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Cameras and patterns

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Cameras and patterns

Postby db.cannon » 11 13, 2020 •  [Post 1]

Already day dreaming about scouting for next year...

How many cameras do people tend to run? What's your strategy -- do you like water, travel routes, feed, terrain features or some salt (where legal)? I ran 4 cameras this year. 3 where I thought I might pattern elk and 1 where I thought mule deer might use.

My area has a decent amount of water with springs, seeps, and creeks at the bottom of canyons/draws. Any wallow type features I've found usually have many cameras but oddly no signs of treestands around. Had success getting lots of cows on camera early season and establishing something of a pattern for most. Focused on well used trails with lots of elk sign. Pulled my cameras recently and had a few bulls pass by with cows around the Sep 10-15 dates. Nothing after that and no pattern.

Anyone out there pattern bulls early season?
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Re: Cameras and patterns

Postby Swede » 11 13, 2020 •  [Post 2]

I have six cameras. I set them out at potential tree stand locations, usually at water holes. I like to place them where trails come together. Where I hunt I get mostly cows on four of my cameras. In the Summer and early archery season there are bulls only in a couple places that are well away from the others.
In the early season the bulls and cows are separated. If you want, or need a bull, hunt somewhere bulls show up frequently. You might leave your cameras in place and see what shows up through the season. Things change. You will know better what to do the next time you hang your cameras.
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Re: Cameras and patterns

Postby Elkhunttoo » 12 18, 2020 •  [Post 3]

I had 7 cameras out this year. I’m not sure to much on patterns of elk. I chased pretty much 1 bull this entire last season. He worked the top of 3-4 ridges all season and another herd bull worked the lower part of the same area. Each time one would bugle the other would answer almost automatically. My guess was they knew each other well, instead of seeming to worry about the other one taking cows from each other they seemed to put each other more at ease when they bugles as if they used each other to warn of dangers...just my opinion from what I observed anyway.

The others in my group had a few more trail cameras up. I will be putting together a bunch of my pictures shortly and will post them.

I’m hoping to hunt this same area for a few more seasons and continue to gather information but it seems to me elk change there patterns/movements on the drop of a dime for any reason.
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Re: Cameras and patterns

Postby Lefty » 12 22, 2020 •  [Post 4]

I have 6 cameras. Mostly for fun.
I am going to make a big move this year in August ,. We have a wallow 30 minutes down from our access, ( triple that time coming out) That Ill put put a tree stand near. . Just hope he wasnt the big bull that got taken out of that canyon. He was fairly regular sleeping near the wallow from the 8th to the 25th

Year past Ive pulled trail cams at the beginning of the season, next year well run them all season.
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