a great pattern but lots of good targets and solid areas for this wind. Trying to decide fast!
My cough would forbid me from even trying. Nasty cough that even drops just slow down but doesn’t contain. Even if I made to the woods, deer would know I’m there.
I have the Sitka Stratus jacket and pants. With layering, I’m good down to 30°F. Key is the wind proof material. It’s silent. It’s well made. It’ll last you ten plus years.
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