Western Trail Cam Use

Using trail cams in western big-game country is catching on, but with so much public-land real estate involved, knowing where to set up can be tricky. Here’s how to do it right.

BAH-1212-CAM-PIX-01: Big mulie bucks are often nomadic and difficult to pattern. Trail cams help immensely with locating bucks and determining which areas hold the most deer.

I was speaking recently with one of my hunting buddies from Wisconsin. When I told him I was just out checking my trail cameras, he immediately stopped the conversation. “Wait a second,” he said. “You actually put trail cams up out there? I figured that was mostly an eastern thing.” I think he may have even thrown a “don’tcha know” in there for emphasis too.

I could only shake my head. That statement exemplifies one of the bigger misconceptions in hunting today. While they may have originated as a tool primarily used by whitetail deer hunters east of the Rockies, trail cameras have now worked their way into the western hunting scene in a big way. Our eastern hunting brethren may not fully realize it, but trail cameras most certainly have a place in the western hunter’s tool chest.

Scouting cameras out west are invaluable tools when used properly. After putting cameras to work in my local hunting areas over the last few years, I look back and almost chuckle at how I used to walk the woods rather aimlessly, without much of a strategy. Trail cams changed all that for me, and since their employment, I’ve enjoyed far greater hunting success.

The key to an effective trail camera strategy can be summarized with the old adage often referred to when discussing real estate… location, location, location. This is no different.  Your camera must be placed on good real estate to be effective.

When one thinks of hunting in the West, the mind may conjure up images of big country–wide-open vistas, perhaps expansive sage flats, aspen or evergreen pockets, alpine mountains, or maybe even an open desert environment. It could be intimidating to look out at such an expanse of country and attempt to determine proper camera placement. We must break each setting down to determine optimal locations.


Focus on the Basics
Regardless of the type of habitat, there are three components that all good hunting country will have: food, water and cover. We must learn how to use these elements to our advantage when seeking good camera locations.

When considering food, the obvious place to set a camera is over a bait or mineral station. That, however, is illegal in many western states. Agriculture may be the next best thing. Alfalfa abounds in the West and attracts deer and elk like a magnet. A camera placed on a well used trail entering a field can be an excellent resource to find out what kind of animals are using the area. Better yet, multiple cameras placed on several trails surrounding a field can help to pinpoint exactly which trails are most commonly used and when.

In the absence of bait or agriculture, effectively placing a camera on a food source may be difficult. In a natural environment, food sources can be of multiple varieties and spread out over a large range. It could be nearly impossible to narrow the feeding locations down to a very specific small area in which to hang a camera. Under these circumstances, you may be better off keying in on the remaining two elements, water and cover, when deciding where to place your camera.

Story and photos by Nate Treadwell

Posted by Bow & Arrow Hunting

Early Elk - Bow Hunting

Don’t resist the chance to bowhunt elk before the rut – it’s not as challenging as you might think.
By Jason Stafford

The author's dad took his

first-ever archery elk during

 a mid-August hunting trip to Wyoming

As darkness turned into dawn, my dad and buddy Ron could see 11 velvet-clad bulls feeding on an open hillside. The elk were above several fingers of dark timber.  It was late August and two days into Wyoming’s early archery elk season. 

They had no problem finding bulls feeding out in the open during various scouting trips and for each day of the season so far. The animals were around, it was just a matter of playing cat and mouse in the woods and setting up a shot. So far that hadn’t happened, though. Dad was the shooter on this hunt, and he was hoping for a pretty slam-dunk shot on what would be his first-ever archery bull. 

As the scorching sun began to warm the hillside, three bulls broke away from the big group and headed for a patch of trees that Ron was very familiar with. It was the moment to strike, but they had to move fast in order to intercept the bulls before they got into timber too dense and noisy for quiet stalking.

The jungle-like timber was in a deep canyon along with a small spring pond. They moved in and set up near this pond and a small clearing.

Moments later, the bulls fed out in front of them, just inside dad’s effective range. Once Ron checked the distance with his Nikon rangefinder, old pop came to full draw and let ‘er rip. The arrow flew true, and the nice velvet-antlered bull was down for good.

Most guys who bowhunt elk prefer to call or chase them when they are bugling, rutting, and chasing cows around. They enjoy the excitement and thrill of hearing thunderous bull elk talk echoing through the trees and canyons.

There’s no doubt mid-to-late September elk hunting can be exhilarating and productive, especially for those that love to call. But I’ve found bow hunting elk earlier on to be such as effective if not more so. During the rut, bulls become rivals and separate in order to sort out their dominance and to search for cows in estrous. This makes them harder to follow at times, I believe, which can add frustration to the hunt.

Whereas, during the early season, elk follow a consistent pattern, the same one they followed during the late-summer and the weeks leading up to opening day. This means if you’ve located elk during your scouting trips, then you can find them in the same place again.    

August and early September can surely bring warmer temperatures, but sometimes this can actually make animals more concentrated near water sources. This can make for more hunting action.

Also, in most western states, such as New Mexico, earlier hunts are much easier to draw. This could make them even more attractive if you know how to approach this kind of hunting. 

In this article I would like to offer a few tips for harvesting early-season elk. Each one has been proven to work well for me and my close hunting buddies. 

Pattern & Ambush
Like early whitetails, early elk are easy to pattern. Their daily rituals are straightforward -- they bed in heavy cover during the heat of the day, and then they move to feed, usually along open hillsides.

In the evenings, when they first start moving, they often prefer to water. They also like to water just prior to bedding in the morning.

Understanding these basic patterns will allow you to take an effective ambush somewhere along their travel routes – to and from feed or water. It’s that simple.

Another great thing about early elk is that they are still in summer bachelor groups. During August bowhunts, mature bulls are commonly seen in groups of three to ten, all feeding together. They are easier to locate this way, and more bulls in one spot means a high chance for shooting opportunity.

Be Patient & Aggressive
Depending on the terrain, early elk are ideal for employing spot and stalk. If you can glass them, then you should be able to move on them. The key is glassing them up early enough in the day so you can catch them in a vulnerable spot.

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Bow Hunting - Trail-Cam Smarts

For as great as scouting technology is, you still have to use it right for top success. Here’s how.

The use of trail cams has become a staple of bowhunting, from using them to identify potential harvest-worthy bucks on a piece of ground to patterning. We all love heading out to check our cams in anticipation of what we might have a chance at slinging an arrow at.

The unfortunate thing about trail cams is that in most cases they aren’t used correctly, which can cost hunters a true buck of a lifetime buck. As an archery outfitter in South Dakota, my livelihood relies on being able to pattern mature bucks, which means I really need to know the ins and outs of effective scouting.

After years of experimentation, here are my suggestions for getting the most out of your scouting techniques, and the best way to use scouting cameras.

Early Bird Catches the Worm
To start with, start scouting in early summer. I spend countless hours behind my spotting scope and binos watching pinch points and traffic areas during the hottest days of the summer. During the summer, whitetails are less nocturnal and this will also give you the chance to see the ratio of does to bucks and also fawns. After two seasons of counting your herd, you will have a good idea of the actual ratio.

Optimal ratio is one or two does for every buck. If you are seeing multiple does without fawns and not a lot of bucks, you better get some extra doe tags and even it out a little. Of course, bucks will be in velvet and still growing, so rubs will be from last year. Dress and prepare as if you were climbing into your stand in the middle of the rut. That’s right, wash your jeans and shirts in scent-killing detergent and spray down before you make your way in. Spray your boots LIBERALLY and also your hands.

For most that have newly acquired ground, the first thing you want to do is find the spot with the most sign, and put a cam or two up. This could be a hunter’s biggest mistake. If you find that spot, there is a good chance you have treaded deep enough and left enough of your own “sign” to make that ghost buck just that—a ghost.

Even the slightest hunch from a wary, mature buck that he is being watched will do one of three things.  
1. Turn him nocturnal. 
2. Make him change his travel routes. Or 
3. Make him pack up and head to a different piece of ground all together. Going nocturnal will kill your chances of harvesting him.

If he changes his travel routes, then it’ll start a game of cat and mouse that that will keep you guessing and wondering if he didn’t choose number three and head out altogether. It’s best to avoid all three options. Don’t hesitate to hike into a good glassing spot or park your vehicle a mile or so away from your newly acquired ground and observe. When scouting mule deer, it’s not uncommon to spend three or even four days behind the scope getting a feel for the ground. Whitetail can be observed in the same manner.

Cameras and Placement
You want to start with your camera(s) in spots where there is sign of course, but you should keep it minimal at first; a spot where a row of trees meets a fence, a shallow spot in a creek where the deer are obviously crossing, or just along a fairly used trail. Stay away from rubs, scrapes and definitely bedding areas.

When a mature, dominant buck makes a scrape in the same spot for a couple of years in a row, he is defining his territory. This buck, especially, knows the area well. The last thing you want is a bunch of red lights or a flash lighting him up when he is in one of his most testosterone-filled moments, besides breeding a doe or battling another buck. After all, he is the same deer 20 yards away from the scrape that he is when he is making his presence known on the scrape.

If you insist on placing cams on scrapes, set the unit on “daytime only” mode and place it as far away from the scrape as you can, and also above a deer’s head height. When you hang a picture on your wall, where do you put it? Eye level so everyone sees it. When you set up a stand, where do you put it? Above the deer’s normal line of vision, right?

Do the same with your cameras and not only will you help avoid deer knowing something is different, but you could capture more deer in the background that you might not have caught if the camera was at deer shoulder or head height. I am not saying you should hang your cameras 20 feet up, but simply above head height and facing down where it’s much less invasive.

During the summer months leading into early fall, I only check my cameras once a month; this ensures that I’m not impacting the ground and deer behavior. If I have seen a buck that looks mature with my own eyes and want to verify that he is using the ground, I will pull the cameras completely after the first photo I get of him. Then, I place them back out there three weeks before the season and only check them one time—five or six days before the opener to see if he is pattern-able—but not all bucks are!

Bow Hunting Tips - The Mental Side

The power of the mind can be amazing, but if your focus is on things like fear rather than success, you can kiss your hunt goodbye. Here are some tips to help you stay in the game, despite a troubled mind.

Several years ago I found myself sitting at a desk going through my second session of court-ordered anger management. The class was going into its third hour and I was paying less attention this time than I had the first (probably why I was attending a second time). But, somewhere in the middle of that third hour a new instructor came in and started talking about something that caught my attention.

The instructor was covering the “fight or flight” response of a human when faced with a stressful or dangerous situation—basically how one deals with fear. When broken down, the moral to his story was simple. You’re going to have one of two initial reactions: 1. Come out guns blazing and both fists swinging (the fight response). 2. You run like a school girl scared to death (flight).

The instructor’s job was to help each person understand his or her own specific reaction and then harness that reaction to turn it into a positive outcome (instead of a third session of anger management). Now this subject may not seem like it has anything to do with wilderness bowhunting, but when you simplify things, you only have two choices when heading into the backcountry—complete your goal and stay for the entire trip, or talk yourself out of the hunt and head back early.

Each year hundreds of bowhunters head west with the hopes and dreams of tagging a big bull or buck on a multiday wilderness hunt. They’ve spent thousands of dollars on tags, gear and fuel, trained in the gym, lost weight and got as prepared as they could for the great adventure ahead. In reality, it’s always easier to visualize the ideal hunting adventure sitting on the couch. Unfortunately, many underestimate the physical and mental rigors of wilderness hunting and often talk themselves into cutting the hunt short.

Most hunters won’t head down the mountain early because of a specific incident that has made them fearful; but, the general concept behind the “fight or flight” response will eventually get the best of them.