texashuntingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
nmmuledeerhunter, Dzia-Dzia, TraeMartin, Beatixre, MooseSteed
71989 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
dogcatcher 110,788
bill oxner 91,416
SnakeWrangler 65,416
stxranchman 60,296
Gravytrain 46,950
RKHarm24 44,585
rifleman 44,461
Stub 43,769
Forum Statistics
Forums46
Topics537,024
Posts9,719,515
Members86,989
Most Online25,604
Feb 12th, 2024
Print Thread
trail cam suveys #6812762 07/05/17 11:03 AM
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 494
F
fishbait Online Content OP
Bird Dog
OP Online Content
Bird Dog
F
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 494
I survey our lease by trail cams...wondering how many others have gone to trail cams to help manage harvesting.

Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6812766 07/05/17 11:16 AM
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 185
M
MrWhite87 Offline
Woodsman
Offline
Woodsman
M
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 185
Doesnt everyone use cameras, for multiple reasons?

Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6812780 07/05/17 11:58 AM
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,773
B
Big_Ag Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
B
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,773
I use trail cams for surveys. Much more accurate than other methods in my opinion.

Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6812789 07/05/17 12:19 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 127
S
surfcowboy Offline
Woodsman
Offline
Woodsman
S
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 127
I use to survey also. you see way more deer. I set a camera on a scrap and saw about 12 bucks use the same scrap which was crazy.

Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6812814 07/05/17 12:43 PM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,770
M
Mr. T. Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
M
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,770
I put trail cameras on feeders, fence lines, food plots, tanks. I get photos of deer in the day time that have never been seen while hunting. If you want to know what is really on your property, you need to use multi trail cameras spread out across the property.


Cabin rental in Pagosa Springs, Co.
Sleeps 10, If interested please PM me.
Re: trail cam suveys [Re: Mr. T.] #6812891 07/05/17 02:00 PM
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 3,091
A
Always ready 2 hunt Offline
Veteran Tracker
Offline
Veteran Tracker
A
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 3,091
Originally Posted By: Mr. T.
I put trail cameras on feeders, fence lines, food plots, tanks. I get photos of deer in the day time that have never been seen while hunting. If you want to know what is really on your property, you need to use multi trail cameras spread out across the property.


x2

Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6812914 07/05/17 02:21 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,481
R
redchevy Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
R
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,481
We use trail cameras for surveys as well.

In my opinion and how we were taught to do it, using them for surveys and having them up on a feeder are two different things.

There is a method to spreading them out across your property in areas away from feeders etc. to estimate population density and sex ratios. It works best for us because our property is not conducive to spot light surveys and its easy.


It's hell eatin em live
Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6813997 07/06/17 02:31 PM
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,091
W
Wacm Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
W
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,091
On my iPad and mac book you can arrange your pictures in different orders i.e. By location or tiMe.
So you can upload all your sd's and then sort them by time. Then you can go through your pics and see how the deer move on your place as the day goes on. I made files for each of the deer we were after and dumped all the pictures of each buck into their own file and the organized it by time and plotted them onto a map of the place and wow you can see how each buck travels your place throughout the day. Then I knew exactly where to sit and it wasn't even near the feeders. I could tell they were using the edge of this field that was so thick as a highway. It was cool to know this by studying the pics and then go there in the field and find a solid solid trail through the woods. I put a bow blind there and saw more deer there then on any feeder. As well as all sorts of other animals. You could sit that blind all day it was so busy.

Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6814861 07/07/17 12:13 PM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 111
S
slippinaround Offline
Woodsman
Offline
Woodsman
S
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 111
I just spoke to my biologist about doing camera surveys for my MLDP this year. My ranch is located in east Texas and I feel the vegetation is way to dense for spot light surveys alone. I wanted to add camera surveys in conjunction with the spotlights and observations as I hardly ever see the nocturnal mature bucks that are out there. He sent me some info on how to do the surveys, per the department, and now I'm not sure if I'm able to include this in my data. The main reason is you have to check/apply corn daily for 10 consecutive days--I would not be able to stay out at my ranch for that long. It also states: "Recent research suggests that camera surveys may underestimate the number of does and fawns in a population. Where this occurs, using camera surveys alone may incorrectly estimate doe-to-buck and fawn-to-doe ratios (herd composition) and underestimate the total population." Meaning that bucks will run off the doe and fawns and will not let them feed, thus you will not get an accurate count. I still would like to do this type of survey in conjunction with the others, but again I can not be out there checking and applying corn for 10 days straight.

Now personally, I find cameras as an excellent hunting tool to let me know what bucks are out there and where to hunt. Putting them on scrape lines has helped me so much to know what mature bucks are working in an area. I asked my biologist if I could use this data as part of my survey and he said no because it's considered a scent location.

It gets a little frustrating with the MLDP surveys as far as bucks are concerned. Every year I see SO MANY bucks on my cameras that we never see with our naked eye (hunting or spotlights) So I can never count them in my surveys/stand counts even though I know they are out there.

Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6814889 07/07/17 12:54 PM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 572
T
texasgal Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
T
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 572
I have been using cameras for several years and submit for my tags. So far this method seems fairly accurate and even with the new MLD changes coming I will continue to use for permits as I like knowing what is on the ranch.

I found that does/fawns tend to favor certain cameras/bait piles and bucks others. I will bait for one week and then survey for the second and hope the pigs don't find the bait piles too quickly. Usually the deer will find first. I then pre-bait second areas for a week and then move all the cameras to second area for census.

The frustrating part is seeing bucks during the census that will never see during season, even on cameras!

Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6825123 07/17/17 05:50 PM
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 494
F
fishbait Online Content OP
Bird Dog
OP Online Content
Bird Dog
F
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 494
I have used trail cams for 9 years now. The first thing I found was that you have to count fawns like your independent bucks...by this I mean you have to identify and compare to others to come up with a number...counting fawns like does will give you a low number for a ratio...and fawn number. If ya run your survey at least 12 to 14 days the process is generally very accurate as you will find. To help fight off the hogs I will start with only 2.5lb. corn every other day at each station. The deer will learn fast to get the corn first...as the number of deer in the area grows I will add another 1.5 lbs. corn for every deer expected. I also use feeder pens(2 each) ...one is 150 X 80 the other is oval with 50X80. The two pens will be your best information ...although the satellite stations will add a lot of information. I have used 2 cameras on 600 acres and also used as many as 9 cameras and guess what ...I got the same results...believe it or not. Now, near my pens I will put a camera in the pen and also one outside the pen...this will help capture more does and fawns.
Using cameras is a full time hobby for me as I run them all year and run as many as four surveys a year. This has brought a new and exciting way to enjoy the deer lease. I highly recommend it.

Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6828184 07/20/17 03:05 AM
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,156
P
Phantom Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
P
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,156
I have used cameras for some time and I use rely on them more than the numbers I get from spot light. I know each deer in both our high fence and low fence operations. I learn which protein they use corn feeders etc. I can not do my job without them. If you are on MLD you need to get a relationship with your biologist. they need to know your intentions. Often times we are at odds concerning numbers of does that need to be taken, or the carry compacity of a property. They look at worse case most of the times. I trust the camera more and my visual scouting more than anything else.


Good is the enemy of Great
Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6828185 07/20/17 03:06 AM
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 44,461
R
rifleman Offline
Sparkly Pants
Offline
Sparkly Pants
R
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 44,461
Originally Posted By: fishbait
I survey our lease by trail cams...wondering how many others have gone to trail cams to help manage harvesting.


It's pretty much a requirement for me

Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6828235 07/20/17 03:45 AM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 111
S
slippinaround Offline
Woodsman
Offline
Woodsman
S
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 111
Are you guys doing the camera surveys for MLD starting this month? The info my biologist gave me states to do it in Sept and Oct.---so the camera data is not available for this hunting season's permits.

Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6828243 07/20/17 03:53 AM
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,156
P
Phantom Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
P
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,156
I go year round so I have an idea on the deer numbers. for MLD they are a little antiquated so I lead them in the best way I see. Sometimes I will tell them we are wanting to increase our numbers and I dont want to shoot as many does. sometimes it is the other way around. the cameras are my backup and proof. I trust it more than any spot light survey.


Good is the enemy of Great
Re: trail cam suveys [Re: fishbait] #6829684 07/21/17 10:00 AM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,255
D
Dave Davidson Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
D
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,255
I use cams at feeders for my wildlife mgt. permit. I feed corn but also dump rice bran. I see HUGE nocturnal bucks on the 6 cams until the rut and bow season starts. Mostly I see way too many nocturnal hogs that I would like to target but it seldom works out that way.


Without a sense of urgency, nothing ever happens.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley, Rancher Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 2004-2024 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3