Setting Up Your Trail Camera For The 2021 Deer Season
Food Plot
Set-up trail cameras to monitor your food plots:
Your deer herd will use your food plots, providing them with beneficial nutrition and allowing you to observe their development over time. Whitetail populations tend to migrate throughout the year, but setting up food plots will encourage them to stay in the area and on your property for greater periods of time. Set up trail cameras along with key crops and try using the time-lapse feature on the Spartan Ghost or GoLive. This way, you can monitor plot growth and see more area than what the sensor may pick up. It’s a great way to see which crops are preferred and when deer are coming to forage.
Game Feeders
Set up trail cameras to monitor game feeders:
Feeders are a great way to provide supplemental nutrition and keep a herd on your property throughout the season. By providing them with their favorite feeds, deer are much more likely to stay within the area during the fall and winter seasons. By using a Spartan Camera to monitor these feeders, you can learn which feed performs best with your herds and see what other animals are active in the area.
Mineral Blocks
Set up trail cameras to monitor mineral blocks:Mineral blocks supply nutrients that are essential to herd health. These blocks are made mostly of salt but contain many important trace nutrients. Biologic Biorock is one brand we recommend: it contains important minerals like calcium, potassium, and sulfur. With mineral sites, it’s important to start early within the summer months, as it may take a few weeks for them to attract deer without any additional attractant. Using a trail camera like the Spartan GoLive is a great way to keep an eye on your setups to see if they need any adjustments. If you want to learn more, check out Mossy Oak’s post on how to “Improve Your Herd Health With Mineral Licks.” |
Set up trail cameras to monitor mineral blocks:Mineral blocks supply nutrients that are essential to herd health. These blocks are made mostly of salt but contain many important trace nutrients. Biologic Biorock is one brand we recommend: it contains important minerals like calcium, potassium, and sulfur. With mineral sites, it’s important to start early within the summer months, as it may take a few weeks for them to attract deer without any additional attractant. Using a trail camera like the Spartan GoLive is a great way to keep an eye on your setups to see if they need any adjustments. If you want to learn more, check out Mossy Oak’s post on how to “Improve Your Herd Health With Mineral Licks.” |
Shooting Lanes
Set up trail cameras around hunting areas and shooting lanes:
Use a trail camera to monitor trails and shooting lanes around your hunting setup. By monitoring the site year-round, you can plan to make adjustments prior to your hunts without the risk of leaving any “human scent” that might alert deer to your presence. Using a trail camera around your hunting setup also allows you to plan your hunts based on the activity observed in the area.
Mocks Scrapes
Set up trail cameras around scrape areas:Scrapes help drive bucks to investigate the area and mark territory. While most scrapes can be found on the ground, many scrapes have licking branches above them that whitetails will lick and rub their faces on to leave a scent behind. To establish a successful mock scrape, place the scent 5-5.5 feet above the ground in an area with preexisting scrapes (Delks). Place a trail camera to see if you have successfully set up the mock and to ensure that other odors didn’t contaminate the mock scrape. |
Set up trail cameras around scrape areas:Scrapes help drive bucks to investigate the area and mark territory. While most scrapes can be found on the ground, many scrapes have licking branches above them that whitetails will lick and rub their faces on to leave a scent behind. To establish a successful mock scrape, place the scent 5-5.5 feet above the ground in an area with preexisting scrapes (Delks). Place a trail camera to see if you have successfully set up the mock and to ensure that other odors didn’t contaminate the mock scrape. |
Water Sources
Set up trail cameras around water sources:Water is essential for any deer. Place a trail camera on trails leading to the water source or on the water source itself. Make sure to place it well above the waterline. Any placement near the waterline is at your own risk, even though most devices are “water-resistant”. |
Set up trail cameras around water sources:Water is essential for any deer. Place a trail camera on trails leading to the water source or on the water source itself. Make sure to place it well above the waterline. Any placement near the waterline is at your own risk, even though most devices are “water-resistant”. |
For placement, check out our support article on other uses and placement for trail cameras.
Contributors: Ross Baker, John Lockburner Jr., Sanclara Daigle, and Kevin Warstadt
Photos from Spartan HQ, Cody Smith, and Austin Delano from Mossy Oak
Sources:
Almy, Gerald. “Improve Your Herd Health with Mineral Licks.” Mossy Oak, 2 Jan. 2020, www.mossyoak.com/our-obsession/blogs/deer/improve-your-herd-health-with-mineral-licks.
“BioLogic Biorock- DEER ATTRACTANT Mineral Salt Rock.” BioLogic, www.plantbiologic.com/products/biologic-biorock-deer-attractant-mineral-salt-rock-lick.
Delks, Wes. “Mock Scrapes for Mature Bucks.” Mossy Oak, 23 Apr. 2020, www.mossyoak.com/our-obsession/blogs/deer/mock-scrapes-for-mature-bucks.
