We pull all our cameras at the start of each season then put them out in summer when horns are growing. I have done it too early at times and had lots of pictures of bucks with horns not grown out enough to tell anything. In South Texas when should cameras go out to make it worthwhile? Late July? Mid August?

Mid August or later around feeders for me. I have made the mistake a few times of starting to early. The old flash style cameras would spook a buck and he would damage or break and antler on a feeder leg or running into another buck. IR cams and no flash are better but still can make a slight audible noise when triggering or even flash will glow. I want the bucks as close to finished growing as I can get them.

The end of August is good in south texas. Some of my deer are still in velvet in September. I put mine out now though. Young and not patient. Every year I tell myself I'm not even going to use a camera again and then every year I end up putting it out earlier and earlier. I have never had deer hurt themselves from a camera but I suppose it could happen.

I put mine out today, I also want to see how my fawns are doing, The bucks still have alot of growing to do but they are starting to show some character. Since we have sd cards now its easy to erase unwanted pictures. I am also curious to see who is eating all my protein.

we have been moving to all black out cameras - never thought about them spooking and breaking off but good point. In the past when I put them out too early we go through thousands of pictures of bucks that are about one third grown out and you cannot really tell anything - I will fight myself to hold off to August this year but it is a challenge

My deer never seemed to mind the old flash and hardly pay any attention to the red glow. They seem to always sniff the camera to see when I was there. I figure the bucks have more odds of hurting an antler as they go through the brush on their daily routine.

I used to pull mine after season as well, but have left them out for the last couple of years, you would be surprised what all goes on, even folks trespassing.

I don't run mine from February - August, usually beasue I'm almost never at the lease and too many people travel my pipeline so I don't want them thinking they can use it. At the new place I may leave it up all year so I can see the pigs.

In that case BP, put it up at the department briefing room, should get a ton of "pig" photos

Never liked that term, been called it a few times, never understood where it came from either. But since you chose it as your screen name