A Camera in the Garden

I'm not much for technology, particularly while hunting. I shoot a longbow. My backpack is a cheap aluminum external from the 70's that I bought at the thrift store for five bucks. Most of my hunting clothing consists of basic wool garbs that were also acquired at the thrift store. I use a map and compass. I light my fires with pitch wood. On warm days, I don't even carry a tent with me.  Etc. Etc. Etc. You get the picture. I keep it simple. So when my new hunting partner suggested we set out cameras, I cringed. 

I’ve never understood hunters’ infatuation with cameras, and I couldn’t understand why my friend would want to pack a camera two miles into the woods just to get some photos. However, after a brief conversation with friend, whose negotiating skills far outstrip my own (he started with wanting to bait the bears to the camera with jelly donuts and then settled for just placing the cameras without bait), I reluctantly agreed to place the cameras. Still, my doubts lingered. What purpose would they serve? If you can interpret sign, is there really a need for a camera? Doesn’t the camera just confirm what you have already discerned from scouting? Will the cameras spook the wildlife and make them weary of entering the area again? Is it really worth the effort? Am I joining the hordes of hunters (whom are likely far more successful than me) who rely too heavily on technology?

That was two weeks ago. We placed only one camera, and I pulled it this past Sunday.  I’m still a little split on the whole camera thing. The aforementioned doubts still linger in my head. But   must say, boy was it fun! For two weeks, I eagerly awaited the results. My  doubts quickly turned from Is it really worth the effort? to I wonder if we’ll get a picture of a bear or a nice buck. It was exciting, more exciting than just regular scouting. It also accomplished a couple of things that I can’t discern from scouting. First, it told us how often and at what times the deer and bear were frequenting the area (the former about twice a week around 2 o’clock; the latter never). Secondly, it showed how many deer and their size. In this case, a nice sized doe with a fawn.

I know. I know. Much of this can be discerned from reading the sign. And yes, I could tell it was a doe and her fawn from the tracks. And if I was good enough, I could have reached some reasonable estimate on how frequently they were visiting the area. I’m not to that level yet, and even if I was, it would still be good fun to set the cameras. 

However, there is one thing that makes me very uncomfortable: a couple pictures show the doe looking alarmingly at the camera. I’ve always felt that maintaining an element of surprise is biggest advantage a hunter has over big game. These deer are nearly three miles in a wilderness area. It is rarely hiked and probably never hunted. Essentially, they are unpressured deer. That’s a huge advantage for us, and I fear we may have lost it. There’s likely enough time before the start of the season (Oct. 1^st) for things to calm down and return to normal. But I have an uneasy feeling that won’t go away. The kind you get when you see the tail end of a deer you just spooked. I'm also eager to set another camera.