Find a way or make a way
- Thread starter B W E
- Start date
Sdbirds said:
Haha, yah, I really appreciate that offer!! Just want to double check with every agency I can think of that our entry route and proposed hunting area is 100% legal, and I'll pick up a camera or two today and get them setup either tonight or tomorrow. Heading to The Avi for a week so I'll let the cameras run and see what I come up with.
You guys are going to need head lamps so you can ride out after dark. You need to be up there cooled off and calm before daylight and say till after dark.
Yes setup cams on the trails, You need to figure out what time they use the trails more than if they use them. remember to setup the cams looking down a trail not across. that way you get the critters that are moving as even the best cams have a small lag time.
Looks like fresh fire road clearing has taken place so if you have tracks on them then the deer are there. use your gps on your phone to mark where you find crossings often a pattern will emerge from it.
Yes setup cams on the trails, You need to figure out what time they use the trails more than if they use them. remember to setup the cams looking down a trail not across. that way you get the critters that are moving as even the best cams have a small lag time.
Looks like fresh fire road clearing has taken place so if you have tracks on them then the deer are there. use your gps on your phone to mark where you find crossings often a pattern will emerge from it.
Aeon that is very good advice.
I concur with his advice.
The days are long now. as Hunting season starts the daylight hours will become short.
That far in make sure that your phones work. if not have good Walkie talkies with a good range should an emergency arise. I use a cheap analog wireless go phone just so I can dial 911 in an emergency. 99% of time I get service. Batteries last twice as long, and it's very light to carry.
I really like Aeon advice about shooting the cameras up the trail instead of across the trail good advice for all us. just starting.
Try not to stomp around to much. I see this a lot where plenty of deer sign, and then the deer don't like the idea humans are around, and will either split or go nocturnal. many on these board have said this and I agree with them. and o ya watch out for the poison oak & snakes hahahaha.
good luck
I concur with his advice.
The days are long now. as Hunting season starts the daylight hours will become short.
That far in make sure that your phones work. if not have good Walkie talkies with a good range should an emergency arise. I use a cheap analog wireless go phone just so I can dial 911 in an emergency. 99% of time I get service. Batteries last twice as long, and it's very light to carry.
I really like Aeon advice about shooting the cameras up the trail instead of across the trail good advice for all us. just starting.
Try not to stomp around to much. I see this a lot where plenty of deer sign, and then the deer don't like the idea humans are around, and will either split or go nocturnal. many on these board have said this and I agree with them. and o ya watch out for the poison oak & snakes hahahaha.
good luck
Thanks for the advice Aeon and Ghost. That is exactly what I was looking for. I just picked up 2 trail cams and will work on camouflaging them and plan to set them up tomorrow. Both of them have a pretty short range, so I'll have to come up with a different mounting solution than what I had planned. Perhaps pound some stakes into the ground and mount them to the stakes. I'll let them soak for at least a week and see what they capture.
As far as cell coverage, we actually had full coverage almost the entire trip, except for one or two small dead zones. This is awesome because not only can we call for help, but all of our mapping / gps apps work perfectly. I also carry walkie-talkies, one for each guy, as well as one left at home with fresh batteries, set to the same channel. Additionally, a map of where we are going, what gear / food / water / firearms we have with us, so people who may end up looking for us know what they're looking for.
I didn't think of it till after I got home last night, but knowing I'd be returning in a couples days I should have smoothed over all the deer tracks I saw near my trail and looked for fresh ones. Oh well, live and learn.
I hope this area isn't dead and I'm wasting my time......
As far as cell coverage, we actually had full coverage almost the entire trip, except for one or two small dead zones. This is awesome because not only can we call for help, but all of our mapping / gps apps work perfectly. I also carry walkie-talkies, one for each guy, as well as one left at home with fresh batteries, set to the same channel. Additionally, a map of where we are going, what gear / food / water / firearms we have with us, so people who may end up looking for us know what they're looking for.
I didn't think of it till after I got home last night, but knowing I'd be returning in a couples days I should have smoothed over all the deer tracks I saw near my trail and looked for fresh ones. Oh well, live and learn.
I hope this area isn't dead and I'm wasting my time......
BWE
no don't do that, stay off the trails as much as possible. don't leave your scent. deer will pick that up and will decide to go elsewhere. go to your spot without walking on the trails. check the cameras and leave. very minimal human scent as possible. I learned that from these guy's here. since I been a stalk hunter for years. in still hunting best to stay off where the deer walk. the cameras will tell you whats coming around. let them do the work.
The way I can tell how fresh the tracks are. is by the amount of dirt powder around the tracks.
one day old tracks with have fresh dirt. within less than that depends on the weather conditions, wind, rain, etc. if the tracks have powder dirt around the edges. that is fresh track. hahahaha
now go get those pics, and let us check them out. hahaha.
no don't do that, stay off the trails as much as possible. don't leave your scent. deer will pick that up and will decide to go elsewhere. go to your spot without walking on the trails. check the cameras and leave. very minimal human scent as possible. I learned that from these guy's here. since I been a stalk hunter for years. in still hunting best to stay off where the deer walk. the cameras will tell you whats coming around. let them do the work.
The way I can tell how fresh the tracks are. is by the amount of dirt powder around the tracks.
one day old tracks with have fresh dirt. within less than that depends on the weather conditions, wind, rain, etc. if the tracks have powder dirt around the edges. that is fresh track. hahahaha
now go get those pics, and let us check them out. hahaha.
Thanks for that 
Just tested out the cameras. They take pictures, so I guess that means they work Will have the cameras out tomorrow. Don't know if I'm patient enough to wait two weeks so I may pick them up after a week. Im going moose hunting in Alaska at the end of August for a month, so my time to scout here before general season opener is running out.
Just tested out the cameras. They take pictures, so I guess that means they work Will have the cameras out tomorrow. Don't know if I'm patient enough to wait two weeks so I may pick them up after a week. Im going moose hunting in Alaska at the end of August for a month, so my time to scout here before general season opener is running out.
moose hunting in Alaska. you lucky dog. that's on my bucket list for sure. hahahaha good luck man. I would check the cameras twice should tell you every what you need to know. hahaha
I got mine on order. but where I go I know there's deer there. hahahaha
I got mine on order. but where I go I know there's deer there. hahahaha
Ghost said:
That's where I grew up, and I haven't been back in over 10 years, so I figured a month long moose trip was in order. I think I'll ride out in a week with my laptop and see what's on the cards, then leave them out till just before I go to Alaska. This'll give me a good idea of battery life and SD capacity. Was thinking I'd just swap cards and look at home, but if I take a laptop I can tell if I need to reposition them or not.
BWE,
If you own an small point & shoot camera that accepts MB cards. You can check your trail cam thru the view finder in the back......Saves you hauling a computer out there......You can also delete any pictures quickly.....I would definitely own 2 cards though.
As far as tracks go........Look for this kind........lol
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If you own an small point & shoot camera that accepts MB cards. You can check your trail cam thru the view finder in the back......Saves you hauling a computer out there......You can also delete any pictures quickly.....I would definitely own 2 cards though.
As far as tracks go........Look for this kind........lol
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Attachments
Ok, the cameras are set. I've got one facing down a game trail, and another in a group of trees that the trail leads to. Hopefully I put them in good spots.
One exciting thing is that we saw a TON of tracks that are certainly new since we were there two days ago.... here's an example. This one is directly on top of the tire track made by my meat wagon trailer.
Here's where we plan on setting up shop. From here, we have a great view of the trail, the trees, as well as the road in almost a mile out. The road had track along the side of it all the way in, so if there are any deer walking along the road, we'll see them from almost a mile out. Everything you see in the picture (except the mountains in the far background) is BLM, and the spot where this picture was taken is BLM.
***Picture Removed***
One exciting thing is that we saw a TON of tracks that are certainly new since we were there two days ago.... here's an example. This one is directly on top of the tire track made by my meat wagon trailer.
Here's where we plan on setting up shop. From here, we have a great view of the trail, the trees, as well as the road in almost a mile out. The road had track along the side of it all the way in, so if there are any deer walking along the road, we'll see them from almost a mile out. Everything you see in the picture (except the mountains in the far background) is BLM, and the spot where this picture was taken is BLM.
***Picture Removed***
Probably a good idea taking the picture down........And yep, that's a nice buck track.........
It's not even my trail cam & I'm excited about seeing the pix......... ;D
It's not even my trail cam & I'm excited about seeing the pix......... ;D
So I just stumbled across a map of LA county showing where you can and can't discharge a firearm. It looks like this falls in the CAN'T. FML!!! Bow hunting is ok. I'll be out there at the end of the week to check the cameras, and likely pull them out, but I'll show y'all the pics.
Looks like I gotta find a new spot, or buy a bow and learn to shoot it. 37 days till I'm in Alaska!
***Update after more research***
Ok, if any of you saw the picture that I removed, that group of trees I circled in red was yards away from the boundary line between the BLM land and ANF land. If I cross that boundary, Im good for rifle. So....i just have to wait for my monster buck to cross the line, then i can drop him.
After feeling like I had gone through all this for nothing, I decided it wasn't for nothing, it was good practice. Now I know just a little bit of a modification to my plan puts me in the green for rifle. Now I can go to bed
Looks like I gotta find a new spot, or buy a bow and learn to shoot it. 37 days till I'm in Alaska!
***Update after more research***
Ok, if any of you saw the picture that I removed, that group of trees I circled in red was yards away from the boundary line between the BLM land and ANF land. If I cross that boundary, Im good for rifle. So....i just have to wait for my monster buck to cross the line, then i can drop him.
After feeling like I had gone through all this for nothing, I decided it wasn't for nothing, it was good practice. Now I know just a little bit of a modification to my plan puts me in the green for rifle. Now I can go to bed