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There are very few deer hunters who scout without using some type of trail camera. For many years, the only way hunters knew if big bucks were in the area was by seeing them or seeing evidence they left behind like large rubs or scrapes. With the invention of the modern day scouting camera, everything has changed. Most hunters have scouting cameras in the woods almost year round. By the time the season opens, most hunters have pet names for all the bucks in their area including “Drop Tine,” “Mr. Wide,” or “Bullwinkle.” Most professional hunters seen on TV have been using scouting cameras for years so they know how to use them to make sure they get great pictures. Many hunters, including myself, have had to learn from the school of hard nocks that there is more to getting good buck photos than strapping a camera to a tree and walking away.

Camera placement is very important. Don’t hang a camera in a place that sees little deer traffic. Choose a location that gets lots of traffic like a food plot, a runway near a bedding area or a hot scrape. If you don’t have places like this, create one. I don’t hunt over bait much but one great way to find out how big the bucks in your area are is by putting a feeder out in the summer if it’s legal. Corn or pellet feeders are a good choice. Another option is putting out a mineral of some kind. I’ve had great luck with Lucky Buck Mineral. Simply pour it on the ground and walk away. The mineral helps deer grow larger racks and one small bucket lasts for months. After rain hits the mineral, it slowly dissolves into the ground and the deer eat the mineral in the dirt. After a few months, a crater in the earth will be found where the mineral once was. Many hunters pour it onto a log. When the deer realize the mineral is there, they will regularly stop by. A camera placed nearby will catch them eating. 

Camera support is the next step. One of the best out there is the Pine Ridge Archery AT-5. One of the toughest things about hanging a scouting camera is getting it strapped onto a tree at the right angle so you can get good pictures. Many hunters use sticks, rocks and other items to keep the camera facing in the right direction. With the AT-5 support, simply put the camera in the AT-5 and attach it to a tree or post. You can adjust the camera in a wide variety of angles. Many hunters hang them from fence posts on a fence line since it will accommodate a fence post or will bring a small metal post with them into the woods so they don’t have the search for the perfect tree. With the AT-5 camera support, the camera can be hung off the ground higher so bears and other critters can’t mess with it. When hanging the camera high in the air, the camera will face down to capture all the action. 

When preparing a camera location, cut any branches, grass, or debris that might blow in the wind and cause motion out of the way of the sensor. One of the most frustrating things that can happen is showing up at your location and discovering that your flash card is full and then later discovering that out of 300 pictures, 290 of them are of a pine tree ten feet in front of the camera. Place the camera at the right angle and height so you get good pictures of the bucks’ headgear. Place it too low and you will end up with many pictures of feet.

Buying a large memory card for your camera is vital. This allows you to stay in the woods for long periods of time. Many hunters error when they go into the woods constantly to switch out memory cards so they can go home and see pictures of deer. The more often hunters visit the camera, the more human odor they leave in the woods which can spook deer. Using a large memory card allows hunters to leave the camera alone for weeks at a time.

Spray your camera down with scent eliminator and wear rubber boots when checking on your camera. Treat your camera location like you would your favorite stand location. By remaining scent-free, the deer will never know you’ve been there.

Placing the camera in the right location and hanging it properly will allow you to take awesome pictures that your buddies will all want to see. Remember that nobody enjoys looking at pictures of a buck’s foot or the branch of an oak tree.