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Community => Trail Cameras => Topic started by: DaNewb on April 25, 2025, 07:49:30 AM


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Title: Patterning & cam data
Post by: DaNewb on April 25, 2025, 07:49:30 AM
How do you guys parse all your cam info into more useful forms?

Currently I'm just logging the daytime deer info on a pdf calendar with a location code, how many there were, and the time. So far I'm not seeing any solid patterns although I'm getting a lot of data from each location.

I've got 3 locations staked out roughly a mile apart from each other and each roughly a half mile from home and I'm catching deer in each one several times/week. I can't tell yet whether I'm seeing the same deer at different locations but it's likely.
Title: Re: Patterning & cam data
Post by: hunter399 on April 25, 2025, 07:56:50 AM
How do you guys parse all your cam info into more useful forms?

Currently I'm just logging the daytime deer info on a pdf calendar with a location code, how many there were, and the time. So far I'm not seeing any solid patterns although I'm getting a lot of data from each location.

I've got 3 locations staked out roughly a mile apart from each other and each roughly a half mile from home and I'm catching deer in each one several times/week. I can't tell yet whether I'm seeing the same deer at different locations but it's likely.

That's Top secret stuff right there.
Similar to how people e-scout and all that.

But I will say in all your info, charting,and all that.
Number one question I would ask yourself is......
Wait for it ........





What is the best time to be there during hunting hours ?


That's all the info I can give,but ask yourself that question.
Your in the ballpark.
Title: Re: Patterning & cam data
Post by: cjjcb on April 25, 2025, 08:38:06 AM
I consider the month, time of day and direction of travel compared to what's around. Are they going to/from bedding/feeding or just seemingly wandering. Also temp and wind direction could be good secondary info if you want to start getting into the weeds...Moon phase is a rabbit hole all by itself...
Title: Re: Patterning & cam data
Post by: DaNewb on April 26, 2025, 07:12:08 AM
How do you guys parse all your cam info into more useful forms?

Currently I'm just logging the daytime deer info on a pdf calendar with a location code, how many there were, and the time. So far I'm not seeing any solid patterns although I'm getting a lot of data from each location.

I've got 3 locations staked out roughly a mile apart from each other and each roughly a half mile from home and I'm catching deer in each one several times/week. I can't tell yet whether I'm seeing the same deer at different locations but it's likely.

That's Top secret stuff right there.
Similar to how people e-scout and all that.

But I will say in all your info, charting,and all that.
Number one question I would ask yourself is......
Wait for it ........





What is the best time to be there during hunting hours ?


That's all the info I can give,but ask yourself that question.
Your in the ballpark.

Yea I dont even log deer I see during the nighttime . Ideally looking for those morning deer but they were pretty rare last year. I'm getting a lot more daytime deer than nighttime deer right now but I suspect that will change the closer to season I get.

I consider the month, time of day and direction of travel compared to what's around. Are they going to/from bedding/feeding or just seemingly wandering. Also temp and wind direction could be good secondary info if you want to start getting into the weeds...Moon phase is a rabbit hole all by itself...

Direction of travel is the main one I'm watching for currently.

Temp...I'm hunting September so it's hot...really hot!

Moon phases...eesh!
Title: Re: Patterning & cam data
Post by: hunter399 on April 26, 2025, 08:28:51 AM
How do you guys parse all your cam info into more useful forms?

Currently I'm just logging the daytime deer info on a pdf calendar with a location code, how many there were, and the time. So far I'm not seeing any solid patterns although I'm getting a lot of data from each location.

I've got 3 locations staked out roughly a mile apart from each other and each roughly a half mile from home and I'm catching deer in each one several times/week. I can't tell yet whether I'm seeing the same deer at different locations but it's likely.

That's Top secret stuff right there.
Similar to how people e-scout and all that.

But I will say in all your info, charting,and all that.
Number one question I would ask yourself is......
Wait for it ........





What is the best time to be there during hunting hours ?


That's all the info I can give,but ask yourself that question.
Your in the ballpark.

Yea I dont even log deer I see during the nighttime . Ideally looking for those morning deer but they were pretty rare last year. I'm getting a lot more daytime deer than nighttime deer right now but I suspect that will change the closer to season I get.

I consider the month, time of day and direction of travel compared to what's around. Are they going to/from bedding/feeding or just seemingly wandering. Also temp and wind direction could be good secondary info if you want to start getting into the weeds...Moon phase is a rabbit hole all by itself...

Direction of travel is the main one I'm watching for currently.

Temp...I'm hunting September so it's hot...really hot!

Moon phases...eesh!
I'll rephrase the question.
What is the best time for you to be there during hunting hours.

I say that cause you do have to account for night time bucks.
Buck shows early mourning,leaves before daylight.
He counts for mourning hunt.
Buck shows just after dark,leaves before midnight,counts as evening hunt.

Bucks that show just after dark ,you can bet that they are on the way. So you may try to bump into them a mile down the trail before dark.
Bucks that show early morning,leave before light.
You may be able to call them back,rattle or some doe bleats right after day break.

You always count the night bucks,they may seem impossible to kill being nocturnal. But you never know.

Just keep that question in your mind,as you go through your pics.
What is the best time for me to be there during hunting hours?

I also want to add ....
There is no right or wrong time. All day long might be best.
Season could start ,and your pics might fall off a cliff.
Only you and your data are gonna know best,how much time you want to put into one spot. Sometimes it can take years of data to know what's going to happen,when the season starts.

Hope this helps, I might of gave away too much.
More than others would like,just trying to help.
Good luck.
Title: Re: Patterning & cam data
Post by: DaNewb on April 27, 2025, 08:14:42 AM
How do you guys parse all your cam info into more useful forms?

Currently I'm just logging the daytime deer info on a pdf calendar with a location code, how many there were, and the time. So far I'm not seeing any solid patterns although I'm getting a lot of data from each location.

I've got 3 locations staked out roughly a mile apart from each other and each roughly a half mile from home and I'm catching deer in each one several times/week. I can't tell yet whether I'm seeing the same deer at different locations but it's likely.

That's Top secret stuff right there.
Similar to how people e-scout and all that.

But I will say in all your info, charting,and all that.
Number one question I would ask yourself is......
Wait for it ........





What is the best time to be there during hunting hours ?


That's all the info I can give,but ask yourself that question.
Your in the ballpark.

Yea I dont even log deer I see during the nighttime . Ideally looking for those morning deer but they were pretty rare last year. I'm getting a lot more daytime deer than nighttime deer right now but I suspect that will change the closer to season I get.

I consider the month, time of day and direction of travel compared to what's around. Are they going to/from bedding/feeding or just seemingly wandering. Also temp and wind direction could be good secondary info if you want to start getting into the weeds...Moon phase is a rabbit hole all by itself...

Direction of travel is the main one I'm watching for currently.

Temp...I'm hunting September so it's hot...really hot!

Moon phases...eesh!
I'll rephrase the question.
What is the best time for you to be there during hunting hours.

I say that cause you do have to account for night time bucks.
Buck shows early mourning,leaves before daylight.
He counts for mourning hunt.
Buck shows just after dark,leaves before midnight,counts as evening hunt.

Bucks that show just after dark ,you can bet that they are on the way. So you may try to bump into them a mile down the trail before dark.
Bucks that show early morning,leave before light.
You may be able to call them back,rattle or some doe bleats right after day break.

You always count the night bucks,they may seem impossible to kill being nocturnal. But you never know.

Just keep that question in your mind,as you go through your pics.
What is the best time for me to be there during hunting hours?

I also want to add ....
There is no right or wrong time. All day long might be best.
Season could start ,and your pics might fall off a cliff.
Only you and your data are gonna know best,how much time you want to put into one spot. Sometimes it can take years of data to know what's going to happen,when the season starts.

Hope this helps, I might of gave away too much.
More than others would like,just trying to help.
Good luck.

I hadn't thought about it like that, makes a lot of sense.

Last year was my first year deer hunting (I'm using a bow, on the ground) and I started scouting my back 40 so late in the season...2nd week of August, hunting Sept. season, everything I caught on cam was already nocturnal and due to the heat they weren't moving at all until just before/after sunrise/sunset.

On all of my morning/evening hunts last year I never saw any morning deer but I had several evening encounters (no luck though).

Now, come spring with all the newborns and no horns they're all out at all times of the day, and not so much at night and I'm getting lots of daylight captures on the cams each week. No doubt that will change as the temps rise through the year though. I'm curious to see at what temp & month they decide to go full nocturnal mode this year.
Title: Re: Patterning & cam data
Post by: hunter399 on April 27, 2025, 08:52:01 AM
You sure they got no horn/antlers.
Sometimes around this time of year,will be just some nubs coming through the hair line.
It's starting right now.
Title: Re: Patterning & cam data
Post by: DaNewb on April 27, 2025, 10:03:57 PM
just logged my first bucks this week but they're still really hard to tell doe from buck. Not really nubs, more like odd dark spots on their heads just in front of the ears that the does dont have.  One I could only tell he was a buck once he turned ass toward me in the shot and showed me his balls. I'm shooting vids not pics on my cams btw

Another week or so and the new horns will stand out more for sure.
Title: Re: Patterning & cam data
Post by: hunter399 on April 28, 2025, 10:14:08 AM
just logged my first bucks this week but they're still really hard to tell doe from buck. Not really nubs, more like odd dark spots on their heads just in front of the ears that the does dont have.  One I could only tell he was a buck once he turned ass toward me in the shot and showed me his balls. I'm shooting vids not pics on my cams btw

Another week or so and the new horns will stand out more for sure.
Sweet man.
I'll post a pic, "nubs" should look something like this.
Nubs are like a fine wine,only gets better with age. 😂
Last year pic.
Title: Re: Patterning & cam data
Post by: DaNewb on April 29, 2025, 04:18:25 PM
(https://i.postimg.cc/C5xVcm0J/lil-bucky.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Fd8qRb7J)


caught this guy last week...figured those were horns starting to show. Good to know what to look for.

So, now that the ruts over and the does are busy raising their fawns...I understand the bucks herd up together. I was thinking maybe the two behind the lil buck are not does either?
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