 Last Christmas, my husband and daughter got me one of the best gifts a hunter can appreciate, a great trail camera! It was actually the ONLY thing I had asked for, but I never really expected to get it. I could hardly wait to get it set up in our woods near my stand to see if we had any deer left over after our four and a half month long season. I was not disappointed, as a nice number of deer pictures showed up on the memory chip. Sometimes I would count as many as six at a time. How these deer manage to dodge hunters, some in stands, some with dogs, for over four months is beyond my comprehension. We tend to lose one or two on the road here every year as well. There must be a robust population, so now I won't feel so bad if I decide to put a doe or two in the freezer this year.
A friend of mine in Pennsylvania used his trail camera in a most interesting way during the off season. He spotted a barred owl nesting in a hole of a tree, and he put a trail camera in place on a nearby tree across from the entrance. He sent me some awesome photos of the brooding, hatching, feeding, and finally, the owlet's first flight.
Having a trail camera may seem like too much of a technical advantage, but I have found it enhances my hunting experience by adding to the anticipation. I have only one spot in my property that is remote enough to hunt, so I need to know that there is a chance of seeing deer there. Otherwise, I am simply taking my gun for a walk, and with my farm work and family responsibilities, I am much too busy for that. Now I can get pictures of deer activity when I am not on the stand, so that I can better manage my free time. Do I hunt my farm or my lease today? If no deer have moved through in the past week, I know my chances are better elsewhere.
I have seen only two bucks in photos, one a good size and one a little spike, and they always came in the middle of the night. I have not seen them lately, so I am not sure they survived the season. Once the rut is on, I intend to make some mock scrapes and see what big boys are out there, if any. The weather is finally cooling, and my buck goat is starting to stink, so I do believe things will get interesting in the deer woods soon! The gift that keeps on giving will be there, ready to snap photos of the ones that have gotten away so far. Maybe I can form a strategy to intercept them. Let the games begin!
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General Hunting 
