Here at The Proving Grounds we keep our Reconyx trail cameras out year round. We just love seeing critters! If you don’t keep you trail cameras out during the entire off season – now is the time to get them into the woods. This time of the year is perfect for scouting and capturing developing velvet antlers!

Many bucks have enough growth that they are now able to be identified by unique antler characteristics. Plus, many fawns are on the ground and it is a great way to monitor recruitment numbers.

Here are five great locations to put your trail cameras:

• Over mineral sites (in areas where this is legal).

• On high quality food sources (such as Eagle Seeds Forage soybeans).

• On active trails.
  • Make sure to place your trail camera perpendicular to trails so you can get a broadside picture to estimate age.

• On/in bottlenecks – natural (edge habitat) or manmade.
  • The corners of Hot Zone fences make great bottlenecks for deer to hug the corner/edge of the fence.

• If in drought conditions, water can be a hot attraction.

To make sure you get the most out of your trail cameras, follow these tips:

• Place cameras in low disturbance areas: on the edge of interior roads or food plots etc. (Easy in and out.)
• Use scent control practices when checking cameras. Our team reduces our scent by using D/Code field spray and wearing rubber-bottomed LaCrosse boots.
• Realize that the activity captured now may not reflect fall activity.
  • Food sources will change during hunting season.
  • Bucks will likely shift within their home range after summer.

It won’t be long before we begin developing this season’s hit list. As always, we’ll be sharing the Reconyx pictures as the velvet antlers start to harden. As you get trail camera pictures, we hope that you will share them with us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Watching for velvet antlers and enjoying Creation,

Daniel