Trail Cameras for Turkeys

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Dear Dr. Woods,

I found your website thanks to QDMA and thoroughly enjoy it! Also, I met you at the Cabela’s seminar last fall. I have 3 questions:

  1. I noticed that although you placed your scouting camera high, it appears that it’s facing an east/west direction. If I do that with my camera I get lots of pictures of the sun rising/setting. Shouldn’t you have it facing a north/south direction?
  2. What do you do differently when placing a camera to scout for deer vs. scouting for turkeys?
  3. What was planted in the food plot where all the turkeys came in?

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Robert

Landowner

Robert,

I always place my Reconyx trail cameras facing in a generally north position. I think I turned the one in that episode east so the shadows wouldn’t mess up filming. You are correct and very observant!

The biggest difference between how I use trail cameras for deer and turkey is that I rarely place the units for deer where I expect to hunt as I don’t wish to disturb that area with scent, noise, etc. Rather, I place the cameras in larger feeding food plots, etc. The data collected at areas that are primarily used at night allow me to figure out where deer are moving during daylight hours. However, I commonly place my cameras where I expect to hunt for turkeys because they have a very limited sense of smell. I also almost always use the time lapse feature to scout an entire field or opening for turkeys.

I believe you are referring to a plot planted with a mix of winter wheat and clover. Turkeys like low growing crops to consume the forage and insects. Turkeys don’t like thick, tall forage, except for nesting.

I hope our paths cross again this year.

Growing Deer together,

Grant