Deer season is almost here!
Many deer hunters, myself included, can be coy about sharing trailcam shots of big bucks.
The thinking, at least my thinking is, if someone associates a big buck with a specific hunter, other hunters may try to either sneak onto the suspected home turf of the big buck or onto adjacent property.
Actually, I know hunters who don’t share pictures with close friends who are in the same club or who hunt the same property. Not that I would ever do that. 
Well, when Wild Life regular Ralph Barton sent me his latest batch of scouting camera shots, he said “You don’t have to keep my name secret.”
The short of it is he hunts public land and knows that he has little company out there, and will have little company out there no matter what kinds of shots he shares. After all, checking his cameras requires a hike (and not an easy one) of about 5 miles.
I love this shot of this mature buck sneaking past one of Barton’s stands. (Again, the fact that he leaves his stands out there shows just how little concern he has about other hunters finding this spot.) He also got many bear pictures, including the great shot included here.
Many of you are looking forward to getting out Saturday for the youth deer hunt. I’d like to take one of my girls out to hunt, but not for deer. I need to check some stands and I’m thinking we’ll just carry air guns in case we run into a squirrel or two. Maybe we won’t even wait for Saturday to do that, as squirrel season is open now.
One of my girls, Elisabeth, has been practicing with my Benjamin Maruader .22 pistol (with a carbine stock so it can be held like a rifle) and is dead nuts with it. One evening before I left for Alaska I was putting rotten tomatoes on sticks and she was not missing. Any squirrel within 15 yards would be hers.
I expect I’ll have some nice hero shots to post starting Saturday.
Good luck to everyone heading out, and be safe out there.
September 27, 2012 - 2:32 PM
Nice pictures!
Great daylight pictures Ralph! I hope that big buck comes back by when you are in the stand.
On the topic of the Game-Cam photo secrecy…. I guess I can understand the reasoning in some situations. But for me sharing the photos is half the fun! It’s exciting to show the pics to my buddies who also love the hunt. Many a long conversation on hunting topics has been fueled while we looked at Game-Cam shots. I even put the photos on my Facebook page to share with friends who may not be outdoorsman. For me it’s all part of the total experience…. just another way to become immersed in the outdoors…. living and breathing the Hunt everyday…. during the season and all year round!
I absolutely can’t wait to be out there HUNTING!!! The days have been passing agonizingly slow as I’ve longed for that first day of Archery season! Of course I’m also full of anticipation for Saturday’s youth hunt, I’ll be taking my son, Chris, and hopefully we will see some deer.
Wishing all of you in the wildlife family a safe and successful hunting season. I’m looking forward to seeing the photos of your harvests that will be posted in the coming weeks!
Mark,
Great Article in the paper today, read it all.
When I was a Va Trooper in Carroll Co. I did a great deal of trout fishing and use salmon eggs a lot, I used Mike’s Sunshine cheese bait, I have not been able to find them for many years. They were smaller than reg. eggs. Any idea where a man might find them again?
I’ll be out youth day with my 12 year old daughter in the hopes of her bagging her first deer.This will be only her second outing for such and if we’re lucky an early and unsuspecting deer will casually come into range. As far as her ability to hit her intended target,she’s easily proven that at the range with my ole trusty .30.30 which has been virtually a space taker in the gun cabinet for the last several years,but I’ve held onto it for just this very reason. If she takes her first one this year then any I take in the following months will be minimal in comparison regardless of it’s size.
Allan — Thanks. I’ll repost your comment/question with my post on the story and maybe someone can help you. I recall using Mike’s baits years ago while growing up in Oregon.
Good luck Kevin, Ralph and others taking youth tomorrow. I can’t wait to hear some success stories. Of course, I’d argue that just getting the kids out there, whether they tag one or not, is a success. BTW, Kevin, I shot my first deer with a 30/30. Trusty is a good way to put it!
Mark,Shot my biggest ever with it and another reason I’ll not let it go.
Now we know his name and have Ralph Barton staked out. Tracking dogs will be used to follow his scent. LOL
Grouse hunters are worse (?) than deer hunters. Well maybe.
Thanks Ralph. I’ll trade you a big buck tip for a grouse tip any day!
It is nice to hear of another hunter that is willing to go deep to find good hunting. I too hunt National Forest, and I do it exclusively presently. It’s refreshing when you are successful on ground that anyone can hunt. I talk to other hunters at the gates I park at, most are unsuccessful because they only walk 10-20 minutes in and plopping down in a spot that “looks good”. You notice that shot of Ralphs where its all brushy and thick, the trees seem young, thats not what the typical hunter is looking for, but it is obviously where the big boys want to be. I am excited also to know the name of the guy that will be sitting in the tree above me on opening day, LOL! Good luck to all!