Many trail camera models are deeply discounted in the spring. Although each generation of cameras improves, you may be able to buy two or three cameras for the price of one. I was surprised to see Wildgame Innovations Mirage Lightsout Trail Camera package, which included batteries and a media card, on sale at half price.
If price is the first reason to buy your cameras now, spring turkey season is a strong second. Unlike deer, turkeys don’t bed down in the middle of the day, and your boots on the ground can disturb strutting grounds and nesting sites as well as making turkeys wilder than they normally are, if such a thing is possible.
Thirdly, you want to get a jump on deer activity. The wariest of bucks are often nocturnal, yet they’ll need to feed more frequently to recover energy lost during last fall’s rut and the long winter. At first, you’ll only see velvet bases, yet antlers grow quickly and the emerging tine of a monster will be clearly visible.
Allow animals to get used to the camera. I posted the Mirage Lightsout camera last November and retrieved it a few weeks ago. Amazingly, its small size and excellent camouflage eluded black bear destruction. Our hunt club has about 1 black bear per 100 acres, an incredibly high population and one reason, I believe, that our deer hunting has plummeted. This video may capture the smallest buck ever shown on camera. Once you stop laughing, notice how clearly and deeply you can see into the woods. www.wildgameinnovations.com
Finally, do you have a predator problem? If you discover a pack of coyotes on your ground, spring is the time to eliminate them. Once they have pups, adult coyotes will go on a killing spree to feed their young, and newborn fawns are high on their food list. Often today’s coyotes are silent, and you may have breeding pairs on your property and not know it. With stills or video of the creatures, you and your buddies will know what needs to be done.
