Cell cams spooking big bucks

[Nyhunt79]

There’s several YouTube videos about this, don higgins first then before the echo. Their theory is radio frequency’s from the cell cam are spooking mature deer. They told stories of hanging both cell and non cell and only getting big bucks on the non cell.
I’m not sure what I think about that and I’m going to continue running cell cams. I could definitely see a big buck avoiding it after walking by it once or twice and seeing it. But somehow sensing it…. And managing to walk around it and avoid it?

 

[jfh]

I am seeing some pretty good sized bucks smiling at my cell cameras in Western Maryland. I have not checked the SD card cameras, but will next time I am there.

 

[Honyock]

Sorry but I'm calling BS on the Youtube videos. A cell camera only transmits when it's sending out pictures which on my cameras is once every six hours. So unless the deer is standing there at the exact time it transmits pictures that's a non-event. I can send you hundreds of pictures of big bucks and some are standing so close to the camera that you only get part of their head in the picture. If anything, I've seen bucks stare at the camera after it went off at night and they continue standing at the feeder for 20 minutes.

 

[Erict]

Way more likely that critters REACT to the faint shutter click, the click from the IR filter flipping down, or the IR flash.... or the scent from or on the camera or area. I don't buy any "SENSING" theories.

 

[Djacker]

Wrap the camera in a HECS suit, it will block the electrical energy of the camera.

 

[Thess87]

Listen to the WCB podcast with the black gate trailcam guy and the talk about it. I don’t think they hear the frequency but some cameras do make noise

 

[Nyhunt79]

Listen to the WCB podcast with the black gate trailcam guy and the talk about it. I don’t think they hear the frequency but some cameras do make noise

I run half Spartans/half reveals. I always wait until they send me a picture in the field before I walk away, don’t notice much on them but I’ve heard other cams make noise from the shutter

 

[Trey Arentz]

I have actually had so many negative experiences with them I will most likely go away from them. Again.

Side note: I hunt very heavily pressured whitetails in eastern WI. Some public/ some private. About 2-3 years ago I fell into the tactacam buzz. First year I put them out early and always try to hang them high and out of sight. I had multiple occasions where the deer would stop, look around, and try to find the camera. Far enough and high enough to really not spook them away, but they knew something was there.

The ones I've had a problem with are the ones in transitions or over plots that they can probably see easier. I've had a handful of experiences where I have a mature buck walk in, and turn around and run/walk out. I literally never see these bucks again. And these mature bucks are rare around here. Anything 3 years + I would consider mature for my area. These deer leave and never come back. Now these are all areas also I ran SD card cameras in the past with little to no negative affect.

I gave up cell cameras for 2 years and enjoyed the hunt way more honestly. This year I found a good deal on some cell cameras again ( same price as standard SD) and because of my hectic fall coming up, I decided to try them again. Went into my SD card camera spots, checked them like usual, and just switched cameras. First picture I got was the mature buck I was after standing in front of it like they do every night, then walk straight away and has been gone for 7 days now. I got my first deer picture yesterday after 7 days also. This was over a food plot that was getting 750-1000 pictures every 2 week. I feel like these cameras had an immediate impact on these spots. Yes I know about human scent and intrusion, and the buck rotation that's happening and food sources changing. These two spots literally became dead zones.

Just after 4 years of using them now, there's way to many "coincidences" to not conclude that they do affect deer. And that's just from my personal finding. I have been reading the comments on those YouTube videos and there is a ton of people that also are having the same outcome. For the limited opportunity we have at mature deer around here, one bad encounter a deer can have with a camera could be the last on the property and you may never have a chance at that deer again. Now people with multiple shooter bucks walking around it could be different. Risk vs reward almost isn't worth it for me and my current situation.

 

[Ditt44]

BS and more BS. Anecdotal evidence can sometimes be the result of confirmation bias. Perhaps not in all cases but I would have to see far more real science conducted before believing just about anything on youtube or from a 'pro' with an investment in promoting a product or theory related to a product or a better product.

I lean more toward what others noted above, that some cams make noise. I had a series of cams a few years ago that often seemed to catch the first photo of a deer while it was looking directly into the camera. This was usually a deer relatively close by and almost always at night in infra-red mode which made me think the cam 'spun up' in some manner right before snapping a pic. I'm mostly deaf now and I couldn't hear it if I wanted to so maybe there is something to that theory.

My own experience does not include cell cams because I personally do not need them nor feel that users, in general, can be trusted to not use them in unethical taking of game. I have anywhere from one to eight standard card-cams out on my property depending on time of year. Through the winter and up until about now it is one or two cams and I swap cards every day... every day. They are three to four feet off the ground and I have mature deer, both doe and buck within feet of each, daily. They do not care and the cams definitely have my scent on them as I go out over my lunch break (work from home) to get some steps in and walk some trails.

One of the greatest piles of BS in recent times is all that nonsense about how you now suddenly need to buy copper lined clothing to kill deer because they can sense your electronics and your own bodies electrical system blah blah blah... how about scent control people?

 

[Trey Arentz]

BS and more BS. Anecdotal evidence can sometimes be the result of confirmation bias. Perhaps not in all cases but I would have to see far more real science conducted before believing just about anything on youtube or from a 'pro' with an investment in promoting a product or theory related to a product or a better product.

I lean more toward what others noted above, that some cams make noise. I had a series of cams a few years ago that often seemed to catch the first photo of a deer while it was looking directly into the camera. This was usually a deer relatively close by and almost always at night in infra-red mode which made me think the cam 'spun up' in some manner right before snapping a pic. I'm mostly deaf now and I couldn't hear it if I wanted to so maybe there is something to that theory.

My own experience does not include cell cams because I personally do not need them nor feel that users, in general, can be trusted to not use them in unethical taking of game. I have anywhere from one to eight standard card-cams out on my property depending on time of year. Through the winter and up until about now it is one or two cams and I swap cards every day... every day. They are three to four feet off the ground and I have mature deer, both doe and buck within feet of each, daily. They do not care and the cams definitely have my scent on them as I go out over my lunch break (work from home) to get some steps in and walk some trails.

One of the greatest piles of BS in recent times is all that nonsense about how you now suddenly need to buy copper lined clothing to kill deer because they can sense your electronics and your own bodies electrical system blah blah blah... how about scent control people?

I usually don't post back but I feel like commenting on someone's bias without ever experiencing it yourself isn't fair.

You can't call BS when you have never used them. You have never witness the direct affects. Also sounds to me like you may have a unpressured piece of land to hunt. I think deer behavior has a lot to do with this whole thing.

Also, you stated that most of these "pros" make YouTube videos to support a brand endorsement. Did you even watch either one of the videos? Sounds like you didn't. If either of them had any sort of cell cam endorsement, they would be ruining or going against the positive promotion of the product. These are just guys being honest with their experiences. Most of your comments seem generalized and not specific to any of the provided info from the original post. If a group of guys gets together with all the same "evidence" of this happening, I don't see it being confirmation bias at all. I had this exact problem and never voiced it 3 years ago, that's why I got rid of cell cameras in the first place. Now what is triggering a deer to dislike its encounter with a cell cam more than an SD cam? I think it could be a ton of different things. But to say it's not there just isn't true, and there's plenty of proof. Even from the high paid "pros". Also, my negative reactions with SD style cameras are so low I can't even remember them, so I agree with you on that.

 

[WCB]

I've used them a bit and know buddies that use them basically exclusively. Never heard a negative thing about them and in my experience...never noticed anything different than any other camera. We had like 12 set out late season the last 5 years or so in ND. Buck I killed last year came in 2 nights in a row (killed him the second night) and walked within 2 ft of the camera multiple times both nights. This is the same with basically every deer we have killed including going 6 for 7 2 years ago. Have had countless mature deer (does and bucks) in front of the camera for sometimes up to an hour at a time. strangely only some young deer came up and smelled it but didn't spook.

For the most part any camera where we got a picture of a mature buck we got multiples of that same deer multiple days with no indication they thought anything was wrong. The ones that didn't show up there is zero way I can attribute it to the camera. Some of these cameras are literally just on a stake in the wide open 15 yards from the trail...stand out like a lighthouse. I think shutters or glowing blinking lights may give the camera away. Maybe there is a certain camera or brand that spooks them?

My experience is with Reveal-X and Wild Game Innovation cameras. I know a buddy that also uses a mix Reveal, Bushnell, standard SD with a cell adapter. Again, no negative experience.

Also, wouldn't a cell phone guys have in their pockets do the same thing?

 

[flathead#2]

I think I'm not putting any out this season. I have a good creek crossing identified
and last year had several good bucks using it. But they KNEW the camera was there
even weeks after I put it out. Some would just stand and stare at it. Made me wonder
how many were avoiding it all together.

 

[LookinforDirt]

RF is everywhere. If there is cell coverage in an area then RF is present in that area with or without a trail cam being there. If cellular trail cams bother them then your phone in your pocket will bother them.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I use both cell and non cell cameras. I don’t find one to spook game more so than the other. Game animals, like humans, are individuals and act accordingly.


There’s zero chance that I don’t use my cameras every year.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

Sounds like complete bull$hit to me. My buddy & his brother have something like 43 cell cams spread out across all their land and in the last 3 seasons we have killed 5 bucks over 150"..... all of which we had hundreds of pictures of. All teeth were sent into Matsons Lab to get aged and they all were 4-7yrs old which most people would consider mature. Now could there be other mature deer that avoid the cameras for any one of a handful of reasons...... absolutely, but the RF theory is pretty far fetched in my personal opinion.

 

[flatfour]

Just curious are these no-glow cameras or low-glow flash style? I would think that could scare a deer before any "cell technology" would.

 

[Launchpad14]

I’ve always been mystified by what does and does not spook wild

I use both cell and non cell cameras. I don’t find one to spook game more so than the other. Game animals, like humans, are individuals and act accordingly.


There’s zero chance that I don’t use my cameras every year.

Agree - lots of potential variables at play, not the least of which the critters themselves.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Just curious are these no-glow cameras or low-glow flash style? I would think that could scare a deer before any "cell technology" would.

All of my cameras are the no glow. However, they still flash, humans just can’t see it. I know they flash because I’ve caught them doing so with other cameras. If another camera can pick it up, I would think a deer could see it. That’s just a guess on my part, though.

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

Since I started elevating my cell and non-cell cameras around 8 ft, I've had few, if any, deer jump with the flash, much less avoid them. In fact, I had a nice public land 8 point lay down in my mock scrape this week and apparently took a snooze, as I didn't get a picture until an hour later when he stood up.

I have 3 cells cams (Moultrie Edge) out now that are only 3-4 feet off the ground and haven't had any jumpers.

 

[Throwin Darts]

10000% chance those guys take their phones to their deer stand. What's the difference if they believe this theory?