Flash? or no flash?

[Don K]

Ok, heres a question for you experts

Im getting a new camera next week and have a place I want to put it. Theres a group of bucks that runs this area almost every night and 2 of them are REAL nice. Im going to hang a stand in the middle of the day once my camera arrives and hang the camera nearby to try to get some pictures of these bucks. For the last couple years I have hung my 35mm camera on the farm but not where im hanging a stand. My new camera I can shut off the flash and make it only take day pictures. So heres the questions.

Would you worry about the flash bothering these bucks and have it only take day pictures?

Do you think having the camera that close to my stand where I have been seeing these bucks (almost nightly) is taking a risk in spooking them out of there?

I never really worried about the flash in the past but Ive never seen bucks this big on this farm.

I really want to get some digital pictures of these guys but Im worried I may mess up this area doing so.

Your advice?

Don

 

[Shredder]

I purposly avoid setting a cam close to a stand site as I have burn out trails and scrapes by presumably the flash. Daytime pics with the flash off tho should not be an issue....thing is...be careful about leaving scent when you check the camera.

I would find an area that the bucks are hanging out in that is not condusive to stand placement and set the camera there on 24 hour mode.

I have found that if the camera is set up above...well above a deer's eye level and directed downward that the flash does not seem to bother them near as much or not at all. Just another point to consider.

 

[strutnrut]

I would not worry about the flash. I have never noticed the flash spooking the deer. It depends what kind of camera you are using, digital or 35mm. The noise of the film advancement is what spooks the deer not the flash.. It you are using a digital I would not worry about the flash but if using a 35 mm I would not put to close to your stand site.. Just my 2 cents..

 

[Shredder]

I watched a nice buck approach my trail cam about 150 yards out last fall Camoup......I guarantee the flash will spook them based on that observation. Put your cam (digital that is) on double pic mode and check for yourself. 50% at least, will be out of the frame in as short of time as the next pic goes off. Triple mode if available would probably have less deer in the frame. Does get accustomed to the flash and it may not bother them to the degree it does others but mature bucks if flashed in the face will spook the majority of the time. I'll let others fill in the blanks on that observation (the buck in my avatar was back about 30 feet on the next pic after that cam went off)

 

[Don K]

Thanks for the replies and advice. Im probably going to put the camera up set on day mode only for this area. When I hang my stand I will put the camera up and head in there 1 time to pull the camera and move it to a different location. This will keep my scent to a min and see if I cant get these guys pictures. This area is going to be good for the first 2 weeks of season then they will be pushed out due to the goose hunters showing up. I want to get a crack at a couple of these bucks and would really like to get pictures too.

Don