For the past quarter-century we’ve been directly involved in developing one of the greatest innovations in whitetail hunting and management: the infrared-triggered camera.

In 1978, our work began with what we then called “camera triggers,” as part of the research program of the newly formed Institute for White-tailed Deer Management & Research (Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas). Our first model was nothing more than two cigarette pack-sized devices: One emitted an infrared beam, while the other was a receiver. If the beam was broken, a camera was triggered, taking a photo of whatever broke the beam. This was a crude device, but it produced some amazing images of deer we never even knew were in our woods.

Since that time, numerous companies have developed very sophisticated devices, ranging from not much more than what we used in those days to high-tech computers that record data about each “event.” Now we even have an infrared-triggered video system for unmanned observation of deer. It’s gratifying to give a talk and have folks come up afterwards to show us stacks of their “candid” photos of great bucks and interesting deer behaviors.

Although a significant percentage of hunters now use these devices, we still do not see them being used to their full extent and capacity. Just as GPS (global positioning systems) units can do far more than just help a hunter get from Point X to Point Y, your camera can do far more for you than just showing the bucks that inhabit your hunting area.

The ease with which cameras can be set up has made their use extremely popular among deer hunters. But the authors have found that most people still use them strictly for taking inventory on bucks each year. Photo by Ben H. Koerth.

CAMERAS IN HUNTING
One of the major changes of the last 30 years has been the shift toward viewing the deer woods as a place for year-round recreation. In keeping with this, we sometimes receive “before” and “after” photos from hunters who have found particular bucks with trail cameras, then shot those deer.

The scouting and patterning applications for infrared-triggered cameras are numerous, and they can greatly expand your hunting enjoyment. Here are some ways cameras can make the process easier.

The idea of patterning whitetails has been around a long time, but the average hunter still does not understand what the word really means. In The Art & Science of Patterning Whitetails, James and co-author Gordon Whittington defined it as finding out what the deer in your hunting territory are doing and what they are likely to do in various situations in the future. Patterning is not about determining what a specific buck is going to doing at a precise moment in time; that is generally impractical to attempt. Yet you can learn a great deal, not only about what deer are doing in your area but also what a specific buck generally does. And the camera is ideal for that job.

The price of these cameras continues to drop, as companies move to China for manufacturing; some units now cost less than $100 U.S., making them affordable for almost everyone. As the price has fallen, we have seen folks who traditionally had only one camera purchase more of them. This makes patterning deer easier; however, even if you have only one, you can learn a great deal.

Using cameras should be a year-round recreational activity. We have them positioned strategically around our research property: along trails, at feeders or food plots, at rubs and scrapes, and at random within various habitat types. Over the course of a year, we learn when specific bucks begin growing their antlers, when they strip velvet, when they cast antlers and even the other deer they like to run around with.

Long ago, we introduced the idea of the “toady” buck, a slang term for sycophant (flatterer). This is the name we applied to the younger or subordinate buck(s) that tend to associate with dominant bucks. This usually is the first buck in an area to be killed, because he is less cautious. However, if he manages to survive, he benefits from being around the more dominant animal. He learns how to be dominant and seldom is challenged by other bucks.

These bucks do not stay together every moment, however. It often is a fluid situation, with two or more bucks spending time together, and then drifting apart. They come together periodically, each time with the subordinate buck showing proper respect. It is a harmonious relationship.

Using the cameras, we have been able to identify the various social groups on hunting properties. We have learned the dynamic nature of these buck groups, and we can pretty much work out their loose social structure. By either moving the cameras repeatedly or using several, we have been able to determine the yearly pattern of the buck groups and their changing composition.

What good does this do? Obviously, it permits you to see which bucks normally associate with each other. While hunting, you might not see the big, mature buck you are looking for, but the presence of one of his associates might mean he is in the area. That is valuable information in itself.

Working out a herd’s social structure is where infrared-triggered video cameras are superior to those taking still photos. With video, you actually are able to see the interactions between individuals (sometimes very subtle), and determine which of the deer is in charge and how the pecking order is arranged. And if you are concerned that the flash on a standard camera might spook deer, video offers another advantage: It uses infrared lights (which deer cannot see) to illuminate the surveillance area.

Placing cameras over rutting sign lets you discover where specific bucks are at any time. A buck photographed repeatedly at one or two sites is going to be there for some time. Because bucks return to the same rubs and scrapes each year, this knowledge can be used to develop a plan for the next year. On the other hand, a buck photographed only once is likely a “floater” caught passing through the area. He is a much more difficult animal to harvest. But you may be able to work out a general time frame of when he moves into your hunting territory.

We also use cameras to get an idea where a buck is likely to cast his antlers. Shed hunting is another way in which many whitetail enthusiasts have expanded the recreational experience. After the season, use cameras to locate where the buck you were unable to harvest is spending the winter. Monitor the photos for signs of antler casting. He might show up one morning with both sides still on, and then come back that afternoon with only one. (The date and time imprinted on each photo let you narrow down the timing.) The buck surely did not travel a great distance at that time of the year, so chances are the missing antler is in the vicinity.

Plot all of your data on a good aerial photo of the area. Mark lines showing where the individual members of a social group have been photographed over time, and a unique picture will emerge. You will be able to see on paper the dynamics of the buck’s social groups. Develop a time series of which bucks you have photographed and where. You will be amazed how useful all this is in patterning deer.