Trail cameras can give you a good look at deer behavior during the summer months. It’s important to capture natural movement during the off season before the deer become pressured and change their movements during hunting season. But how do you decide where to place your trail camera? We’ve got some tips on how to choose the best place for your trail camera this summer.

Look for Food

If you already planted the crops in your food plots this spring, you can set up your trail cameras aimed at the vegetation. This will allow you to capture the deer herd’s activity as they eat at your food plot. You’ll be able to see the makeup of the deer herd, like how many bucks versus does there are. A buck-heavy herd could mean an exciting and active rut in your area as the bucks compete for the few does in the herd.

Having trail cameras at your food plot will also help you see which direction the deer are coming from. It’s important to keep your blind and shooting areas away from the food plot. You don’t want to hunt or practice your bowhunting skills directly on top of the food plot, otherwise the herd will become wary of the area and stop visiting. You want to keep your Stump blinds on their travel paths between the food plot and their bedding areas. Seeing which direction the deer are coming from on camera will help you determine where the main route might be.

If you’re using our Feedbank Gravity Deer Feeders on your property, you’ll be able to capture multiple deer at once. There are several feeding ports on each feeder so the deer can all feed at the same time. The Feedbank Timber 250 has four feeding ports and can hold 250 pounds of food.

Look for Shade

Deer want to beat the heat during the summer as much as we do. They will likely choose bedding areas that provide adequate shade while also allowing for a breeze to come through. Look for trees that create a canopy or bushes that aren’t entirely enclosed. Place a trail camera at their bedding area and/or all along the line between the bed and the food source.

Look for Water

Deer will want to stay hydrated during the hot summer months. They will make sure they find a water source and they won’t be picky whether it’s a natural or manmade one. Put out your Wild Water System and place a trail camera nearby. The deer will gravitate to the water source. If you put our Wild Water Mineral Supplements in the water, it will give them a boost of nutrients and create an addiction which should keep them coming back all summer and into the fall hunting season. The minerals come in multiple flavors and each packet covers 100 gallons of water.

When you’re deciding where to place your trail cameras, it’s important to keep the three key elements in mind: food, shade, and water. If you place trail cameras in these three areas, you should be rewarded with some quality deer pictures and a great database of knowledge going into the fall hunting season.

How do you decide where to put your trail camera? Let us know in the comments below!

 

 

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