Trail cameras and mule deer

[emac]

I was just wondering if anyone has any tips on what to use for mule deer to make them come into trail cameras more consistent.  I have been running cameras for many years, mainly for elk and whitetail.  Whitetail are easy to pattern and they come in consistently.  Elk are a little tougher but they are pretty regular.  I moved to mule deer country a few years ago and I am trying to target them for archery this year.  I have some cams setup and am getting bucks on my cameras, but they come in one day and might not be back in for 3,4 or 10 days and there is no consistent pattern.  I am using loose salt, trophy rock and cracked corn.  But none of the seem to make them consistent.  If anyone has any tips I am all ears.  I still do have my whitetail cameras up as a backup.

[wheels1]

Water

[salt n sage90]

Sounds like you're doing everything you can, short of a water tank. I have found Salt brings the ladies in consistent, but the bucks are a touch spottier. At least in the higher country. I have them literally digging a hole through the rocks where I throw salt.
Good Luck!

[vandeman17]

What terrain and what time of year?

[BLDtraLR]

Apples   but if you have whitetail around they will eat most of them

[emac]

Up in the forest.  I have cameras from low up to the tops.  Get them going as the snow allows.  I am hoping one comes by September 1.

No whitetails where these cameras are.  Apples are always good but the bears like them also.

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[emac]

There is also water close to them all

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[vandeman17]

When I run cameras in mule deer areas, trace mineral salt worked well up until around July and then they lost interest. I switched over to wet cob and a handful of apples at that time and that seemed to work for a few more months

[kirkl]

My mule deer do the same thing. When the bucks get hard horned then they really spread the days out. Mine have kinda left already it looks like except for a few does and fawns.

[pickardjw]

Mine in the high country are still coming to the deer cane I set in July daily. More night time visits lately though. These guys are definitely shooters!

[jackelope]

I had the same results in areas not too far from where you're at, emac. Hardly any mule deer.  Lots of elk, usually the same elk day in and day out, and the same whitetails day after day.

[emac]

When I run cameras in mule deer areas, trace mineral salt worked well up until around July and then they lost interest. I switched over to wet cob and a handful of apples at that time and that seemed to work for a few more months

Thanks, I might give this a try.  My only concern is the bears.  I know they would hit the cob and apples more frequently, thus pushing the deer out.

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[emac]

Yes I would say those are definitely shooters.  You can PM me the location when you have a second

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[emac]

I had the same results in areas not too far from where you're at, emac. Hardly any mule deer.  Lots of elk, usually the same elk day in and day out, and the same whitetails day after day.

Yes the area you are referring to the elk and whitetails are like clockwork especially the whitetails until the get to much pressure.

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[emac]

Have any of you tried alfalfa?

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[bustedoldman]

Have any of you tried alfalfa?

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I use alfalfa all the time, problem is if there are a lot of elk they will demolish it quickly, but if it’s just deer it lasts awhile. I prefer to use the small compressed bales( 65-75lbs) cost $14 per. Don’t spread it around, cut the ties, pull them out and leave it.

[huntnnw]

Unfortunately that’s mule deer. I see the same thing with very random pics of bucks.

[hal]

mineral blocks. They are heavy enough to keep the bear from carrying off. We have the bear problem. any feed blocks or grain are sucked up by the bear.

[vandeman17]

When I run cameras in mule deer areas, trace mineral salt worked well up until around July and then they lost interest. I switched over to wet cob and a handful of apples at that time and that seemed to work for a few more months

Thanks, I might give this a try.  My only concern is the bears.  I know they would hit the cob and apples more frequently, thus pushing the deer out.

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I haven't had an issue with the bears pushing out the deer. Plenty of times I had pictures of a bear and within a few minutes, pictures of deer. I think there are so many bears around now that anywhere a deer goes, they are likely to catch a whiff of where a bear recently has been. 

[pickardjw]

Yes I would say those are definitely shooters.  You can PM me the location when you have a second

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Ha, I posted night pics for a reason! No background features to be identified. I have another camera about 2 miles away from this one at the same elevations that's just getting dinks and does. But this one has at least a dozen legal bucks and it's gotten a moose, coyote, and bear on it. Packing the deer cane up there was a ***** but so worth it.

[emac]

Have any of you tried alfalfa?

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I use alfalfa all the time, problem is if there are a lot of elk they will demolish it quickly, but if it’s just deer it lasts awhile. I prefer to use the small compressed bales( 65-75lbs) cost $14 per. Don’t spread it around, cut the ties, pull them out and leave it.

The elk are hit and miss at this spot.  Usually in the spring and then show backup in late October.  I don't think I will be carrying a 65 lb. bale into this spot so will have to break it up.

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[emac]

mineral blocks. They are heavy enough to keep the bear from carrying off. We have the bear problem. any feed blocks or grain are sucked up by the bear.

Yep.  Have a trophy rock at my spots.  The deer like them but not enough for a consistent appearance.

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[emac]

Unfortunately that’s mule deer. I see the same thing with very random pics of bucks.

It's very frustrating.

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[emac]

When I run cameras in mule deer areas, trace mineral salt worked well up until around July and then they lost interest. I switched over to wet cob and a handful of apples at that time and that seemed to work for a few more months

Thanks, I might give this a try.  My only concern is the bears.  I know they would hit the cob and apples more frequently, thus pushing the deer out.

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I haven't had an issue with the bears pushing out the deer. Plenty of times I had pictures of a bear and within a few minutes, pictures of deer. I think there are so many bears around now that anywhere a deer goes, they are likely to catch a whiff of where a bear recently has been. 

Yeah that makes sense.  I have plenty of pics also like you said.  Never thought about it cause most of them were out of season when I wasn't strictly trying to target deer.

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[emac]

Yes I would say those are definitely shooters.  You can PM me the location when you have a second

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Ha, I posted night pics for a reason! No background features to be identified. I have another camera about 2 miles away from this one at the same elevations that's just getting dinks and does. But this one has at least a dozen legal bucks and it's gotten a moose, coyote, and bear on it. Packing the deer cane up there was a ***** but so worth it.

That is the worst thing about trail cams.  Packing heavy loads in.

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